"Transwomen" Athletes May Be Athletes But They're Not Women Part II
Is this blown out of preportion or are there facts behind the oposition to men playing against women?
Last time I was visiting your inbox it was to deliver the first part of my look at the current trend of transgender women and girls, really men and boys, playing against actual females in high school, college, and olympic sports. Click below if you missed it.
Today I will look to see if there is an actual advantage for “transgender women” when they are competing against actual females, as well as my thoughts on why this has become such a wide ranging phenomenon.
All of the science on this comes from an article from the website Science for Sport written by James de Lacey so the credit goes to him.
One of the hottest topics in sport right now is the debate on whether “transgender females” should compete in female sports. With the qualification of weightlifter Gavin Hubbard for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 NCAA swimming championship of William Thomas, and the recent cases in high school sports around the country, the issue doesn’t seem to be getting any less controversial. The debate surrounding this is rarely grounded in science, more often fuelled by a mixture of emotion and political correctness, with the insistence from the left that this is about inclusivity and fairness. Of course, having men and boys compete against women and girls is the exact opposite of fairness.
Should Transgender Athletes Compete in Female Sports?
The comment section of most news articles about transgender athletes competing in a female sport will be strewn with comments espousing different views on the issue. Some believe transgender athletes should be able to compete in female sports, others believe they should not be allowed to compete unless it is against men, and other believe that they should have their own category. Here are some of the more common arguments for allowing to compete in female sports:
Sports, by its nature is unfair. We allow bigger, stronger females to compete, so why can’t “transgender females” also compete?
Gender is a social construct, so there is no difference between males and females, therefore, anyone should be able to freely compete in any division.
Transgender females need to undergo hormone therapy for at least one year to reduce their testosterone levels to be under those identified by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) or the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF). This should render any advantages they may have null or even a disadvantage.
Testosterone isn’t the reason for performance differences in the first place.
Not all transgender athletes aren’t even going to win, so why does it matter?
These are the five most common arguments in favor of “transgender females” competing in female sports. Let’s look at each point and see if they go against conventional science.
Argument 1: Sports Is Unfair
One of the main reasons some believe trans athletes should be allowed to compete against females is fairness. The IOC guidelines state their stance for transgender athletes to compete against females is to “guarantee fair competition”. However, sports is already fundamentally unfair. Athletes with access to better coaching, facilities, and resources have an advantage over those without. In addition, some athletes possess talent or physical attributes that others could never match, even with years of training. For example, shorter athletes may have a disadvantage against taller athletes in basketball, or smaller athletes may lose a spot to a larger athletes in rugby. I can not hit a baseball as hard or as far as Aaron Judge, no matter how much coaching and training I get. These examples can be considered “tolerable unfairness”. Tolerable unfairness is grounded in the idea that athletes begin from roughly the same starting point but ultimately end up at different levels due to uncontrollable factors. There are some instances where tolerable unfairness is controlled to ensure it is more tolerable and doesn’t overshadow more important aspects of performance, such as skill. That is the reason that combat sports have weight classes – if a heavyweight matched up with a lightweight in a combat sport, the heavyweight is likely to win purely because of their size advantage – it would be difficult to determine who was the most skilful. Do transgender athletes have a performance advantage over female athletes? If they do, what has caused that advantage, and is there a way to overcome it. More on that later.
Argument 2: There Are No Differences Between Genders
Right off the bat, we need to straighten out the language used to frame this debate. Gender and sex can not and should not be used interchangable. Gender refers to the range of social, psychological, cultural, and behavioral aspects associated with being male or female. Sex are the two main categories (male and female) into which humans and most other living things are divided on the basis of their reproductive functions. While gender could be a social construct (boys play with truck, girls play with dolls etc.), where all can be viewed as equal, sex is biological and factual. So, as the transgender proponents believe, is there really no difference between males and females?
Let’s start at the top of the athletic pyramid, the elite of the elite. Below is a graph showing the clear performance gap between males and females at the elite sporting level (one again, all credit for these facts and graphs go to James de Lacey). With female performance set to 100%, we can see that endurance-based sports have a performance gap of around 10-13% in best performances, whereas strength and power-based activities have differences up to 50%. There seems to be a trend where the more the upper body is involved in the activity, the greater the performance gap. Previous research suggests males are more often bigger, faster, and stronger than their female counterparts. This has been found in several sports including handball and weightlifting where performance differences range between 31-37% across all weight classes. Females who are 60% heavier than males still don’t make up this performance gap difference.
These are the elite performers, but does this performance gap exist in amateur athletes? In young adults, maximal oxygen uptake, (VO2 max )1 in males was 56% higher than females, with two separate studies finding males possess 89% one-rep maximum (1RM)2 strength, 57% greater muscle size, 109% greater isometric strength, and 162% greater power than females. According to Mr. de Lacey, we can go even further with performance differences between males and females and look at pre-puberty before there are any hormonal changes. Nine-year-old males are 10% faster over short sprints, 16% faster over 1-mile, jump 10% further, do 33% more push-ups, and have a 14% stronger grip than 9-year-old females. Performance differences are even seen in children as young as six-years-old where males can perform 16% more shuttle runs, and jump 10% further than their six-year female counterparts.
With all of these performance differences ranging from young children ranging to elite athletes, what would happen if male and female divisions were abolished and anyone could compete against anyone? Well, we would likely see the end of females competing in some high-level sports. For example, the world record 100 m sprint time for females is 10.49 seconds. The record in the U18 men’s category, set by a 16-year-old boy is 10.06 seconds. 10.49 would not even be in the top 20 times for boys under 18. If we look at U20 men, the 10.49 record would only be good enough for top 100 finish. It is obvious that there are clear differences between males and females when it comes to physical performance and physical attributes.
Argument 3: Does reducing testosterone really make it fair?
As this transgender movement in sports grows, there are more and more people trying to discredit testosterone as a powerful performance-enhancing hormone. However, testosterone is the exact cause of these dramatic performance differences between males and females. Testosterone is considered highly beneficial in all sports for enhancing many physical attributes. As the IAAF stated in their 2019 eligibility regulations:
“To the best of our knowledge, there is no other genetic or biological trait encountered in female athletics that confers such a huge performance advantage than testosterone.”
According to Mr. de Lacey, the average male testosterone level sits between 7.7-29.4 nmol/L.3 The average female ranges from 0-1.7 nmol/L. Raising testosterone outside of a normal female range is so potent that even at levels just below the lowest male range of 7.3 nmol/L, we see 4.4% increases in lean muscle mass, 12-14% increases in lower body strength and power, and a 26% increase in upper body power. This testosterone level is 156% greater than the female average. In fact, when males hit puberty, their testosterone levels increase 20x whereas female’s testosterone levels remain steady, resulting in males having a 15x higher testosterone than females. This data suggests that testosterone through puberty is primarily responsible for these large performance gaps between males and females. Even at the early to middle stages of puberty, males exhibit testosterone levels of approximately 6.9 nmol/L which is far greater than the average female.
The simplest way of discerning the effects of testosterone on performance is to study the effect of exogenous testosterone (i.e. supplementing extra testosterone) in males and females.
Let’s start with muscle mass and strength.
The graphs above show the strong dose-response relationships of muscle mass shown as (A) fat-free mass or volume of thigh and quadriceps muscle and of leg muscle strength with increasing testosterone dose. It represents how increasing the doses of testosterone in males will affect muscle mass, leg press strength, thigh muscle volume, and quadriceps muscle volume. There is a clear dose/response relationship between testosterone and body composition, strength, and muscle mass, meaning the more testosterone is used, the greater the gains that are made.
Do females show the same response?
The graphs above show dose-response effects on lean (muscle) mass and three measures of muscle strength as a result of increasing doses of weekly testosterone enanthate injections in women. As demonstrated above, the same dose-response relationship is evident in females as in males; increases in muscle mass, leg press strength, chest press power, and lower body power. So, what exactly does more testosterone do to the human body? Testosterone has a strong effect on bone density. Males exhibit 10% greater bone surface area compared to females. Greater bone surface area allows more muscle to be supported which is one reason why males are generally bigger and stronger than females on average. Additionally, males on average are 7-8% taller than females with longer, denser, and stronger bones that allow greater leverage in sports that involve jumping, throwing, and explosive activities. Further, females suffer more lower body stress fractures compared to males due to the difference in bone density.
Not only does testosterone improve muscle mass and strength, it also has a large positive impact on aerobic capabilities. Males have a diaphragm that sits lower than females allowing for greater lung capacity. During puberty, increases in testosterone increase the quantity of alveoli (the small air sacs) in the lungs allowing more oxygen to travel from the lungs into the bloodstream. Males also have a larger heart, increasing blood pumped per heart beat. Females will pump 33% less blood per heartbeat compared to males. Finally, males display greater hemoglobin concentrations improving the ability for the blood to carry oxygen to the working muscles during exercise.
With all of these positive impacts related to testosterone, what is the limit for a “transgender female” to compete? The current IOC guidelines are as follows:
They have to declare their gender for sporting purposes to be female for at least four years.
Their testosterone must be under 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months before competing.
The IAAF guidelines have since lowered the required testosterone level to 5 nmol/L which they state is to “ensure a level playing field for athletes”. If you remember, the average female testosterone is 0-1.7 nmol/L. And levels approaching the lower range for males is enough to significantly enhance performance and body composition in females. What about the belief that transgender females are at a disadvantage because they have to suppress their hormones? There is a strong body of research investigating male-to-female transitions and the effect of hormone therapy on various performance markers. Unfortunately, it seems that reducing testosterone in transgender females doesn’t reverse all of the adaptations males undergo during growth. After 24 months of hormone therapy, transgender females retain their bone density and, in some cases, it may be preserved up to 12-1/2 years after their transition. The largest reduction in muscle mass seen in male-to-female transitions is 12% after 3 years of hormone treatment. When looking at a 1-year timeline, as per the IOC guidelines, we see an approximate 3-5% loss in muscle mass. The fact that males on average have 40% greater muscle mass than females, suggests that transgender females have large advantages in this department over their female competitors. After eight years of hormone therapy, muscle mass for the “transgender female” is only reduced by 17%, and grip strength is reduced by 25% placing them in the 90th percentile and 25% higher than female values respectively. When testosterone is reduced to within the normal female range after 12 months of hormone therapy, grip strength is only reduced by approximately 4%.
Let’s take a look at New Zealand weightlifter Gavin Hubbard, his previous records before transitioning in 1998 were a 135 kg snatch and 170 kg clean & jerk, for a total of 300 kg. 21 years later in 2019, he lifted a 131 kg snatch, and 154 kg clean & jerk for a total of 285 kg. That is a 5% decline in performance, since there is a 30% strength difference between males and females in Olympic weightlifting, it doesn’t say much for the 21 years of hormone therapy making the playing field level. While no research to date has measured the effects of endurance performance for male-to-female transitioning with hormone therapy, the aforementioned research suggests that “transgender females” retain most of the lean muscle mass, lung capacity, strength, and bone density up to eight years and even longer in some instances.
Argument 4 – Advantages Don’t Mean Medals
This is often a viewpoint parroted on social media, especially by the “trans rights” crowd, and there is some truth behind it. Not every “transgender female” competing at the elite level is going to surpass all female athletes. There are a lot of factors that make up an elite athlete, from skill level to genetic background. However, there are many reasons why allowing “transgender females”, whether they win or not, to compete with females, is a slippery slope.
Firstly, there’s the matter of fairness. A female could potentially lose her spot for selection because of the advantages a transgender athlete has. The female athlete haven’t gone through the surge in testosterone that occurs during puberty. Furthermore, female athletes are not allowed to supplement with exogenous testosterone to match the transgender athlete, leaving them even further behind.
But it’s not just the elite level that suffers. It’s the amateur level, too. For example, 52-year-old Gabrielle (Robert) Ludwig, the 6’6”, 230 lb man playing college basketball at Mission College in California. Or Hannah (Callum) Mouncey, the 6’2”, 220 lb Australian Rules football player playing in the Victorian Women's Football League, who previously represented Australia in Olympic men’s handball. Here are a couple highlights, he’s easy to pick out.
Recently, France has allowed transgender females to play women’s rugby, and there are all the high school stories from across the US that I mentioned in Part I. As it becomes more acceptable for transgender females to compete at the elite level, it will continue to trickle down to the amateur game.
While transgender females may not medal at the elite level, at the amateur level, the average male who transitions can potentially compete at a much higher level against females than they could against other males. This creates a potential scenario where their advantage might allow them to reach a higher level or win local events, which means a female athlete at that same level doesn’t get scouted or selected. This can mean a lack of scholarships or sponsorship opportunities, potentially leading to the athlete leaving the sport altogether.
Are There Any Solutions?
The quick and correct answer to this question is “yes, don’t let transgender females compete against real females”. However, let’s look at some other solutions. Many believe if males transition before puberty, the effects of testosterone will be negated as they wouldn’t have been exposed to high levels of testosterone. However, as we have seen, boys as young as six show a large performance gap over their female counterparts. It also seems that suppressing testosterone to the female range still isn’t enough to mitigate the performance advantages transgender females have. UK Athletics has called for an open category allowing transgender athletes to compete with men, protecting the female division. However, this has been contested by the UK government stating that the Equality Act of 2010 does not allow the exclusion of transgender athletes on grounds of fairness. Plus, at this point, there aren’t enough transgender females to warrant a division of their own (maybe, it’s a case of “build it and they will come”?) and given the current climate in academia and government (it seems like it might be changing, albeit very slowly), it is unlikely this solution would be acceptable to them.
Consideration also needs to be given to the females in states where children are required to compete against athletes of their biological sex. Of course there are far fewer female to male transgender athletes but there are some. The case of high school wrestler Mack Beggs is an example. As she transitioned she had to compete against other girls but was using steroid therapy as she did so. She won the Texas State Girls Wrestling Championship with a 89-0 record. That is one potential pitfall for requiring athletes to compete against their sex as they transition. The reason there are far fewer women and girls who think they’re men and boys is unclear, but in athletic endeavors it makes total sense. Why would a girl want to compete against boys who are bigger, stronger, and faster, just because she thinks she is one? No one like to lose and a girl competing against the boys would do just that, lose. It doesn’t play into what I think is really going on with this issue. I believe that these men and boys have a pathological need for success and popularity, and they’ve found a loophole to do both at the same time, no matter the cost. The fact, that it comes at the cost of real females winning is of no concern to them, they only care about themselves, their new found success and the army of people telling them they are brave heroes. This goes back to Part I where I said that there is always a mental health issue behind all of this. Unfortunately, they will not find the peace they hope for. What they will find is that the massive change they have subjected themselves to will only be more of a burden in the end and that end may come sooner than they thought.
NOTE: Graphic content ahead, stop here if you are at all squeamish.
If the female transgender athlete wishes to go all the way with their surgeries, robotic vaginoplasty is the final step, it is a horrifically gruesome procedure. First, surgeons cut off the head of the penis and remove the testicles. Then they turn the penile-scrotal skin inside out and, together with abdomen cavity tissue, fashion it into a crude, artificial vagina. The robotic arms are put through small incisions around the belly button and the side of your belly. They are used to create the space for the vaginal canal between the bladder and the rectum. Oregon Health & Science University, which is becoming known for this surgery, warns of wound separation, tissue necrosis, graft failure, urine spraying, hematoma, blood clots, vaginal stenosis, rectal injury, fistula, and fecal accidents. Patients must stay in the hospital for a minimum of five days following the procedure, receiving treatment for surgical wounds and having fluid drained through plastic tubes. Once they are home, patients must continue transgender hormone treatments and manually dilate their surgically created “neo-vagina” in perpetuity; otherwise, the tissue will heal, and the cavity will close. So, you can see that even the body itself thinks these surgeries are a bad idea, that goes against nature. On top of that, they don’t even improve mental health in the long run: Those who surgically transition are 19 times more likely to commit suicide than their peers, and teen suicide rates are higher in states where minors can access these interventions with greater ease. I have strayed off topic a little here but you get the point.
This trend needs to be stopped as soon as possible, or we could lose women and girls sports altogether, that may seem hyperbolic but I believe it is a real concern that must be addressed in the strongest possible way. America needs to get back to a time when helping a patient meant doing everything to address their issues, not just agreeing with them and then subjecting them to life-altering procedures that will leave them scared, sterile and still mentally ill. Hippocrates said in his oath that doctors still take that:
“Into whatsoever houses I enter, I will enter to help the sick, and I will abstain from all intentional wrongdoing and harm, especially from abusing the bodies of man or woman.”
That is the end of this sad two-part post. I hope that it has made you think, and as always feel free to share it with anyone who might be interested.
Chris
VO2 max is the maximum rate of oxygen consumption attainable during physical exertion. The measurement of VO2 max in the laboratory provides a quantitative value of endurance fitness for comparison of individual training effects and between people in endurance training. Maximal oxygen consumption reflects cardiorespiratory fitness and endurance capacity in exercise performance. Elite athletes, such as distance runners, cyclists or cross-country skiers can achieve VO2 max values exceeding 90 mL/(kg·min), while some endurance animals, such as Alaskan huskies have VO2 max values exceeding 200 mL/(kg·min). VO2 max is expressed either as an absolute rate in (for example) litres of oxygen per minute (L/min) or as a relative rate in (for example) millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of the body mass per minute (e.g., mL/(kg·min)).
1RM (one-repetition maximum), is the maximum amount of weight a person can lift for a single repetition of a specific exercise, while maintaining proper form. It's a common assessment used to gauge maximal strength and is often the foundation for designing strength training programs.
Nmol/L stands for nanomoles per liter. It indicates how many billionths of a mole of a substance are present in one liter of a solution. A mole of testosterone contains 6.022 × 10²³ testosterone molecules.