LETTER: Sports and transgender athletes

In her recent letter to the editor, Jane Klein claimed that transgender men were not competing against cisgender men in men’s sports and that they wouldn’t have a chance. That’s false.

Chris Mosier was the first transgender man to participate in Olympic trials and represent Team USA in duathlons and triathlons. He finished second in the 2017 national championship in his age group. Schuyler Bailar is a transgender man who swam for Harvard’s Division 1 swim team. Patricio Manual was the first transgender male boxer and won a unanimous decision vs. Hugo Aguilar.

Ms. Klein also claimed that once a person assigned male at birth has gone through puberty, there’s no way to turn back the clock. That is also false. After medically transitioning, Lia Thomas lost more than 15 seconds over her personal best in the 500 meter freestyle race. She does not hold the NCAA record — that belongs to cisgender female swimmer Katie Ledecky who was more than nine seconds faster. In fact, no transgender athlete holds an NCAA, Olympic or world record.

Sports should be welcoming and inclusive of transgender athletes, especially transgender children who are at risk of harassment, social isolation and — God forbid — suicide. Inclusion in sports greatly improves their health and lives.

There’s room for science to monitor and inform rules for competition, but current science is doing a good job overall at evening the playing field for the few transgender athletes who can and should be able to compete according to their gender identity. And if they compete well and win, it’s a reason to celebrate not complain.