More than 100 of Britain’s elite female athletes have expressed concern about public opposition to transgender people in women’s sport.
“More than 100 British elite sportswomen have told the BBC they are uncomfortable with transgender women competing in the women’s divisions of their sports,” the newspaper said. BBC. “However, many people express concerns about sharing their views publicly for fear of being seen as discriminatory.”
One female athlete told the outlet that speaking out could cost her career.
“Whether you support abuse or not, you can still be abused. It sucks if you do it, and it sucks if you don’t do it,” said another woman.
“It’s such an unfair playing field no matter what sport you’re participating in,” said another.
Women told the BBC in the survey that they, like most women, feel transgender people should have their own league to compete in, rather than entering women-only spaces.
Argentine soccer player Mara Gomez (right) trains with women’s first division team Villa San Carlos on February 14, 2020 in La Plata, Argentina. (Juan Mavromata/AFP via Getty Images)
“Among athletes’ concerns, including transgender women in the women’s category is like ‘going back in time and putting women at the bottom again’ and that it creates an ‘unfair playing field.’ , that it could be ‘harmful’,” the BBC said.
The survey focused on 615 athletes from 28 sports, including transgender individuals. In total, only 143 people responded to the study, which found that “the number of people who are uncomfortable with transgender people joining the category of elite women outnumber those who feel comfortable by 10 to 1.” It was shown that the However, this result should not be “taken as representative of how elite British sportswomen feel overall”.
British Sports Secretary Stuart Andrew told the BBC that “fairness must be the primary consideration” when it comes to transgender people participating in women’s sport.
“I strongly believe that equity must be a top consideration when it comes to transgender athletes participating in competitive sports,” Andrew said. “I will continue to work closely with sport governing bodies to ensure a clear direction that shows compassion for all athletes while protecting the integrity of women’s sport.”
Leah Thomas, a transgender woman at the University of Pennsylvania, speaks to reporters after winning the 500-yard freestyle at the NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships on March 17, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
The study was conducted after the UK National Health Service (NHS) banned the use of puberty blockers for transgender minors. NHS England made the decision based on insufficient evidence about the safety or clinical effectiveness of the procedure. The UK government also supported the “landmark decision”, praising it as being in the “best interests of children”. NHS England proposed a ban on the surgery in June last year, and the final decision was made after a review by the National Institute for Healthcare Excellence (NICE).
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