Is There 'Limited Scientific Evidence on Elite Trans Athletes'?
AllSides Summary
NPR issued a correction to a tweet saying there's "limited scientific research involving elite trans athletes." What's true and false about this statement?
What Studies Say: Studies published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and the U.S. National Library of Medicine suggest that trans athletes retain higher muscle mass, strength, speed, and other athletic advantages over cisgender women. Other studies suggest little difference in performance between trans and cisgender athletes.
What Others Say: The NPR article linked from the tweet also says there's limited research on elite trans athletes, and focuses on opponents of a recent World Athletics Council (WAC) decision to ban trans women from competing in elite events, who say the move is discriminatory and lacks compelling evidence. A May 2022 Washington Post (Lean Left bias) poll suggests that 28% of Americans support allowing transgender female athletes to compete on women’s and girls’ sports teams, while 58% oppose.
A Corrected Tweet: NPR's correction states that "Existing research shows that higher levels of testosterone do impact athletic performance. But there’s limited research involving elite trans athletes in competition." Under both the correction and the original tweet, Twitter displays links to studies that suggest the contrary.
Media Criticism: Many right-rated sources criticized NPR for purportedly spreading misinformation about trans athletes. A Lean Right-rated columnist for Mediaite (Lean Left bias) said NPR had asked readers to "disregard their sense of sight and common sense." Some right-rated outlets highlighted cisgender female athletes who praised the WAC decision.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Transgender track and field athletes can't compete in women's international events
World Athletics Council, the governing body for international track and field, will bar transgender women athletes from elite competitions for women.
The council's policy, which will be in effect starting March 31, largely targets athletes who transitioned from male to female after going through puberty as a male. It will also tighten rules for athletes with disorders of sexual development, cutting in half the level of testosterone athletes can have in order to compete in women's events.
The council said they ultimately decided to prioritize "fairness and the integrity" of...
From the Right
NPR Challenges Readers to Disregard Their Eyes and Common Sense on Trans Sports
NPR is making a small ask of its readers: That they disregard both their sense of sight and common sense.
On Friday, NPR’s official Twitter account decried the World Athletics Council’s decision to prohibit male-to-female transgender athletes from competing in women’s track and field events, asserting that it was reached despite a dearth of evidence to support it.
“The international governing body for track and field will ban trans women athletes from elite women’s competitions, citing a priority for fairness over inclusion despite limited scientific evidence of physical advantage,” read...
From the Right
NPR Issues Correction, Admits There Is Evidence Proving Male Athletes Have Advantage over Females
NPR issued an official correction following a story published Friday which argued “there is limited scientific research” supporting the idea that males have a “physical advantage” over females in competitive sports.
“Correction: An earlier tweet incorrectly stated there is limited scientific evidence of physical advantage. Existing research shows that higher levels of testosterone do impact athletic performance. But there’s limited research involving elite trans athletes in competition,” the outlet’s official Twitter account noted on Sunday afternoon.
Appended to the clarification was an annotated “Context” feature provided by Twitter citing a British...
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