Problem Description and Importance
In recent years, the issue of transgender athletes’ participation in contests of various classes has emerged and is steadily advancing in contemporary sports. The matter of transgender people has shifted from the colonial, artistic, spiritual, and psychological ranks to the empirical validity of sports. Sports representatives of various statuses ought to reply fast and concretely to the complex challenges of today’s international competitions.
On the one hand, the exclusion of transgenderism from the field of psychiatric illness is a clear victory for the issue of transgender people’s activities in sports. The resolution of this issue affects the interests of both athletes and every citizen. Respect for the rights of citizens must be a priority for everyone since this is the only way to ensure inclusion and equality in society. However, the status of transgender athletes and their ability to participate in professional sports remains controversial.
Transgender individuals remain one of the most downtrodden people varieties. They are distinguished in the workplace, barred from military service, and even prevented from participating in professional sports. Nowadays, an increasing number of sports organizations are not merely making the rules stricter (Nolan et al., 2019). The reason for heated discussions was the unexpected news from the International Triathlon Union, which introduced restrictions for transgender people to participate in women’s tournaments (Roan & Falkingham, 2022). It means that to participate in the competition, a transgender person should lower testosterone concentration. At the same time, four years should pass since their participation in the men’s tournaments (Roan & Falkingham, 2022).
On the one hand, such a policy aligns with the principle of inclusion and is fair. Nevertheless, it means that transgender people are deprived of the opportunity to participate in professional sports. The physical characteristics of gender and the historical context that has influenced society’s perception of transgender people contribute to this situation.
Historical Context
Over the past decades, the term transgender has become not only more popular but also much broader. Its boundaries and interpretation have changed considerably, and now it can describe people who do not identify themselves with the binary structure of gender that exists in the public consciousness.
It is comprehended that the first sex reassignment surgeries were done in the 20s and 30s, but most often, their consequences were fatal (Robinson & Schmitz, 2021). This situation benefited doctors who treated a non-existent problem but harmed society as a whole, deepening inequality. Despite the gradual liberalization of society to the process of sex reassignment and the increasing spread of surgeries, transgender people have long been considered a mistake (Wirtz et al., 2020). There were numerous opinions; however, all were related to mental deviations, dysfunctional socialization, and other diseases.
The discourse transition occurred much later and was connected to the new postmodernist understanding of gender and sexuality and the emergence of queer theory. The surge of new technologies, the ubiquity of home computers, and the Internet allowed transgender people to network and form communities.
While in the early 1990s, transgenderism was still considered a mental disorder. The situation has drastically changed (Nolan et al., 2019). However, there are still countries where transgender people are not considered complete human beings, and individuals unwilling to forget past prejudices exist. Everyone must look at the issue from an intersectional lens as it contributes to understanding the vulnerability of individuals belonging to a group.
Historical context has undoubtedly influenced the bans on transgender participation in professional sports. Several points of view have emerged on this issue, and physical aspects should be likewise mentioned. Some people believe that the sport should be inclusive at the amateur level, and everyone should have access to competition (Wirtz et al., 2020). There is a need to analyze each sport separately, each discipline, to see if there is an unfair advantage. Gender in the era of equality and feminism is no more than a bodily construct and does not affect a person’s social status, habits, or everyday life.
The Benefits of Intersectional Lens Applied to the Analysis
At the same time, it has been proven that in cyclic and strength sports, the differences in performance between men and women are 10 to 20 percent (Nolan et al., 2019). A trained and genetically gifted woman is stronger and more enduring than an untrained man. However, defeating elite male athletes in the same sport is impossible for even the most brilliant woman at this point.
There is still no universal solution to this challenging situation. What is clear, however, is that transgender people are vulnerable. The degree of acceptance of transgender people by society directly depends on tolerance. Despite this, second-wave feminist human rights activists believe trans women are simply encroaching on women’s bodies and intruding into typically female spaces without the right (Robinson & Schmitz, 2021). This means they should not be allowed to participate in women’s competitions. Although transgender participation in sports is a complex issue in the context of physical characteristics, society should follow a policy of inclusion and equality.
Gender is not two images, not two opposites, but rather a landscape with numerous preferences. Some are close to them, some not, but all individuals live in a colorful and diverse reality, not reducible to two binary models. Transgender people are still considered one of the most vulnerable and discriminated against categories, as evidenced by the spread of bans on their participation in sports competitions. This issue is multidimensional, as it concerns the physical advantage. However, despite the difficult decision-making process, one thing is clear: it must be based on inclusiveness and respect for human rights.
References
Nolan, I. T., Kuhner, C. J., & Dy, G. W. (2019). Demographic and temporal trends in transgender identities and gender confirming surgery. Translational Andrology and Urology, 8(3), 184. Web.
Roan, D., & Falkingham, K. A. (2022). Transgender athletes: What do the scientists say? BBC Sport. Web.
Robinson, B. A., & Schmitz, R. M. (2021). Beyond resilience: Resistance in the lives of LGBTQ youth. Sociology Compass, 15(12), 47. Web.
Wirtz, A. L., Poteat, T. C., Malik, M., & Glass, N. (2020). Gender-based violence against transgender people in the United States: a call for research and programming. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 21(2), 227-241. Web.