Transgender Fighters in Sports: Challenging Assumptions and Seeking Fairness

Combat sports have always been a platform for showcasing strength, skill, and perseverance. Athletes from diverse backgrounds have graced the arenas and proved their mettle time and again. However, when it comes to transgender fighters, a lot of misconceptions and myths surround their participation (particularly with trans women).

Let’s talk about some of these arguments and try to conclude where trans fighters belong.

Editor’s Note: This article has been sitting in the drafts section for quite some time (years, actually). Not because it’s not important to me, but because I didn’t want to “get it wrong”. I’ve come to the terms that this article is not going to be perfect, we don’t currently have many systems in place to have proper solutions for this, and all I can do is try my best to get this information out there. Discussions that are respectful in nature are encouraged, especially brainstorming possible solutions and systems we can start putting into place, but transphobic dismissiveness and comments will not be tolerated in any form.

The Main Arguments

The argument for trans athletes, namely trans women, in combat sports is mainly one based on inclusion. The world is questioning old beliefs and trying to view marginalized groups as they are – human.

It’s essential to acknowledge that transgender fighters are human beings who deserve opportunities like anyone else. They have a passion for their sport and possess the same level of dedication and hard work as any other athlete. To deny them a chance to compete based on their gender identity is not only discriminatory but also robs them of their passion and talent.

Although trans people as a whole, are far from being accepted in society as they are, most have the option of expressing themselves as the gender they identify with.

On the flip side, the arguments against trans women competing against cis women are plenty. Most of those arguments stem from these main ones:

1. It’s not fair (this includes arguments about bone density, testosterone levels, strength and muscle mass)
2. It’s not safe for cis women (due to perceived differences)

Breaking Down the Arguments

Sensational headlines such as “Transgender MMA Fighter Fallon Fox Breaks Opponent’s Skull”, make the problem with trans women seem bigger than it is. The misleading headlines against trans women are exaggerated. These headlines often target those that are not well-informed or those on the fence on the inclusion of trans fighters in the women’s divisions. Fallon Fox was one of the targets of this agenda. As the first openly transgender professional MMA fighter that’s fought cis women, many people truly believed that she broke the hard bone surrounding her opponent’s brain.

In reality, she broke her opponent’s orbital, the bones surrounding the eye, which is technically part of the skull. This is NOT an uncommon injury in combat sports. It’s happened in bouts between cis men and in bouts between cis women. To use such an exaggerated headline to produce fear against trans women skews the reality of the situation. These type of headlines and articles try to make it seem like the chances of sustaining this injury in a bout between two cis women are close to none. And paints Fox to be an enemy of cis women. Let’s also keep in mind that the more dramatic the headline, the more clicks it gets, and, yup, the more money that publication gets for writing it.

More recently during the Paris 2024 Olympics, there was a huge storm of controversy where Imane Khelif endured a lot of online abuse due to misinformation that was catalyzed and spread by popular online figures like Logan Paul.

So, the two main questions remain unanswered.

• Are cis women more in danger with the inclusion of trans women?
• Do trans women have an advantage over cis women, even with hormone replacement therapy (HRT)?

And, as food for thought, one more question that doesn’t seem to be asked: What about the safety of trans athletes?

“Advantages” Trans Women Have

The widespread belief that trans women have due to their bone density and testosterone levels is NOT scientific evidence. Some studies for reference:

• Harper, J., & Heitz, J. (2018). Transgender athletes in competitive sport. Current sports medicine reports, 17(8), 266-271.
  • Discusses the common misconceptions surrounding transgender athletes in competitive sports, including the idea that they have an unfair advantage due to their testosterone levels and bone density. The authors argue that these assumptions are not supported by scientific evidence.
• Harper, J., & Jones, B. (2016). Athletic performance and gender identity. Journal of LGBT Health Research, 12(1), 1-14.
  • Study examined the athletic performance of transgender women before and after hormone therapy. The results showed that there was no significant difference in performance after hormone therapy, indicating that hormone therapy eliminates any potential advantage that trans women may have had due to testosterone levels.
• Handelsman, D. J. (2018). Transgender athletes in elite sport: current perspectives. Open access journal of sports medicine, 9, 131-136.
  • Provides a comprehensive review of the research on transgender athletes in elite sports. The author concludes that there is no evidence to support the idea that transgender athletes have an unfair advantage.
• Ljungqvist, A., & Mountjoy, M. (2017). Misuse of the IOC consensus statement on sex reassignment and athletic performance. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 51(17), 1309-1310.
  • Challenges the idea that trans women have an unfair advantage in sports. The authors argue that there is no evidence to support this claim and that it is based on misconceptions about the effects of hormone therapy.

The Olympic International Committee’s Stance

The IOC’s previous guidelines required all women to have testosterone levels under 10 nanomoles/liter. Regarding transgender women, itrequired them to maintain testosterone levels below a certain threshold via testosterone-supressing medication for at least one year before competing. This was intended to mitigate any potential advantages associated with higher testosterone levels.

(While bone density can be a factor in certain sports, it’s not a straightforward determinant of strength, particularly in combat sports. Muscle mass, technique, and training regimen also play significant roles in athletic performance.)

The IOC has since released a new framework regarding trans-inclusion. The IOC’s revised guidelines decentralize the decision-making process for trans athlete inclusion, assigning responsibility to individual sports governing bodies. This approach focused on avoiding the assumption that transgender women inherently possess an advantage over cisgender women and eliminates the requirement for transgender women to reduce their testosterone levels to compete.

The new framework is the result of extensive consultations with stakeholders from various sporting disciplines, legal experts, and medical professionals. The IOC openly acknowledged that its previous policy had negative consequences for the mental and physical well-being of transgender athletes worldwide. However, because the policies regarding trans-inclusion are now up the each sport governing bodies, it does not necessarily mean that the actual enforced policies for each type of athlete reflects the intentions the IOC set out to establish.

At the time of writing, there is no officially-recognized governing body for boxing by the IOC. In 2023, the IOC withdrew recognition of the IBA. Currently, World Boxing has 44 countries that acknowledge it and is trying to replace the IBA. The deadline to fulfill this space is early 2025, according to the IOC.

Editor’s Note: In the absence of a recognized governing body, the IOC likely established temporary arrangements or partnerships with other boxing organizations to oversee the qualification process and competition.

Fairness

Despite efforts to promote fairness in sports, there is never truly a level playing field. The pursuit of fairness in sports has long been a cornerstone of athletic competition. While we strive for an equitable playing field, it’s important to acknowledge that true parity is elusive. Factors such as genetics, socioeconomic status, and access to resources can significantly influence an athlete’s performance. Events like the Olympics are designed to test these limits, identifying the most exceptional athletes in their respective fields.

Examples of inherent inequalities in sports: Athletes from affluent backgrounds often have greater access to training facilities, coaches, and nutritional resources. Physical attributes like height and limb length can confer advantages in certain sports. These factors can create a competitive landscape that is not entirely level.

“Then why not let everyone just fight each other regardless of gender?” some of you may be asking. There are significant physiological differences between cis men and cis women. These differences, often attributed to hormonal factors, can contribute to disparities in athletic performance. However, trans women who undergo hormone therapy experience a reduction in testosterone levels, which can mitigate some of these advantages. Therefore, trans women cannot and should not be equivalated in with cis men.

Other Factors at Play

It’s essential to avoid generalizations when discussing trans athletes. Just as there is a wide range of physical attributes among cisgender athletes, the same is true for trans women. Some trans women may have naturally higher levels of muscle mass or other physical characteristics that could provide an advantage, while others may have attributes that are more comparable to cisgender women.

Moreover, combat sports are not solely determined by physical strength. Technique, strategy, and mental toughness play crucial roles in success. Trans athletes must dedicate themselves to mastering these skills, just like any other athlete. Their achievements are a testament to their hard work, dedication, and competitive spirit.

What the Science Says

In recent years, there has been an increase in research on transgender athletes in sports, and the findings have been encouraging. Many studies, like the ones cited above, suggest that there are minimal performative differences between trans women and cis-women athletes. There are also studies that show that trans women that went through puberty do have inherent advantages.

However, there aren’t enough longitudinal studies with data to definitively say that trans women should compete cis women. Still, it calls the false dichotomy into question: Is it then safe for trans women to compete cis men? Is that truly the only other option?

The data extracted from people who recently transitioned would most likely be different than people who transitioned decades ago. Hopefully there will be more long-term studies that can provide data on where trans athletes better belong. This can help us make better policies to include trans athletes while making it “fair” as possible for them and everyone else.

Other Factors to Consider

The development of policies governing trans athletes often involves individuals who are cisgender. This can lead to decisions that are influenced by biases or fears rather than a comprehensive understanding of the issues involved.

Many discussions surrounding trans athlete inclusion focus solely on the potential safety concerns for cisgender women. However, the safety of trans women must also be taken into account. Pairing trans women with cis men in combat sports could pose significant risks to their well-being.

Editor’s Note: The case of Hergie Tao-Wag Bacyadan, a transgender man who competed in the women’s division in the Paris 2024 Olympics without significant media attention, highlights the complex and often contradictory nature of public discourse surrounding transgender athletes.

Despite the challenges, it’s essential to find ways to include trans athletes in combat sports. Their participation is not only a matter of fairness but also a fundamental human rights issue. Combat sports gyms claim to “accept all”, but the definition of “all” seems to be very selective.

While we may not have all the necessary data to develop perfect solutions, especially at present day, it’s crucial to move beyond sensationalized claims and focus on finding ways to create a more inclusive and equitable environment for all athletes.

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Check out this interview I did with Jess Izen back in 2021 – we spoke about this topic in length.