Comment on: “Sport and Transgender People: A Systematic Review of the Literature Relating to Sport Participation and Competitive Sport Policies”

Excerpt

We read with significant interest the work produced by Jones et al. [1] regarding transgender athletes’ experiences.¹ However, there are two contentious issues that need further discussion. First, the contention that transgender females have no athletic advantage at any stage of transitioning when competing against cisgendered females is highly questionable, as there is evidence to the contrary. Second, the sporting policies provided to support the inclusion of transgender females seem to omit sports that require the physical components of strength, power, size, combat skills and speed. These sports would present a greater athletic advantage for transgendered females. The authors have made a significant start in this area, but a more nuanced argument is needed to understand the inclusion policies aimed at this special population. …