Author: DPW
Introduction
Throughout trans history and ongoing debates, transness in sport has been a highly contested topic. Discussions have focused on fairness, gendered categories, inclusion, and the so-called “protection” of cisgender athletes which have dominated headlines, often spreading misinformation, transphobic ideologies, and discrimination. As Stryker argues, transgender studies is a form of “desubjugated knowledges”, reclaimed marginalized insights that are important for analyzing the systems that decide whose bodies are deemed legitimate (Stryker, 2006). Sport is one of those systems often perceived as a structure designed for inclusion, competition, and respect. Instead, it is built on exclusion, bioessentialist principles, and themes of white supremacy. Enke’s analysis of cisnormativity further demonstrates the harmful design athletic categories function under, enforcing gender binaries as a means of achieving “fairness” within sport (Enke, 2012). Furthermore, public rhetoric tends to rely on the essentialistic frameworks that Ashley critiques. These assumptions treat gender as fixed, and biologically self-evident, regardless of tangible biological evidence that rejects the binary of male and female (Ashley, 2023). As Judith Butler further explains in Who’s Afraid of Gender?, modern attacks on any form of gender variance often function as political tools, saying “… the obsession with gender as a tool [is used] to further authoritarian movements…” (Butler, as cited in Holloway, 2024). This includes the figure of the trans athlete: the supposed need to “protect” cisgender women from trans women obscures the reality that it is patriarchal systems that consistently devalue, underfund, and undermine women’s sport. Monteil (2025) displays that this notion is simply a tool to villanize trans women, as the IOC is moving toward banning transgender women and some cisgender women with high testosterone levels from female categories. Studying transness in sport therefore provides a lens through which to examine how gender norms, and norms as a whole, are produced, and weaponized. Additionally, it enables the enlightenment on how trans athletes continue to reshape athletic and cultural landscapes, despite facing longstanding resistance – a beneficial practice for both scholars and activists alike.
One of the main obstacles preventing public understanding and acceptance of transness in sport is the lack of recognition of the lived experiences of trans, intersex, and non-binary athletes. While often kept out of mainstream media and politics, these experiences reveal how deeply entrenched cisnormativity is in sport. As Knott-Fayle et al. (2022) write, hegemonic masculinity dominates sports media through the “televised sports manhood formula,” a formula that idolizes pain, aggression, and hypermuscularity (p. 380). This formula excludes any athlete who does not fit these ideals, painting the image that trans, intersex, and non-binary athletes are illegitimate participants, and do not belong. The media typically acts as an echo chamber for these ideologies, reproducing narratives on a large scale that frame the existence of these athletes as a “threat” to fairness (Knott-Fayle et al., 2022). This practice reinforces a vicious cycle of public misconceptions about gender and sport. While attempts to challenge this harmful rhetoric within sport and media barely exist, rhetoric outside of this is met with policy responses that are at best described as lackluster. Spade (2015) highlights that legal action, such as anti-discrimination and hate crime legislation, cannot dismantle entrenched systems of power on their own. Discrimination finds a way to persist even if laws affirm inclusion and supposedly ‘discipline’ those who break it. In sport, this means that if formal eligibility rules were to become more inclusive in writing, trans, non-binary, and intersex athletes would continue to navigate exclusionary practices and scrutiny. These dynamics consequently demonstrate how sporting institutions are not neutral in terms of fairness and equity, but rather structures that maintain gendered hierarchies. Further, it is clear that the solution to these issues, should there be only one, is not simply rewriting the rules of eligibility. Collectively, these findings make the argument for the study of transness in sport evidently critical for both trans studies and broader movements of social justice.
A trans studies framework allows for a deeper understanding on the contestation of trans athletes and how it is shaped by dominant gender regulations. A core concept within this framework, is the challenging of bioessentialism; the idea that gender is not a biologically fixed attribute, but a socially constructed organizing system of power. Enke (2012) argues that cisnormative structures, like sport, function by embedding gendered hierarchies into their foundation. This logic is evident when examining the rigid binary athletes are subjected to. Male and female categories falsely exude “fairness”, and instead perpetuate harmful norms that oppose “fairness” simply by existing. This is further connected to the discourse surrounding unfair advantages, and doping. This dominant narrative frames trans athletes, especially trans women, as threats to the integrity of competition, and relies on selective and deliberately distorted understandings of biology. When examining these narratives through a transgender studies lens, it becomes clear that the overall debate is not simply concerned with fairness in sport. It is largely concerned with permitting certain bodies to inhabit certain spaces, and policing bodies to fit within these gendered spaces. The idea of “fairness” is a smokescreen used to distract from the real injustice occurring.
The experiences of trans athletes can further not be understood apart from the intersectionality of race, disability, class, and politics that regulate access to sport. Many policies and debates depict this notion of one singular figure, “the trans athlete”, and overlook the forms real athletes take. Piepzna-Samarasinha (2019) emphasizes that disability justice, and Black trans activism challenge the centering of normative bodies, which tend to be white and able-bodied. This lens further reveals truths about the racism and ableism within sport; who gets access to training resources, medical staff, and care. Similarly, Williams (2016) argues for radical inclusion within feminist and trans movements, something feminists concerned with sporting landscapes often do not take into consideration. Applying these learnings to sport demonstrates how media portrayals of trans athletes, especially trans athletes of color, constructs false narratives of threats. Globally, these dynamics influence policy, shape youth engagement with sport, form exclusionary communities, and furthers sporting conditions under which trans athletes are unable to imagine themselves in. Intersectionality thus exposes an additional layer into the nature of sport, highlighting its’ amplification of wider social hierarchies and hegemonic ideologies.
Education on transness in sport is crucial for both trans studies and social justice movements. Athletics as a whole remains one of the most visible structures in which gender norms are continuously reinforced, and simultaneously contested. Sport is often a site that draws public attention on matters about gender, and forms attitudes and opinions in real time. This framework provides a clear example of where challenging of the system is needed. By continuing to learn, educate, and understand the lived experiences of trans athletes, more people can strengthen their advocacy efforts, deepen their understanding of embodiment, identity, and desire, and help move toward trans-formative sporting environments.
Recommended Readings
Yang, J. (2023). Creating a non–gender binary sports space: The nonbinary policy of Korean “Queer Women Games.” TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly, 10(2), 116–132. https://doi.org/10.1215/23289252-10440762
The Nonbinary Policy of Korean “Queer Women Games” (Yang, 2023) examines how a sporting organization implements a non-gender binary sports policy. The paper uses interviews, as well as field work to demonstrate how these policies affect change by creating a safer, and more inclusive sporting environment. Players in the league are not restricted by their sex, gender identity, or sexuality. This innovation demonstrates how the “Queer Women Games” go beyond simply trans inclusion, and fully deconstructs gender binary in sport. It offers a non-Western case study of gender policy in sport, and gives a welcome piece of positive information in terms of inclusive practices. The rationale for including this source in the syllabus is that it provides a framework that shows what is possible if policymakers work with those affected to create change. Often, when sport is discussed in terms of gender inclusivity, not many solutions to the issues arise. Instead, conversations usually center around the policing of bodies. This article gives space to reimagine sport without rigid categories and sex segregation. It is a hopeful and impactful case study which allows for creative solutions to be found in the face of binaries in sport, and calls into question the systems that uphold these hierarchies in the first place.
Sharrow, E. (2023). Public policy as trans harm: Troubling administrative governance through transfeminist sports studies. TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly, 10(2), 100–115. https://doi.org/10.1215/23289252-10440748
This article adeptly argues that U.S. public policy is a source for major structural harm toward trans and gender-diverse athletes. It demonstrates how administration and state authorities reproduce trans exclusion through legislation, despite many policies claiming to promote anti-discrimination. A quote that encapsulates the article’s core argument is: “Public policy… remains paramount, though underanalyzed, as a vehicle for trans harm.” It highlights systemic issues, such as the fact that it is the states themselves that control gender policing, and not just the sports organizations. This means for real change to occur, it can’t simply happen within the organizations. It needs to happen at a governmental level. In analyzing these structural barriers, both students and activists can better understand the complexity of the issues at hand. Moving forward, this information can assist in counteracting these problems through engaging in solutions that go beyond reform in one organization. I chose to include this article as, while it is specific to the U.S., it gives a critical lens through which to begin deconstructing structural harm in sport. These learnings are applicable in broader movements than trans legislation in the states, including in Canada where university athletes are met with similar obstacles.
Scott, D. T., Brody, E., & Pariera, K. (2023). “You’re a cog in a system that needs to work”: Conditional acceptance of LGBTQ college athletes. QED: A Journal in GLBTQ Worldmaking, 10(1), 99–122. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/904872
This paper conducts a thematic analysis of LGBTQ U.S. varsity athletes in college. Using interviews of collegiate athletes with the focus of exploring how athletic identity intersects with their LGBTQ identity, the aim is to uncover how acceptance functions in these environments. What is important in their findings, is that while the athletes were expecting explicit conflict and homophobia upon “coming out”, what they instead experienced was a concerning amount of implicit homophobia and transnegativity. This was highlighted with the fact that acceptance was often conditional; if they prioritized their athletic identity foremost, they were “accepted”. The authors further present the idea of “entanglement” thanks to the dynamic relationship between the two aspects of participants’ identity. This source is included as a study through which to learn more about queer athletes in sporting environments, depicting critical relationships that are often overlooked, and emphasizing the implicit, subtle exclusionary practices that largely infiltrate sport. The emphasis on athletes in college is an especially important topic, as colleges are sites of meaningful education and growth among younger populations. Examining acceptance in this light allows for a deeper understanding of how both systemic and cultural factors play into inclusion, and shape LGBTQ athletes collegiate experiences.
Factora, J. (2022, August 17). Ellia Green is the first Olympic athlete to come out as a trans man. The Guardian. https://www.them.us/story/ellia-green-rugby-olympian-trans-man-coming-out
This resource is an article about Ellia Green (a personal hero of mine) who is an Olympic gold medallist for the Australian women’s rugby team, and a transgender man. Ellia speaks out against bans on trans athletes and personal experiences with mental health and identity struggles. He is the first Olympian to come out as a trans man, as he promised himself he would live in the body and with the identity he has always felt was meant for him after retiring from sport. At the time of this article, Ellia had not returned to playing rugby. As of 2025, he continues to play for the Sydney Convicts, Australia’s first gay-inclusive rugby union club. Ellia is an example of a top performing, elite athlete, who is transgender, a loving partner and father, a public figure, and an adopted Fijian. His intersectionality provides a rarely seen figure for young trans athletes of color to look up to. This article is included in the syllabus as a story of what is possible, and is personally very inspiring to myself. Ellia breaks barriers and demonstrates the success trans athletes can and should be allowed to experience. I have also included the link to the rugby club that Ellia currently plays at here: https://www.sydneyconvicts.org/ .
Rowello, L. (2021, October 12). How should nonbinary athletes navigate the gendered world of sports? Them. https://www.them.us/story/nonbinary-athletes-navigate-gendered-sports-world
This article explains the story of Alan Smith, an athlete who competed in the women’s skateboarding division to be part of Olympics even though they identify as nonbinary. The entire piece looks at how the rigid gender binaries affect nonbinary athletes, and how their participation in sport is changed or hindered as a result of the strict rules surrounding gender. The fact that Smith was forced to choose between being honest to their identity, or participating in the most prestigious sporting event in the world, shows the harmful reality nonbinary athletes face in competition. Laura Goodkind, a Paralympic athlete, argues that if regulations can be altered to accommodate those of many different degrees of disability, regulations should also be able to extend beyond the realms of physical ability and into gender representation. This account allows for the discussion around nonbinary participation, and the creation of a third category in gendered sport. They further explain that the idea of a third category would create more division, which takes a step in the wrong direction toward more segregation. I included this article as a way to highlight different perspectives, and open up room for contemplation on potential ways to navigate gender representation in sport.
de la Cretaz, F. (2024, October 10). A new era of muscular women is here, whether you like it or not. Them. https://www.them.us/story/new-era-of-muscular-women-ilona-maher-imane-khelif-katy-o -brian-tomboyx
This article discusses cis women athletes and the backlash they face for having muscular bodies that are deemed “non-traditional” for women. Ilona Maher is among the prolific athletes who face such harmful discourse around how they look, however as the article explains, “the online attacks of transvestigators predominantly affects cis women, with a particular focus on athletic women who don’t fit into white, Western ideals of femininity.” Among those who don’t fit the ideals of femininity include Imane Khelif, Caster Semenya, Christine Mboma. Further to this idea, is that trans women are similarly policed for their bodily representation. They simply have less access to platforms and recognition to aid in their fight against these harmful norms. A quote from the article that I particularly found thought provoking is as follows: “The truth is that queer and trans people have always broken gender norms, and have often been punished for doing so. In this budding trend toward a new, different kind of femme role model, there is a clear disconnect in the cultural conversation between the cis women lauded for it now and the trans women, particularly Black trans women, who did it first.” This explanation of the circumstances hidden behind cultural shifts is important, as it is often overlooked in dominant media.
Works Cited
Ashley, F. (2023). What is it like to have a gender identity? Mind, 132(528), 1053–1073. https://doi.org/10.1093/mind/fzac071
Enke, F. (2012). Transfeminist perspectives in and beyond transgender and gender studies. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. https://muse.jhu.edu/book/18983
Holloway, D. (Producer). (2024, March 22). “Who’s afraid of gender?” with Judith Butler: Podcast and transcript [Transcript]. MSNBC; NBC News. https://www.ms.now/msnbc-podcast/msnbc/discussing-afraid-gender-judith-butler-podcast-transcript-rcna144749
Knott-Fayle, G., Peel, E., & Witcomb, G. L. (2022). Representing diverse genders in sports media: The discursive production of cisgenderism in the UK press. In Gender diversity and sport (1st ed., p. 22). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003050568-8/representing-diverse-genders-sports-media-knott-fayle-peel-witcomb?context=ubx&refId=478c60a0-871a472d-a1fd-ad5ce9f28fe5
Samarasinha, L. L. P. (2019). Disability justice/Stonewall’s legacy, or: Love mad trans Black women when they are alive and dead, let their revolutions teach your resistance all the time. QED: A Journal in GLBTQ Worldmaking, 6(2), 54–62. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/733296
Spade, D. (2015). What’s wrong with rights? In Normal life: Administrative violence, critical trans politics, and the limits of law. https://read.dukeupress.edu/books/book/99/chapter/101899/What-s-Wrong-with-Rights
Monteil, A. (2025, November 11). Olympics move to ban trans women and cis female athletes with “male levels of testosterone.” Them. https://www.them.us/story/olympics-trans-athletes-women-sports-kirsty-coventry
Stryker, S. (2006). (De)subjugated knowledges: An introduction to transgender studies. In The transgender studies reader (pp. 1–17). Routledge.
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