Banning trans women from sport ignores so many inconvenient truths

An astounding number of Aussies believe trans women shouldn’t be allowed to compete in sports but the issue has been grossly simplified.

OPINION

At a time when we have a climate crisis, ridiculous housing inaffordability, and unprecedented international tensions, headlines are being filled to the brim with discussions over what rights trans people should have. One of the most fiery discussion points is, should trans women be able to compete in women’s sports?

While the vast majority of Australians support most aspects of trans rights, such as our rights to trans healthcare and education, the issue of trans participation in sport remains extremely contentious.

In the Great Aussie Debate survey, which 50,000 news.com.au readers took part in, an overwhelming majority (82.6 per cent) believed that trans women possess an unfair advantage over cisgender women in sports, and therefore shouldn’t be able to compete. And as a massive sports fan, I understand the hesitation, but as a trans woman with my own outlook on the issue, I’m frustrated by how simplified this incredibly complex debate has become.

For starters, what sports are we talking about, and which trans women are we talking about? If we want to be excruciatingly general, there are physical attributes that trans women are more likely to possess over cis women. For instance, it is true that trans women who commence transition post-adolescence tend to be taller on average than cis women, and height is an advantage in sports such as basketball, but even this isn’t a universal fact.

Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, ended her controversial college swimming career with a last place finish in the final of the 100-yard freestyle at the US collegiate championships. Picture: Joseph Prezioso / AFP

Banning trans women altogether from sports also affects trans women who never undergo a testosterone-induced puberty, and therefore would never develop the physical attributes that people point to as suggesting a potential advantage.

On top of that, there are many sports where attributes such as height offer a disadvantage, such as gymnastics or equestrian, and thus it’s impossible to understand why such a ban is necessary.

The issues with simplifying this debate into a few sentences can be shown most easily with the effects it has had.

In New Zealand, a trans woman was banned from playing darts. Some may say that this is because “male-bodied people” possess natural advantages in motor control and the like, but to suggest that also plays into suggestions that men are naturally more gifted at activities such as driving, and how can be it be feminist to reinvigorate such ridiculous misogynistic myths just to justify discrimination against trans women?

Even more blatant, FIDE, the governing body over chess, banned trans women from participation earlier this year, with no justification offered.

Are we really at a point where we might be suggesting that the Y chromosome makes you more intellectually gifted? Shouldn’t we perhaps be using a sport like chess, where no natural advantages exist, as a method of empowering men and women of all backgrounds and encouraging open competition instead?

Transgender athlete Laurel Hubbard from New Zealand competing in the women's 90+ kg weight class competition at the Weightlifting World Championships, where she placed second in the Snatch category. Picture: EPA/Mike Nelson

But OK, what if were to insist that there are sports were an advantage exists? Shouldn’t we enact a ban in those instances? Well, no, because the reality speaks for itself. We don’t even need to look at the science to see that no advantage exists. Despite being eligible to compete in the Olympics since 2004, no trans woman has ever won a medal.

In tennis competitions, trans women have been eligible to compete for more than 50 years, but no trans women have ever competed in WTA level tournaments. Why? If anything, the reality seems to show that cis women have the clear advantage.

Well, yes, and to be honest, it appears that both sides of the debate are aware of this too. This can be seen when those who were calling for Lia Thomas’ ban from swimming repeatedly lied about her results to imply she was a much better performer than she actually was.

Surely if this was such a cut-and-dry issue, no lies would be necessary. Perhaps facts such as that she was a top-level swimmer in men’s section or that she came last in one her races in the women’s section were too inconvenient for the anti-trans narrative.

The reality is that trans women are among the most discriminated people in society. This isn’t a cue to emotion, this is a simple fact backed up by statistics on mental health, income and education, and these are the facts that cause the ripple effect that make elite sports participation totally unobtainable for any aspiring trans athlete.

All discussion about “biological advantages” completely ignore this crucial aspect which have always given cis athletes the clear advantage. To suggest that this debate is being predicated purely upon science is absurd. There is a political wave against trans people in society at the moment, and this debate is just another aspect of that.

Natalie Feliks is a transgender woman and avid sports fan. Picture: Supplied

If the primary interest was empowerment of women’s sport, then the first port of call should be increasing funding to women’s sporting teams at a time when they are still neglected, addressing the pay gap that faces disabled sportswomen, or preventing sexual harassment against female athletes, a phenomenon that has increased in states where trans women have been banned from sports as girls as young as five are required to undergo genital examinations to ‘prove their sex’. “Save women’s sports” indeed.

I don’t believe that those who cry “feminism” and “protection” while presenting bad faith and lies at the table are actively invested in women’s sports like I am.

If anyone truly wants to discuss the best way of empowering women’s sports then I’m all ears, but at present, it’s clear that the call to ban trans women from sport is less about female empowerment but rather just another misogynistic campaign from the usual players.

Natalie is an activist and writer who contributes weekly to the newsletter All The Heterosexual Nonsense I Was Forced To Endure. You can follow her on Twitter at @nataliesqrl