In the September/October 2021 issue of Ultrarunning, there was an article by Tracy Beth Hoeg, MD, Ph.D., called Transgender Athletes and Competition. She presented information on the differences in performances between males and females. Generally, the fastest female time is 10% slower than the fastest male time regardless of distance.
A letter to the editor followed in the November 2021 issue from Lee Grabarek that states, “… This article intentionally or unintentionally reads as an argument against allowing transgender people to participate in running events and competitions. More importantly … is damaging to trans people’s ability to safely and fully participate in running events…”
I wrote Lee and asked him, “what should race directors do to make their events more transgender-inclusive?” After receiving guidelines for race directors to attract more females to trail ultras from the organization Trail Sisters, I formed this question.
Lee sent me many links for information about sex, gender, and athletics.
I realized my real question should have been, “what should race directors do to make transgender participants not feel excluded?”
From my readings, I started forming my opinions on transgender participation in athletics. This posting is a start and will follow with additional posts on the subject.
Let’s start with the generally accepted definition of sex. Sex, a biological term, is assigned to a baby at birth as either male, female, or intersex based on an anatomical observation. Where there is confusion, doctors perform a DNA test where the presence of XX chromosome is female, XY is male, and others would be intersex.
Intersex babies occur at about 1 in 2000 births. Some say this number is as high as 34 in 2000 births.
I will use sex, male and female, to indicate physical biology from this point forward.
The average male is larger, stronger, and more aggressive than the average female.
Over time, organizations created separate competition classes specifically for females to encourage females to participate in athletics.
You can look at these separate competition classes similar to the categories defined for the Paralympics. Female is not a disability. Since there are many different types of disabilities, the Paralympics have many competition classes. The Paralympic Games are held separate from the Olympic Games using the same venues.
If every person had the same opportunity at an event, there would not need to be separate competition classes. Thus, I can conclude that males have an advantage over females.
Section 1681 of the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 contains the following statement on sex:
“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance, except that:”
There are nine exceptions listed. There is nothing in the original law that defines the word “sex.”
As I have stated in the past, Title IX has benefitted our society. I enjoy being around healthy females.
So, who decides who can participate in the separate competition class “Female”?
I am male. Other than age groups, I participate in an open to all competition class.
The members of the competition class “Female” should decide, and be the only opinionated voice, on whom can participate in their class.
Some High School Associations have decided to allow males who identify as girls to participate in female competition, as long as they have undergone the age-appropriate transition.
The NCAA has passed on the determining criteria to the United States or world governing bodies of each sport. Those governing bodies can define what males must do to participate in the “Female” class.
Like the NCAA, the IOC has passed on the determining criteria to each sport’s world governing body.
Lia Thomas, a transwoman swimming on the University of Pennsylvania Female Swim Team, followed the NCAA criteria.
These three organizations may not have perfect solutions, and their criteria will change over time. For now, there will be flaws where the members of the competition class “Female” need to make voices heard.
An issue on most race entry forms is asking for gender or sex. From my explanation, the question could read, “Sex: Male / Female” or “Competition Class: Open / Female”.
In my next posting, I’ll look at stereotypes.
One reason transgender athletes may feel excluded from participating in running events is unsafe bathrooms and changing facilities. Race Directors need to work this concern into their planning process.
To be continued