Biology Isn’t Binary

There’s a troubling double standard in the athletics world. Let’s talk about Michael Phelps. 

Yes, the GOAT. His athletic ability is nothing short of extraordinary, which has been proven time and time again by gold medal after gold medal. While there is no doubt that Phelps had to work hard consistently and persistently, it turns out that Phelps has a biological advantage that makes him a more competitive swimmer. He has a proportionally longer wingspan than average in addition to double-jointed ankles said to bend 15 degrees farther than average. In every Olympic games I have watched, I have been in awe with the way Americans (and fans across the globe) cheer for Phelps, take deep pride in his wins, and praise his accomplishments – and his genetics. The same was true for Lance Armstrong before he fell from grace. Part of the mythology around his athletic prowess is that he was blessed— biologically speaking— with a larger-than-normal heart that allowed him to take in more oxygen and race harder. 

And yet, when it comes to varying hormone levels in cis female, intersex, and transgender athletes, the narrative shifts to an accusation that having a different amount of testosterone in the body is somehow “cheating.” In 2019, the International Association of Athletics Federations ruled that track star Caster Semenya could not compete in women’s events unless she took medication to lower her naturally-occurring testosterone levels, arguing that the elevated testosterone levels gave her an unfair advantage. For a decade prior to that, sports organizations had required Semenya, a cis woman, to undergo humiliating “sex tests” to prove that she was really a woman. While having a biological advantage among cis male athletes has been something to brag about, a biological advantage among cis female athletes is vilified and puts them under suspicion of not competing fairly “as a woman.” Whatever that means. 

The problem is, biology is not binary. It is incredibly nuanced, occasionally predictable but never uniformly the same. The science behind genetics is fascinating, and so is the physical anatomy it produces. We have bodies that can regulate themselves, that try to understand themselves and the world around them. None of this can be placed on a binary system because we simply are not robots. Hair, eye, and skin color are not binary, and neither are hormones, chromosomes, or genitals. 

Over the last few years, some state legislatures have begun to target trans athletes at the high school and college level. But let’s be clear about what’s really happening here. They are policing women’s bodies and trying to dictate a biological binary where none exists in nature. There’s no evidence that trans or intersex athletes, or cis women who simply have a higher-than-usual testosterone level, have an unfair advantage. They are still subject to all of their other biological factors that make them more or less suited to a particular sport. In fact, the Connecticut case where cis female athletes tried to block a trans classmate from competing showed that these same cis athletes consistently performed as well as or better than their trans competitors. Even so, several states currently have bills on the table that specifically seek to exclude trans women from participating in high school and college sports. 

There is work to be done on all fronts, and you can make a significant difference by visiting https://www.transathlete.com/take-action. Demand the prioritization of equity and equality above the irrational and unfounded discomfort of some cis people who hold positions of trust in state government. We can praise the abilities of exceptional athletes across the gender spectrum in the same way that we do with Michael Phelps. We can describe them as phenomenal, gifted, and talented, turning the conversation away from how much of what hormone or specific combination of genitalia is and isn’t allowed. (And also, who is going to enforce this policy? High school coaches? Administrators? With witnesses? I would argue that the humiliating nature of such an exam means that medical professionals could not do it without violating their oath to “do no harm.”) We can be better than this. Caster Semenya deserved better. Our trans and intersex athletes deserve better. We can advocate for the inclusion and celebration of our gifted athletes regardless of gender identity or expression and without policing who gets to be a woman. 

• athlete
• gender equality
• gender stereotypes
• patriarchy
• political activism
• social justice
• student athlete
• Trans Rights