Gender Expansive Youth in School Sponsored Athletics

For the past few years transgender students’ rights to participate in high school athletics have been under attack. This article will explain important background information about this topic.

In a 2017 study conducted by the Human Rights Campaign, it was discovered that only 24% of LGBTQ+ youth participate in school athletics compared to the University of Michigan's national sample of all youth showing 68% participation in school athletics. This 44% disparity is concerning for several reasons. Not only have sports been shown to greatly reduce rates of depression and suicide among all students, but studies by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) have shown how participation in athletics also improves the psychological and physiological development of youth. Student-athletes gain higher emotional intelligence when interacting with others, better self-understanding and self-confidence, and a lifelong commitment to fitness. Only about 6% of all High School athletes will ever compete in college-level athletics, after this only 2% of those move on to compete in professional athletics. It is clear that the priority of High School athletics is the personal development of youth and not just about competition. Only 0.003% of Transgender students go on to continue athletics at the collegiate level, making up only 0.006% of all NCAA athletes even when transgender people represent 5% of the population. Despite all of this, legislators across the country have pushed forward bills limiting Transgender student’s participation in athletics, claiming transgender girls are dominating the competition and taking Cisgender spots on teams. Based on the statistics above it is clear that transgender student-athletes are not dominating anything. In fact, they are drastically underrepresented in athletics.

Many legislators will claim that transgender students shouldn’t be allowed to participate because of “biological advantages''. This is not only not true, it also completely forgets the purpose of school athletics. Research has shown that hormone replacement therapy is effective in leveling the playing field for athletics. In addition it must be noted that the hormone levels of transgender people during transition are more carefully monitored than that of a cisgender athlete. In fact, many female Olympic athletes have tested with high levels of testosterone.  

Statements claiming that transgender student athletes are cheaters who want to dominate women’s sports aren’t supported by evidence, lack an understanding of the purpose of school athletics, and are harmful to Transgender and Gender Expansive Youth. Given that 86% percent of transgender youth have concidered suicide, it is simply irresponsible that legislators want to block these students from participating in an activity proven to improve mental health.