We support gender equality and freedoms in cases in which ‘like equals like’. Such inclusion is central to a progressive society. However, inclusion could potentially conflict with fairness in cases concerning transgendered athletes in elite sport. Accepted science regarding male and female physiology suggests that transwomen have an advantage over their cisgendered counterparts. This advantage stems from relatively high testosterone levels and prior male physiology of transwomen. Conversely, transmen who wish to compete in the men's division may be disadvantaged in comparison with cismen. Hence, while inclusion supports transwomen and transmen competing in the division that matches their gender identity, this may not satisfy the principle of fairness. We reason that transwomen and cismen are not only advantaged, but unfairly advantaged, and propose that the gender binary in elite sport should be replaced with a nuanced algorithm that accounts for both physiological and social parameters. As the algorithm would be applied to all athletes, it would be both inclusive and fair.
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November 2019
Issue Editors
Chris Willmott
Chris Willmott
Portland Press would like to thank Dr Silvia Camporesi (Kings College London) for her input into the initial discussions around some of the concepts covered in this issue of Emerging Topics in Life Sciences, and for securing some of the contributors and content.
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Article Contents
Perspective|
June 26 2019
Trans-athletes in elite sport: inclusion and fairness
Lynley Anderson
;
1
Bioethics Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
Correspondence: Lynley Anderson (lynley.anderson@otago.ac.nz)
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Taryn Knox
;
Taryn Knox
1
Bioethics Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
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Alison Heather
Alison Heather
2
Department of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
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Emerg Top Life Sci (2019) 3 (6): 759-762.
Article history
Received:
August 30 2018
Revision Received:
October 22 2018
Accepted:
March 07 2019
Citation
Lynley Anderson, Taryn Knox, Alison Heather; Trans-athletes in elite sport: inclusion and fairness. Emerg Top Life Sci 27 November 2019; 3 (6): 759–762. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/ETLS20180071
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