What does the science say about trans athletes?
What does the research actually say about trans people in sport?
Currently, scientific research has not revealed an explicit, uniform consensus regarding the impact of hormone replacement therapy and puberty blockers on athletic performance. Some studies suggest that gender affirming hormone therapy contributes to a decrease in athletic performance for transgender women, particularly in endurance-based metrics. This performance decrease can be due to the loss in muscle mass, aerobic capacity, and a reduction in hemoglobin levels consistent with testosterone suppression. Participation bans often reference studies that declare that there are immutable, or unchangeable, differences based on sex assigned at birth, including muscle mass, bone density, cardiovascular capacity, and lung function, that contribute to differences in speed, strength, and endurance. One frequent challenge in studying the effects of hormone replacement therapy on transgender athletes is the small population size. It can be difficult to study a sample size large enough to develop an empirically-based conclusion. Most of the research in this area is still developing.
However, many studies have shown that excluding transgender individuals from sports can detrimentally impact their psychological and mental health. The transgender community is at an increased risk for discrimination, bullying, and violence and participation bans feed into the stigma. These risk factors put the transgender community at a greater risk for anxiety, depression, substance misuse, and suicide.
Participating in sport, on the other hand, often leads to increased levels of psychological wellbeing and decreases the risk of mental health concerns amongst transgender individuals. Sports are a known protective factor for mental health regardless of how you identify. Not only do people receive the physical benefits of staying active and exercising, but they form social connections with peers. Particularly in youth sports, people gain social recognition as athletes, giving them a sense of belonging and achievement. The transgender community would especially benefit from being allowed to participate in sports due to the social benefits and the benefits to their physical and mental health.
Research on athletic performance, hormone replacement therapy, and puberty blockers are still developing. However, studies have shown that not being allowed to participate in sports hurts the transgender community and puts their mental health at risk. When they are allowed to participate in sports, transgender athletes experience numerous protective factors for their physical and mental health and their social standing.
Written by JD Dumbrowsky
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