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Bulletin 62 print

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| Feature | No.62 October 2011 |

Transgender Athletes - Introduction
Darlene Kluka & Anneliese Goslin
The topic of transgender athletes is one that has created much controversy, particularly in recent years. The questions of what constitutes a transgender athlete, whether someone is or is not female or male, how we define sex difference, and how we might make space in the world for people who do not neatly fit into categories of sex and gender continue to be asked.
This ICSSPE Bulletin feature seeks to provide some clarification about basic gender/sex terms; to provide insight into medical information concerning transgender athlete sport participation; to investigate policies related to inclusion of transgender athletes in sport programs; and to share perspectives on appropriate practices for those involved in sport. Because this topic will continue to be one of interest, particularly for younger generations who are athletes, coaches, administrators, managers, sport scientists, and physical educationists, articles written by established professionals as well as emerging professionals have been included in this feature.
The inclusion of transgender athletes is one of the challenges sport governing organisations face throughout the world. Prior to 2003, no sport governing body had policy relative to transgender athlete participation. The 1968 IOC policy of sex verification of women focused on the prevention of male athletes competing in women`s events. Unable to successfully develop medically-based tests, the policy was abandoned in 1999. The IOC was the first large-scale sport governing body to permit transgender athletes in the Olympic Games. The Stockholm Consensus was put in place for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. The IOC Medical Commission included three criteria that had to be met in order for transgender athletes to compete. Transgender athletes must have undergone hormone replacement therapy for at least two years, be legally recognised as the sex in which they want to compete, and have had sex reassignment surgery to compete in their authentic genders.
Since the initiation of the IOC policy, the Ladies Golf Union in Great Britain, the Ladies European Golf Tour, Women`s Golf Australia, the United States Golf Association, USA Track and Field, IAAF, Gay and Lesbian International Sports Association, and the NCAA have also seen fit to establish transgender athletic competition in their events. Several more have adopted the IOC policies or have created their own. Women`s Sports Foundation in the United States and in the United Kingdom also established position papers supporting the inclusion of transgender athletes in sport.
Hancock and Hums present challenges to decision makers involving the ethics needed when dealing with participation by transsexual and transgender athletes. They posit that ethical dilemmas occur when significant value conflicts among differing interests, alternatives that are equally justifiable, and significant consequences to stakeholders intersect.
Sykes postulates that localised sport contexts must seek to develop inclusive gender policies while acknowledging that gender minorities have multiple and sometimes contradictory investments in stabilising or destabilising sex and gender categories. She also discusses the notion that mainstream, competitive sport has repeatedly sought to be exempt from the legal recognition and protection of transgender and transsexual rights.
From a Queer-Feminist perceptive, the article by Brookens explores issues of power and control in sport to examine the extent of access and equality for transgender athletes in the United States. The discourse is related to gender injustice because it reinforces societal expectations that people should align their gender identities and/or expressions with either their male or female birth assignment. A qualitative study of athletic administrators was conducted, based on queer-feminist theory content analysis. Brookens, from her findings, states that the creation of a non-discrimination policy does not eradicate transphobia, but may assist in decreasing the invisibility of transgender student-athletes.
One of the most cited reports published on the topic was written by Griffin and Carroll (2010). In On the Team, sponsored by several LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) and women`s rights organisations, transgender young people have the same right to participate and benefit from the positive aspects of athletics as other students do. Portions of this seminal report are shared in this feature, entitled Excerpts from `On the Team`. Griffin and Carroll present a straight-forward approach to the topic. School athletic leaders, in response to this interest, must identify effective and fair policies to ensure that transgender students have equal opportunities to participate on school sports teams. The authors develop the case that many trans girls take hormone blockers that prevent them from going through male puberty, meaning they do not develop the growth in long bones, muscle mass and strength that may give them an edge in sports. They also note that taking estrogen can neutralise any competitive advantage of being born male. It is also important to know that any athletic advantages a transgender girl or woman arguably may have as a result of her prior testosterone levels dissipate after about a year of estrogen therapy. According to medical experts on this issue, the assumption that a transgender girl or woman competing on a women`s team would have a competitive advantage outside the range of performance and competitive advantage or disadvantage that already exists among female athletes is not supported by evidence. As one survey of existing research concludes, the data available do not appear to suggest that transitioned athletes would compete at an advantage or disadvantage as compared with physically born men and women.
The most recognised national organisation in the world that deals with university-related sport is the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), headquartered in the United States of America. In August, 2011, the organisation published policy involving the inclusion of transgender athletes. Part of the NCAA`s inclusion report is reprinted. The report is destined to become a seminal document on the issue.
Ramagole, a sports medicine physician, discusses medical views on disorders of sexual development as medical conditions that have profound physical and psychological effects on individuals and their families. Challenges in the medical management of those conditions are presented as well as the background of sex and gender verification testing, guidelines on how to approach the issue with confidentiality, and suggestions for ways forward for sports participation.
Saitz, in a unique approach to the topic, presents the role of the applied sport psychology consultant relative to the inclusion of transgender athletes. She also suggests that additional research is vital to better understand the psychosocial impact of transgender participation in sport as well as establishing best practices for sport psychology service delivery to transgender athletes.
Also important to this discussion is the use of appropriate terms. Words that are used in explanation must be precise in order to focus and shape perceptions associated with sex and gender. The following terms can be considered as working definitions to aid in understanding as the reader delves into this feature`s topic (Sobrante, 2011):
Biological/anatomical sex – the physical structure of one`s reproductive organs that is used to assign sex at birth. Biological sex is determined by chromosomes (XX for females; XY for males); hormones (estrogen/progesterone for females, testosterone for males); and internal and external genitalia (vulva, clitoris, vagina for assigned females; penis and testicles for assigned males). Given the potential variation in all of these, biological sex must be seen as a spectrum or range of possibilities rather than a binary set of two options.
FtM (Female to Male) – a child or adult who was born anatomically female but has a male gender identity.
Gender – a socially constructed system of classification that ascribes qualities of masculinity and femininity to people. Gender characteristics can change over time and are different between cultures. Gender is often used synonymously with sex, but this is inaccurate because sex refers to physical/biological characteristics and gender refers to social and emotional attributes.
Gender dysphoria – the intense and continuous discomfort a person feels when sex and gender identity are not aligned. Not all people experiencing gender dysphoria seek treatment. Before medical treatment is considered, most people will show signs of thinking and behaving in ways more usual to the other sex. Because of social pressures, many people enter a period of denial in their late teens, in which they try to suppress any thoughts or feelings to do with their gender identity.
Gender identity – innermost concept of self as male or female or both or neither – how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One`s gender identity can be the same or different than the sex assigned at birth. Individuals are conscious of this between the ages of 18 months and 3 years. Most people develop a gender identity that matches their biological sex. For some, however, their gender identity is different from their biological or assigned sex. Some of these individuals choose to socially, hormonally and/or surgically change their sex to more fully match their gender identity.
Gender role – this is the set of roles, activities, expectations and behavior assigned to females and males by society. Some cultures recognise two basic gender roles: masculine (having the qualities attributed to males) and feminine (having the qualities attributed to females). People who step out of their socially assigned gender roles are sometimes referred to as transgender. Other cultures recognise three or more gender roles.
Intersex – About 1% of children are born with chromosomes, hormones, genitalia and/or other sex characteristics that are not exclusively male or female as defined by the medical establishment in society. In most cases, these children are at no medical risk, but most are assigned a biological sex (male or female) by their doctors and/or families.
MtF (Male to Female) – A child or adult who was born anatomically male but has a female gender identity.
Sexual orientation – term that refers to being romantically or sexually attracted to people of a specific gender. Out sexual orientation and our gender identity are separate, distinct parts of overall identity. Although a child may not yet be award of their sexual orientation, they usually have a strong sense of gender identity.
Transgender – Occasionally used as an umbrella term to describe anyone whose identity or behavior falls outside of stereotypical gender norms. More narrowly defined, it refers to an individual whose gender identity does not match their assigned birth gender. Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual orientation (attraction to people of a specific gender). Therefore, transgender people may additionally identify as straight, gay, lesbian or bisexual.
Transition – The process by which a transgender individual strives to have physical presentation more closely align with identity. Transition can occur in three ways: social transition through non-permanent changes in clothing, hairstyle, name and/or pronouns; medical transition through the use of medicines such as hormone “blockers” or cross hormones to promote sex-based body changes; and/or surgical transition in which an individual`s body is complicated, multi-step process that may take years and may include, but is not limited to, sex reassignment surgery.
Transsexuals – individuals who do not identify with their birth-assigned sex and physically alter their bodies surgically and/or hormonally. This physical transition is a complicated, multi-step process that may take years and may include, but is not limited to, sex reassignment surgery.
Transphobia – Fear or hatred of transgender people; transphobia is manifested in a number of ways, including violence, harassment, and discrimination.
ICSSPE is committed to diversity, inclusion, and gender equity through sport and physical activity worldwide. By presenting this feature on the transgender athlete, it is hoped that diversity, inclusion and gender equity will improve sport learning environments and enhance excellence for all those who participate.
References
Sobrante, C. (2011). A word about words…Gender Spectrum. info@genderspectrum.org
Contact
Darlene A. Kluka, Ph. D., D Phil
Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences
Barry University, Miami Shores, Florida – USA
Extraordinary Professor, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Email: dkluka@mail.barry.edu
Anneliese Goslin, D Phil, MBA
Department of Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Visiting Professor, Barry University, Miami Shores, Florida, USA
Email: goslin@sport.up.ac.za

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