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All genders competing in the olympics?
I was previously undecided on whether I think that transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in the olympics. I have since then come to the conclusion that, yes, I believe transgender athletes should be able to compete in the olympics. In our day and age, there should be no reason why a transgender athlete should not be able to compete. Although, I do understand where the debate comes from. The thought that the advantage would be heightened for a male-to-female transition because males tend to demonstrate a physical advantage as far as bone structure and muscle mass, strength, agility, body mass and endurance.
Savannah Burton is a transgender woman who is a professional dodgeball player who has loved sports her whole life. When she started take the testosterone blockers and estrogen, she recognized a significant decrease in her strength. Although she kept the same skills as before her transition, she had acknowledged that she couldn’t “play the same way” or “compete at the same level” as before. Robert S. Beil, M.D., made it clear that without testosterone, muscle is maintained at a lower pace. So, as for a non-transgender woman, a transgender woman has to work just as hard to maintain the muscle mass.
The concern is not from muscle mass or strength, it is more dependant on a transgender person’s bone structure because of the unlikeliness that it will change in a significant way. If you were born a female, you are statistically know to be shorter than males, as well as have less dense bones. If you were born male, you are more likely to be taller, bigger, and have denser bones. Therefore, the thought is that transgender women have an advantage over cisgender women because of their structure.
I agree with some of the thoughts of the rule makers for the olympics stating that transgender people should have to take hormones to keep their hormone levels on the same level as their selected genders average hormone level.
In conclusion, I personally think that transgender people should not be restricted from competing in the olympics because of their chosen gender. I do not think that transgender people have an advantage over cisgender people when competing.
Letter from
the Editor