Play the Game Conference Highlights Transgender Sports Debate

Earlier this month, Finland hosted the “Play the Game” conference, featuring a panel entitled “Who has the right to compete? Exploring the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports.”

This discussion included five speakers representing different viewpoints, notably Joanna Marie Harper, a transgender professor at Western University in Canada.

John Pike, who teaches philosophy at Open University in the UK, advocated for establishing an open category specifically for transgender athletes. He emphasized this approach as a way to prevent potential unfairness when biological males compete against female athletes.

However, Harper disagreed, pointing out that “99%” of participants in such an open category would likely be cisgender men. She expressed concern that the idea would essentially push trans women into a space dominated by cisgender males, stating, “Most trans women, including myself, would rather quit the sport than compete in a category like that.”

In a 2015 editorial, Harper discussed hormone therapy and her own experiences. She mentioned that science supports the notion that trans women can’t maintain significant athletic advantages in many sports.

Harper also reflected on her past experiences, recalling that by 2005, the differences in performance had become stark. She completed a 10K in 42 minutes, which was almost five minutes slower than her time two years prior when competing as a man.

She noted that while trans women might have certain advantages in sports like sprinting or basketball due to muscle mass and increased height, they can face disadvantages in long-distance running or gymnastics for similar reasons.

To those who argue that trans women have the upper hand, Harper acknowledged that while there may be some advantages in certain sports, it is crucial to recognize that they also face significant limitations. She stated that trans women’s larger physiques can negatively impact their speed and recovery capabilities, which adds complexity to the debate.

“The bottom line,” she concluded, “is that meaningful competition exists between trans women and cis women. From my point of view, the data supports allowing trans women to participate in women’s sports.”

As it stands, 29 states enforce regulations that limit transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, following a directive signed by former President Donald Trump prohibiting biological males from participating in female categories.