ESPN reporter Katie Burns said Tuesday that she doesn’t believe there is enough scientific evidence to support transgender women having an advantage over biological women in sports.
Burns appeared on CNN’s “The Lead” with Jake Tapper. The host asked Burns about the “narrative” that transgender female athletes have an advantage and whether research supports that idea.
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“I think it depends on what you mean by supporting it,” Burns said. “According to my report, the reality is that we know from a scientific perspective that there are differences between the sexes, and that those differences tend to lead to differences in athletic performance. If you look at the broader regulations, it’s very difficult to say that they are scientifically supported in every case, at every level of sport.
After winning the women’s 500-yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the McCauley Aquatic Center on the Georgia Tech campus on March 17, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. Leah Thomas, a transgender athlete, watches the game. (Mike Comer/NCAA Photo via Getty Images)
“So when it comes to individual and team sports and the level of competition, what might be good for swimming doesn’t necessarily apply to basketball. So transgender women have an advantage in all sports. The idea is, “I don’t think the scientific literature supports that at this point, regardless of any kind of medical transition.” ”
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In 2021, British Journal of Sports Medicine published a study showing that even after a year of hormone therapy treatment, transgender women maintain an advantage over biological women.
“At the Olympic level, the elite level, I think two years is probably more realistic than one year,” Dr. Timothy Roberts, director of the Adolescent Medicine Residency Program at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, told NBC. told. News at the time. “Even after a year, trans women still have an advantage over cis women on average.”
NAIA headquarters is shown closed on March 26, 2020. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Burns was also asked about the NAIA’s decision to bar transgender women from competing against biological names in sports.
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“I think this is a reflection of the times we’re in. Over the last three or four years, we’ve seen most policy updates reflect restrictions when it comes to transgender athletes. “But this just seems to be in line with the times,” Burns said.
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