Amanda Knapp
Transgender athletes have been participating in basketball and football for years, despite the lack of research and policies surrounding their inclusion. Kye Allums, a former college basketball player for the George Washington University women's team, came out as a trans man in 2010, becoming the first openly transgender NCAA Division I college athlete. In football, Quinn is the first and only known transgender athlete to compete at a FIFA World Cup. While some organizations are consulting with international governing bodies to review their gender eligibility regulations, others have implemented their own requirements for transgender athletes, such as maintaining specific testosterone levels.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Transgender students' participation in sports | There is no unifying international framework for the participation of transgender people in competitive sports. Athletic organisations and governing bodies have successfully balanced fairness, inclusion, and access to play without any problem. |
| Transgender athletes in basketball | Kye Allums, Max Nagle, Bryson Cavanaugh, G Ryan, Jeffrey Rubel, Schuyler Bailar |
| Transgender athletes in swimming | Schuyler Bailar, G Ryan |
| Transgender athletes in rugby | Johnson |
| Transgender athletes in ice hockey | Avery Cordingley |
| Transgender athletes in rowing | Liam Miranda, Ryan Lavigne |
| Transgender athletes in tennis | Niemann |
| Transgender athletes in soccer | Niemann |
| Transgender athletes in golf | Alex |
| Bans on transgender athletes | British Triathlon, Rugby Football League, Rugby Football Union, British Cycling, World Rugby |
| Support for transgender athletes | Megan Rapinoe, Billie Jean King, Erin McLeod, Napheesa Collier, Dawn Staley, Dwayne Wade, Brooke Forde, Women's Sports Foundation, American Association of United Women, Ivy League, College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America |
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What You'll Learn
- Kye Allums, a transgender man, played on George Washington University's women's basketball team
- Canadian footballer Quinn is the first transgender athlete to compete at a FIFA World Cup
- The AFL has requirements for trans women to play in the AFLW, including maintaining testosterone levels at a certain point for two years
- TRUK United is the UK's first transgender football team
- There is debate over whether transgender women have an athletic advantage over their cisgender counterparts
Kye Allums, a transgender man, played on George Washington University's women's basketball team
Kye Allums, born on October 23, 1989, is an American former college basketball player for the George Washington University women's team. Allums came out as a transgender man in 2010, becoming the first openly transgender NCAA Division I college athlete. During his time on the team, his teammates called him "Kay-Kay", but after coming out, he began telling people to use his chosen name, Kye.
Allums played three seasons as a guard on the George Washington Colonials women's basketball team. During his freshman year (2008-09), he played in 11 games, missing the final 20 due to injury. He averaged 3.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 13.7 minutes per game. In his sophomore year (2009-10), he started 20 of 26 games, averaging 7.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 24.9 minutes per game. He shot 37.1% from the three-point range and 75% at the free-throw line.
Allums has since become a transgender advocate, public speaker, artist, and mentor to LGBT youth. He graduated from George Washington University in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts. In an interview with ESPN in 2014, Allums revealed that he had attempted suicide. He now travels around the country, speaking at high schools, colleges, and universities about his experiences as a transgender person and a transgender athlete. He has also produced a project called "I Am Enough", encouraging other LGBTQ individuals to share their stories and come out. In 2015, he was inducted into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame.
The participation of transgender individuals in sports has been a highly debated topic, with anti-LGBTQ+ groups spreading misinformation and advocating for bans on transgender students' participation in sports. However, many athletes at both the amateur and professional levels have spoken out in support of their transgender teammates and competitors, including Megan Rapinoe, Billie Jean King, and Dwyane Wade.
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Canadian footballer Quinn is the first transgender athlete to compete at a FIFA World Cup
Canadian footballer Quinn has become the first transgender athlete to compete at a FIFA World Cup. Quinn, who plays as a midfielder for club side OL Reign in the United States, represented Canada at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Quinn made their senior international debut for Canada in 2014, and has been an important figure for the national team since. They were part of the Canadian side that won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, becoming the first openly transgender Olympian. They also won an Olympic medal at the delayed Tokyo Games in 2020, making them the first out transgender person to achieve this feat.
Quinn has been open about their journey as a transgender athlete and the importance of having role models. They have also been vocal about the challenges faced by the transgender community, particularly in sports. In an interview with BBC Sport, they expressed their concerns about trans-exclusionary policies from sporting governing bodies. In a 2020 Instagram post, they wrote about how seeing other trans athletes had "saved my life years ago".
The Canadian's participation in the World Cup has been hailed as "ground-breaking" and "historic". Freelance journalist Har Johal, who has covered the national team since 2012, said: "It's ground-breaking, historic... Quinn is now seen as a role model for LGBTQ+ people, so it is tremendous they felt that comfortable [to come out]."
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The AFL has requirements for trans women to play in the AFLW, including maintaining testosterone levels at a certain point for two years
Transgender athletes have faced opposition from some quarters in basketball and football. For instance, in Australia, female footballers criticised the AFL for letting transgender players compete against women, citing safety concerns. In basketball, there has been opposition to the inclusion of transgender youth in school sports teams.
However, many athletes at both the amateur and professional levels have spoken out in support of their transgender teammates and competitors. These athletes include Women's World Cup champion soccer player Megan Rapinoe, tennis icon Billie Jean King, NBA star Dwyane Wade, WNBA star Napheesa Collier, and many more.
In Australian Rules Football, the AFL has implemented an inclusion policy for transgender women to play in its highest level of female competition, the AFLW. The AFL's policy for transgender women to play in the AFLW includes requirements for maintaining testosterone levels at a certain point for two years. The AFL indicated that they would use IOC guidelines on transgender players, which require 12 months of hormone therapy before a trans woman can compete in women's competitions.
The case of Hannah Mouncey, an Australian national squad handball player who also plays Australian rules football, has been used to demonstrate deficiencies in the AFL's initial ad hoc process and the improvement in gender inclusion policies over time. Mouncey's nomination for the 2017 AFL Women's draft was declined based on the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act, which allows gender discrimination "if strength, stamina or physique is relevant". However, Mouncey's testosterone levels had remained far below the IOC limit, and she received support from sports personalities Russell Greene, Shane Warne, Candice Warner, and Jonathan Brown.
The AFL's inclusion policy for transgender women in the AFLW has been praised for its transparency and commitment to human rights and equality. However, some female footballers have criticised the policy for not being extended to all levels of the game, creating a double standard between elite and community-level players.
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TRUK United is the UK's first transgender football team
TRUK United FC is the UK's first transgender football team, founded by Lucy Clark, the world's first openly transgender referee. Clark started the team after trans people expressed to her their desire to play football but their belief that there was no place for them in the sport. TRUK initially began as an all trans-feminine side, before expanding to include a men's team. The team made history by being the first club in the world to field a team made up entirely of transfeminine people, and then again by being the first to field a team of transmasculine people.
TRUK United's inaugural match was played in front of a crowd of 500 people, with the team going on to play several more matches, including one the day after Brighton Trans Pride. The club has received support from players such as photographer Lucy Copsey, who plays for TRUK's women's team and captured the joyful celebrations when Dunn scored a goal. The team has also garnered interest from people all over the UK, with players travelling from Scotland to London to play for TRUK.
Clark has emphasised the importance of the club, stating that she receives messages almost daily from people wanting to play for them, with 227 players across the UK expressing their interest. TRUK United has been praised for promoting joy within the transgender community and providing a space for trans men and women to play football. The team has also been supported by various athletes and organisations who have spoken out in favour of transgender inclusion in sports, including Women's World Cup champion soccer player Megan Rapinoe, tennis icon Billie Jean King, NBA star Dwyane Wade, and many others.
The future looks bright for TRUK United, with plans to have at least a five-a-side team in every county in the UK, and with several exciting developments in the works, according to Webber, a player on the team. The club continues to lead the way for the transgender community, breaking down barriers and creating a space for trans individuals to come together and play the sport they love.
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There is debate over whether transgender women have an athletic advantage over their cisgender counterparts
There is ongoing debate regarding the participation of transgender athletes in sports competitions, with some arguing that transgender women have an athletic advantage over cisgender women. This has led to the implementation of restrictions and bans on transgender athletes, particularly at the school level. However, it is important to note that these debates are often fueled by misinformation and anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments.
Those who support the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports argue that transgender women do not inherently have an athletic advantage over cisgender women. They assert that the only biological factor that provides men with an advantage over women in sports is testosterone. When transgender women undergo hormone therapy as part of their gender affirmation, their testosterone levels are maintained at low levels, reducing any physical advantages they may have had. Studies have shown that the sporting ability of transgender women is more closely aligned with their current testosterone levels, similar to those of cisgender women, rather than their previous experience of male puberty.
In addition, advocates for inclusion highlight the negative impact of exclusionary policies on transgender youth. Restrictive laws and bans on transgender athletes contribute to increased stigma and limit their access to the benefits of sports participation, such as physical activity, social inclusion, and mental health support. Human rights organizations and medical associations have warned against the harmful effects of these policies on the well-being of transgender individuals.
On the other hand, opponents of transgender inclusion in sports competitions argue that transgender women, having gone through male puberty, possess physical advantages over cisgender women. They claim that transgender women are taller, bigger, and stronger, which can create an unfair advantage in competitions that rely on endurance, muscle strength, speed, and power. As a result, some sports federations have implemented stricter participation rules, excluding transgender women who have gone through male puberty from competing in women's categories.
The debate surrounding transgender athletes in sports is complex and multifaceted. While some argue that transgender women have an inherent athletic advantage, others emphasize the role of testosterone levels and the impact of hormone therapy in mitigating any potential advantages. The discussion extends beyond physiological factors, considering the social, cultural, and political aspects that influence policies and public opinion. Ultimately, the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports remains a highly contested issue, with ongoing debates and evolving regulations.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Canadian footballer Quinn became the first and only known transgender athlete to compete at a FIFA World Cup. In the UK, TRUK United is the first transgender football team.
The FA states that any players above the U-16 age range must be of the same gender, but this general rule does not specify whether it applies to a person's birth sex or their affirmed sex. The FA considers trans players who have undergone hormone therapy on a case-by-case basis. The AFL requires trans women to maintain certain testosterone levels for two years and undergo examinations to assess physical advantages over cis athletes.
Yes, Kye Allums was the first openly transgender NCAA Division I college athlete, playing for the George Washington University women's basketball team.
Transgender athletes face challenges such as bullying, as well as debates surrounding their participation in sports and the potential physical advantages they may have over cisgender athletes.
There is a push for more inclusive policies and the abandonment of male/female categories in favour of a more nuanced division. FIFA and UEFA are consulting with stakeholders and experts to review their gender eligibility regulations.
