Among the onslaught of executive orders signed on day one, President Donald Trump targeted transgender and nonbinary Americans, claiming “it is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female,” in one order passed on Jan. 20 and in his inaugural address.
Titled “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” the executive order targets “idealogues who deny the reality of biological sex,” referencing the inclusion of transgender and gender nonconforming individuals in gendered spaces—specifically, women and girl’s sports teams. The order alleges that any definition or identification of one’s gender that deviates from sex assigned at birth “fundamentally [attacks] women by depriving them of their dignity, safety, and well-being.”
This is not the first time this year the GOP has set its sights on the issue of transgender participation in sports. In the newly minted Republican-led House, a bill barring transgender athletes from female school sports teams passed largely among partisan lines. According to a report from the New York Times, the bill would deny federal funding to any school that allows transgender athletes to participate in girl’s sports. In order for it to pass in the Senate, it would need seven Democrats to hop over the aisle and join Republicans, in order to move through the filibuster.
“This is not what the American people want,” Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del), the first openly transgender member of Congress, said in an interview to NBC Philadelphia on Jan. 21. “They want a federal government that, one, respects everyone across all of our differences, but also a federal government that’s focused like a laser on lowering costs for workers, and that is not what this executive action does.”
At Emerson College, the topic of transgender participation in sports generates buzz. Sophomore softball infielder Riley Caiazza spoke with The Beacon about the issue.
“To label transgender women as any sort of threat to women’s rights is extremely hypocritical,” said Caiazza. “Trans women are women, so how can they threaten their own rights by participating in athletic programs designed for women?”
In the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), there are around 510,000 student-athletes who compete for colleges and universities at Div. I, II, and III levels. Out of those 510,000, Charlie Baker, the president of the NCAA, told a Senate panel that he is aware of “less than 10” transgender athletes.
However, this 0.00001% of college athletes have taken up a much greater amount of real estate in the national conversation around transgender rights, with Trump and the GOP claiming, rather, that it is an issue of women’s rights.
“My Administration [Trump’s] will defend women’s rights and protect freedom of conscience by using clear and accurate language and policies that recognize women are biologically female, and men are biologically male,” the executive order said.
“I do think in some cases sports already feel like a space that is not the most welcoming of LGBTQ people, and this would just limit the inclusiveness of sports to a whole other level,” Caiazza said.
Similar legislation is popping up around the country—like in Virginia, with Republican leaders advocating for “protection” and “fairness” not just at the collegiate level—but in high school level girls’ sports, too. As of right now, one House and one Senate bill have been announced and await voting. If passed, they would largely prohibit transgender athletes from participating on the sports team of their choosing if said sport has any affiliation with greater sports organizations, such as the NCAA. One bill on the Senate floor in the state would prohibit “[any] student whose biological sex is male and who has not physically transitioned to female prior to puberty” from participating in their desired sports team at any age level, whether competitive or not.
While there is no record of transgender individuals having a biological advantage over their cis counterparts, data and evidence in the scientific community regarding whether or not transgender individuals possess such biological advantages is largely inconclusive. One National Library of Medicine study reported, “There does not seem to be any reason to expect advantage for transgender people prior to puberty … There is [a] need for more research on the topic.”
The study concludes by encouraging participation for all people in sports, which there is a significant amount of research on the positive effects. According to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, & Nutritional Science, playing sports aids in lowering anxiety and depression, building self-confidence, and even improving academic performance.
The national conversation around the transgender community is expanding beyond sports, with gender-affirming care for minors now in the limelight of the U.S. Supreme Court—with the AP reporting that fewer than 1 in 1,000 adolescents nationwide receive such care—and similar legislation popping up around the country.
With the president pushing forward policies that could reshape the landscape of women’s sports and beyond, the conversation surrounding women’s rights and trans people’s rights (however small that number of people may be) is more prevalent now than ever.
Emerson’s Wellness Center offers medical and mental health services to transgender and nonbinary students questioning their gender identity, and the Social Justice Collaborative has resources on gender inclusion regarding name, email, and ID changes as well as gender inclusive bathrooms on campus. Boston Area Trans Support is a support group for transgender and nonbinary adults looking for a sense of community and emotional support.
