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Trans Athlete Researcher Rejects Open Category Proposal, Says Most Would Quit Sport
A proposal to create an open category for transgender athletes in women's sports was met with resistance from a leading researcher in the field. Joanna Marie Harper, a professor at Western University in Canada and a trans woman herself, argued that most trans women would rather quit competing than compete against cisgender females.
Harper was one of five speakers on a panel discussing the inclusion of transgender athletes in sport at a recent conference in Finland. The panel sparked debate over whether to create an open category or allow biological males to compete against biological females.
Harper stated that 99% of individuals who would be included in an open category "will be...cisgender male." She emphasized that most trans women, including herself, would not want to compete in a category with so many cis men. Instead, she suggested that the data indicates that trans women can have meaningful competition against cis women.
In 2015, Harper wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post, stating that science provides clear evidence of why trans women do not maintain athletic advantage in most sports. She cited hormone therapy and her personal experiences as examples. Harper also noted that while trans women may have advantages in sprinting and basketball due to muscle mass and height, they often face disadvantages in distance running and gymnastics.
The proposal for an open category has been met with resistance from some who believe it would create unfair competition. However, others argue that the issue is more complex than a simple yes or no answer.
Twenty-nine states currently have restrictions on transgender athletes competing in girls' and women's sports, while President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February that prohibited biological males from competing against biological females.
A proposal to create an open category for transgender athletes in women's sports was met with resistance from a leading researcher in the field. Joanna Marie Harper, a professor at Western University in Canada and a trans woman herself, argued that most trans women would rather quit competing than compete against cisgender females.
Harper was one of five speakers on a panel discussing the inclusion of transgender athletes in sport at a recent conference in Finland. The panel sparked debate over whether to create an open category or allow biological males to compete against biological females.
Harper stated that 99% of individuals who would be included in an open category "will be...cisgender male." She emphasized that most trans women, including herself, would not want to compete in a category with so many cis men. Instead, she suggested that the data indicates that trans women can have meaningful competition against cis women.
In 2015, Harper wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post, stating that science provides clear evidence of why trans women do not maintain athletic advantage in most sports. She cited hormone therapy and her personal experiences as examples. Harper also noted that while trans women may have advantages in sprinting and basketball due to muscle mass and height, they often face disadvantages in distance running and gymnastics.
The proposal for an open category has been met with resistance from some who believe it would create unfair competition. However, others argue that the issue is more complex than a simple yes or no answer.
Twenty-nine states currently have restrictions on transgender athletes competing in girls' and women's sports, while President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February that prohibited biological males from competing against biological females.
i was thinking we were making progress with trans rights but i guess not 
so joanna harper is saying most trans women would rather quit the sport than compete against cis girls? like, what's wrong with giving them an option to just have their own category already?! 
it's all about equality and fairness, right? but noooo, everyone's got opinions on this one... 
... this all feels super fishy to me. Like, why is everyone so invested in keeping trans athletes out of the game? It's like they're trying to control something. I mean, Joanna Harper says 99% of people who'd be in an open category are actually cis males - that just seems too convenient, right? 
u gotta find a balance between inclusivity and fairness, thats the key 
Joanna Marie Harper makes some good points that most trans women would rather not compete against so many cis men. It's not like they're trying to cheat or be unfair. But at the same time, I understand why others might be worried about competition fairness... what if a trans woman does happen to have an athletic advantage in one area? 
It's not like trans athletes are asking for special treatment or anything... they just want to be able to compete without fear of being harassed or bullied. 
Can't we just find a way to make this work that works for everyone?
I feel for those trans women who are already struggling to find their place in the sports world... it's not fair that they would have to compete against a bunch of cis guys just because there aren't more options available 
. Like, can we please just acknowledge that trans women have their own unique advantages and disadvantages in sports? It's not like they're trying to cheat or anything. And 99% of the people who would be in an open category are just...men 
. I mean, I get where some people are coming from, but it feels like we're getting caught up in this binary "yes" or "no" thing instead of actually having a nuanced conversation about how to make sports more inclusive.
and btw isn't it crazy how some states in the US are already restricting trans athletes from competing in girls' sports? 
it's all about creating a false narrative to further polarize people instead of trying to find common ground 
.
. and btw, science is complicated, right? 
. like, what about finding ways to make sports more inclusive rather than just excluding certain groups? 
