Transgender people face violence, hatred, and bigotry, and overall a much higher suicide rate than the general population. We should promote policies that support an inclusive, empathetic society which allows all athletes to play the sports they love. This encompasses the bold values of “inclusivity” which should engrain athletics.

Aside from the fact that denying trans athletes an opportunity to compete in the space of their gender identity dangerously infringes on the fundamental human rights of these individuals, there is also the fact that the competitive advantage (the main source of concern) may largely not be as it appears…as stated in this ACLU article.

To begin with, just because there may sometimes be a physical advantage doesn’t inherently make it unfair. Case in point, it has been duly established that left-handed athletes tend to have an edge in certain sports over their right-handed counterparts. This is clearly evidenced by the fact that, in fencing, for example, 40% of the most elite individuals here are left-handed. This is in sharp contrast to a mere 10% of right-handed elite fencers. Knowing this, does that mean that left-handed fencers shouldn’t be allowed into competitions? Of course not!

In the same vein, trans athletes shouldn’t be ostracized, stigmatized, and segregated under the mere pretense of ensuring equality.

Another core fear here is that, once trans women are allowed to compete with cisgender women, the former will come to quickly dominate the playing field. Yet, history and the stats speak for themselves; these claims are just not true. A cursory glance at what is happening in the NCAA is all the proof that you need of this.

The NCAA has been allowing trans athletes to compete in sports with non-trans athletes of the same gender identity for well over a decade now. Yet, to date, trans women are yet to take over women’s sports here. As a matter of fact, their population accounts for barely 1% of the women in the NCAA.

So, rather than looking for clever ways of denying trans athletes what should be their uncontested right, the focus should be on how to make each individual sport inclusive and adequately hospitable to all, trans and cis athletes alike.

There’s no quick fix, but what is certain is that trans athletes deserve a chance to compete just like other athletes. Prejudice-based banning of trans athletes or subjecting them to inhumane treatment is immoral.