Sports have always brought people together. Whether you’re cheering for your favorite team or playing pick-up games at the local park, sports help foster connection and community. But when it comes to trans athletes, public conversations often lose that sense of unity. Instead, they become riddled with fear, misinformation, and a lot of “what ifs.”
Let’s take a step back and look at what’s really going on, beyond the headlines and viral clips. In this edition of Trans Fact or Fiction?, we’ll break down some of the most common myths about trans athletes, look at the science (and the limits of it), and explore what inclusion can and should look like in the world of sports. But before we dive into specific myths, it’s worth grounding ourselves in what it means to be a trans athlete.
Transitioning can include changes to how someone presents socially, the name or pronouns they go by, legal documents, and sometimes medical interventions like gender-affirming hormone therapy. For trans people, participating in sports isn’t simply about winning—it’s about belonging, having fun, and challenging yourself, just like anyone else.
Table of Contents
Fiction: Trans Athletes Have an Unfair Advantage
One of the most widespread arguments against trans inclusion in sports is that trans women (assigned male at birth) have an unfair advantage over cis women. This idea gets repeated a lot, but science tells a more nuanced story.
Studies show that hormone therapy has a significant impact on athletic-related factors like muscle mass and strength. For example, a systematic review in Sports Medicine found that trans women on hormone therapy experienced notable decreases in muscle size and hemoglobin levels, reducing any perceived advantage over time.
And here’s another thing: sports performance isn’t just about muscle. Talent, technique, training, mental resilience, access to coaching, and equipment—all of these things matter. The American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians reminds us that “individual athletes bring many advantages to the table, such as wingspan, height, or rapid lactic acid clearance.” Physical variability exists within all gender categories, and that’s always been true.
Fiction: Trans Athletes Are Dominating Women’s Sports
You’ve probably seen headlines about a trans athlete winning a competition and the ensuing public backlash. These stories tend to go viral, but they’re often framed without proper context.
Despite the media attention, trans athletes are not dominating women’s sports. In fact, they make up a very small percentage of competitors. And the barriers they face—from harassment to bans—often make it hard just to participate.
When trans athletes do win, it’s treated as suspicious. But when they don’t win, their presence is still questioned. That double standard reveals that this debate often isn’t about fairness—it’s about discomfort with trans people being visible in public life.
We also can’t ignore how these narratives affect young people. The ACLU has noted that many trans girls are struggling just to stay in school, let alone build thriving sports careers. We need to ask ourselves what kind of message we’re sending when we respond to inclusion with exclusion.
Fiction: “Biological Sex” Determines Athletic Ability
This one comes up a lot: the claim that sex assigned at birth is the only thing that determines whether someone is fit to compete in a particular gender category.
But biology is not binary. Terms like “biological male” and “biological female” oversimplify a complex mix of chromosomes, hormones, anatomy, and lived experience. And they often erase the existence of intersex and non-binary people altogether.
Referring to trans women athletes, the ACLU put it plainly: “There is no one way for women’s bodies to be.” Not all cis women have the same physical traits, and not all trans women have the same experience either. There is a huge range of variability within every group. The same is true for trans men and cis men.
Athletic ability is the result of many different factors. And if sports really were just about “biology,” we wouldn’t see so many underdog victories, upsets, or athletes defying expectations through hard work and heart.
Fiction: Gender-Segregated Sports Ensure Fairness
Gender segregation in sports is usually framed as a way to create a level playing field. And for some events and divisions, it does serve an important role. But it’s far from a “perfect” system.
For starters, it excludes anyone who doesn’t neatly fit into the binary of “man” or “woman.” Non-binary and gender-diverse athletes are often left with no good option at all. In some cases, trans and intersex athletes – even cisgender athletes who do not fit the expectation of gender – have been subjected to invasive testing and gender verification protocols that raise serious ethical concerns.
The idea that segregating athletes by assigned sex automatically results in fairness just isn’t backed by reality. Sports have always had diversity—of body types, strength, stamina, and experience. One-size-fits-all solutions don’t work, especially when they come at the expense of someone’s dignity or safety.
Instead, we should ask: How can we design policies that protect fairness without sacrificing inclusion? That might mean rethinking certain rules, allowing for case-by-case considerations, or even creating new models for certain sports. But the answer doesn’t lie in blanket bans or forced exclusion.
Fact: Trans Athletes Have Specific Rules
A lot of people assume that there are no rules or that trans athletes are just showing up and competing without oversight. That’s not true.
Organizations like the International Olympic Committee and World Athletics have developed specific policies that balance inclusion with competitive equity. These usually include hormone level monitoring, waiting periods, and other medical documentation.
These policies aren’t perfect, and many trans advocates argue they’re too restrictive. But the idea that there are “no standards” is simply false. And in many local or youth-level leagues, trans athletes are subjected to extra scrutiny that cis athletes never face.
The key takeaway? Trans athletes are playing by the rules. If we don’t like the rules, let’s have thoughtful conversations about how to make them better, not scapegoat the people most affected by them.
There’s a fear that if we make sports more inclusive, they’ll stop being competitive. But inclusion and competition are not opposites. In fact, creating space for more people to participate can make sports more dynamic, more creative, and more exciting.
When we allow all athletes to show up as their full selves, we send a powerful message—especially to young people—that sports are for everyone. Not just for the fastest or strongest, but for those who love the game, work hard, and play with heart.
The conversation about trans athletes isn’t just about sports—it’s about who we value, who we protect, and who we believe belongs. Let’s move beyond the myths and center what really matters: fairness, inclusion, and humanity.
Trans athletes aren’t asking for special treatment. They’re asking for a chance to play. And that’s something that will always be worth fighting for.
