Classifying males as females undermines the rights of girls and women to educational opportunities, fair sports competition, and privacy and safety in single sex spaces like locker rooms — rights guaranteed by Title IX.

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To state the obvious, male and female bodies are different, and it’s not just their average height. Male advantages include: 

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• Superior muscle mass, particularly in the upper body, giving them greater strength. 

• Greater muscle strength and longer skeletal levers, which enable them to apply more force in jumping, throwing and punching. 

• Greater cardiovascular capacity, which provides more oxygen to the body. 

 

These differences explain why approximately ten thousand male track athletes, including high schoolers, have recorded faster times for the 100-meter sprint than the female world record holder, the late Florence Griffith-Joyner. 

 

In addition to evidence that shows male advantage before puberty, the physical advantages acquired in male puberty are not eliminated by testosterone suppression. According to the U.N.’s Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem Alsalem, “The replacement of the female sports category with a mixed-sex category has resulted in an increasing number of female athletes losing opportunities, including medals, when competing against males.”

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“Trans-identified” males have taken thousands of places in competitions and medals from female athletes at various levels over the past four years alone. By one account, they’ve received more than $1.6 million in prize money that would have gone to females had the males not competed.

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THE POWER IMBALANCE AND THE RISK OF INJURY

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In addition to the loss of opportunities and honors, the physical realities of sex mean that females playing males are at risk of injury. Males have denser bones, more grip strength and punching force than women do. These characteristics and their larger size and muscle mass means more risk to women resulting from collisions and the impact from balls thrown or hit, and direct punches and holds. Examples include:

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• Volleyball player Payton McNabb, who, as a high school player, was knocked unconscious by a male player on the opposing team. Doctors diagnosed her with a traumatic brain injury, a brain bleed, partial paralysis and loss of peripheral vision in her right side.

• MMA fighter Tamikka Brents had her skull fractured by male fighter Fallon Fox. Brents also suffered a concussion and her injury required seven staples to her head. The fight lasted just over two minutes. By Brent’s description, she “never felt so overpowered ever in my life and I am an abnormally strong female.”

• A player at Collegiate Charter School of Lowell in Massachusetts sustained a back injury in a game against a team with a male player. The coach of the Collegiate Charter basketball team ended the game at halftime after watching a third player sustain an injury in the game.

 

The stark difference in power is why we see essentially no “trans-identified” females appealing to compete on male teams.

 

ACCESS TO FEMALE LOCKER ROOMS MUST BE RESTRICTED TO FEMALES

 

Women and girls have a right to single-sex spaces such as locker rooms. They should never be forced into situations where they are undressed in front of men or forced into viewing undressed men. Girls just starting to deal with periods will be uncomfortable and vulnerable managing personal hygiene with boys around. The safety of women and girls is jeopardized when males are permitted into single-sex spaces like locker rooms.

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BALANCING INCLUSIVITY AND FAIRNESS

 

How do we balance the desire for inclusivity against the need to preserve female-only sports programs?

 

Acknowledging the reality of sex and ensuring that men’s and boys' teams are inclusive of all men and boys ensures that no one is deprived of the opportunity to participate in and compete in sports while preserving important rights and opportunities for women and girls.