Analysis of Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports
According to a report from the conservative think tank Concerned Women for America, transgender athletes have taken nearly 2,300 gold medals and over $500,000 in prize money from women and girls in sports over the past 40 years.
The report claims that, since the mid-1980s, athletes participating in competitions that do not align with their birth sex have displaced biological women from championship titles 2,293 times.
Penny Nance, the CEO and President of Concerned Women for America LAC, expressed concerns about the advantages biological men have over biological women. “This situation not only poses risks for women but also removes the chances for biological women to earn a living and succeed in competitions,” she noted in a press release.
Nance also questioned how many more females will face this uneven playing field, urging for measures to end what she termed inherent unfairness in women’s sports.
The analysis highlighted that transgender athletes, identified as male at birth, have collectively “taken” approximately $501,498 in winnings from female athletes across professional sports.
For the report, the think tank utilized data from HeCheated.org, a volunteer-operated online resource that tracks instances of trans women competing in women’s sports.
Reportedly, trans athletes have participated in over 14,301 female sporting events, which include both amateur and professional competitions.
Concerned Women for America has called on Congress to enact the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, aimed at prohibiting transgender women from participating on female teams in schools nationwide. This legislation passed the House narrowly in January 2025 but has since stalled in the Senate.
The Senate Judiciary Committee recently held a hearing titled “Standing Up for Women in Sports: Ensuring Opportunity, Fairness, and Safety for Female Athletes” to discuss this issue.
The subject of trans athletes in women’s sports has sparked considerable debate. For instance, in July, WNBA player Sophie Cunningham voiced her concern that women shouldn’t have to compete against biological men, leading to backlash against her remarks regarding trans individuals.
“I received a lot of negative comments about being anti-trans. But that’s not what I’m saying,” Cunningham explained to ESPN. “I want to express love, but with that, I believe it’s crucial to be truthful and protect young girls in sports from competing against biological men.”
Additionally, high school long jumper AB Hernandez, a trans teen assigned male at birth, faced significant backlash after excelling in girls’ track events in California. Following this, protesters rallied outside Yorba Linda High School, led by former NCAA athlete Sophia Lorey, with some participants accusing California Governor Gavin Newsom of neglecting female athletes and claiming that “girls are being threatened.”
