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Transgender athletes in Texas face an uphill battle in the state’s public schools. A new law requires them to compete according to the gender on their birth certificate.
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Introduction
In 2017, the Texas legislature passed a bill that would have required transgender athletes to compete in sports according to the gender on their birth certificate. The bill died in the Senate, but the issue of transgender athletes competing in sports is still a controversial and polarizing topic.
There are currently no national guidelines that dictate how transgender athletes should be treated, which has left states and schools to figure out their own policies. In general, most people agree that transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in sports, but there is disagreement about what rules should be put in place.
There are two main arguments for why transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in sports. The first is that transgender athletes should be treated like any other athlete and given the same opportunity to compete. The second is that allowing transgender athletes to compete would create an inclusive environment for all athletes, regardless of their gender identity.
There are also two main arguments for why transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete in sports. The first is that it would give transgender athletes an unfair advantage over non-transgender athletes. The second is that it would jeopardize the safety of non-transgender athletes, especially if they are competing against transgender athletes who are physically stronger or have more testosterone.
The reality is that there is no easy answer when it comes to transgender athletes competing in sports. It is an emotionally charged issue with valid arguments on both sides. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to allow transgender athletes to compete should be made on a case-by-case basis after careful consideration of all the facts involved.
History of transgender athletes in Texas
Transgender athletes have been competing in Texas high school sports for years, but a new state law could make it harder for them to do so. The law, which goes into effect in September, requires transgender athletes to compete in the sport that matches the gender on their birth certificate.
Pre-transition
Pre-transition, transgender athletes in Texas were not allowed to compete in accordance with their gender identity. This meant that transgender athletes were forced to compete as the gender they were assigned at birth, which often put them at a disadvantage. In some cases, transgender athletes were not allowed to compete at all.
This began to change in 2016, when the University Interscholastic League (UIL), the governing body for high school sports in Texas, implemented a new policy that allowed transgender athletes to compete in accordance with their gender identity. This policy was a major victory for transgender athletes in Texas, and it paved the way for more inclusion in the future.
However, this policy was met with resistance from some members of the community, who felt that it put cisgender (non-trans) athletes at a disadvantage. In 2017, this resistance led to the introduction of a bill in the Texas Legislature that would have required transgender athletes to compete according to their biological sex. Thankfully, this bill did not become law, and transgender athletes in Texas are still able to compete in accordance with their gender identity.
Despite the progress that has been made, transgender athletes in Texas still face many challenges. For example, many schools do not have inclusive policies or facilities for transgender athletes, and there is still a lack of understanding and acceptance from many members of the community. However, thanks to the efforts of LGBTQ activists and allies, things are slowly beginning to change for the better.
During transition
Prior to competing, transgender athletes in Texas must undergo a process of transition that includes hormone therapy. Hormone therapy must be completed for a minimum of one year before an athlete is eligible to compete, according to the University Interscholastic League, which governs high school sports in Texas.
The process of transition can be difficult for transgender athletes, as they may face discrimination and exclusion from their teammates and opponents. In addition, transgender athletes may also have to deal with the challenges of accessing hormone therapy and paying for medical expenses associated with their transition.
Post-transition
In post-transition, transgender athletes are allowed to compete in the sport of their identified gender. In order to do so, they must provide proof of medical transition through hormone replacement therapy or sex reassignment surgery. Many governing bodies have different requirements, but these are the two most common. For example, the International Olympic Committee requires transgender athletes to have undergone sex reassignment surgery and at least two years of hormone replacement therapy in order to compete in the Olympics.
Current landscape of transgender athletes in Texas
As of right now, transgender athletes in Texas are not guaranteed the same rights and protections as their cisgender counterparts. This leaves many transgender athletes at a disadvantage when it comes to competing in sports. While some progress has been made in recent years, there is still a long way to go.
High school
High school is a particularly difficult time for transgender athletes in Texas. According to a report from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, over half of transgender people who played sports in high school experienced discrimination, such as being verbally harassed, physically attacked, or excluded from teams.
This discrimination can have a profound impact on transgender athletes. In the same survey, nearly one third of respondents said that they had attempted suicide at some point in their lives. This is significantly higher than the national average of 4.6%.
The good news is that there are organizations working to support transgender athletes in Texas. The Human Rights Campaign has been working with the Texas Interscholastic League (TIL) to create policies that are inclusive of transgender athletes. As a result of these efforts, TIL now allows students to participate in sports according to their gender identity.
Despite these progress, much work still needs to be done to ensure that all transgender athletes in Texas have equal access to sports and opportunities to compete.
College
It’s been a little over a year since the first openly transgender woman college athlete, Sarah Griffith, competed in Texas. She made history as the first trans woman to compete in an NCAA sport in the state, and one of only a handful in the country.
But her story is far from unique. Across Texas, there are a growing number of transgender athletes who are fighting for the right to compete in college sports. And they’re up against some steep odds.
In Texas, as in most states, there is no clear legal pathway for transgender athletes to compete in college sports. There are no state or federal laws that protect transgender athletes from discrimination, and there is no NCAA policy that addresses transgender athletes specifically.
This leaves transgender athletes in Texas in a precarious position. They can either choose to compete in the gender they were assigned at birth, or they can transition and hope that their school and conference will allow them to compete in their preferred gender. But if they transition, they risk losing their scholarships and being unable to compete at all.
The situation is even more complicated for transgender athletes who are taking hormones or have had surgery to transition. These athletes are typically barred from competing in their preferred gender unless they meet certain medical requirements set forth by the NCAA. But these requirements are often unattainable for many transgender athletes, meaning they may never be able to compete in their preferred gender.
Despite these obstacles, transgender athletes in Texas are continuing to fight for their right to compete. And with each new athlete who comes out and competes openly, they inch closer to achieving equity in college sports.
Professional
Transgender athletes in Texas face an uphill battle when it comes to professional sports. There are currently no professional sports teams in Texas that have explicit policies in place for transgender athletes. This leaves transgender athletes at a disadvantage when it comes to compete for spots on professional teams.
There have been a few notable cases of transgender athletes in Texas trying to compete at the professional level, but they have all ultimately been unsuccessful. In 2015, high school track star Mack Beggs tried to compete as a girl in the state championships, but was forced to compete as a boy because that was the gender listed on his birth certificate. Beggs ended up winning the state championship, but the win was marred by controversy and criticism from those who believed that Beggs had an unfair advantage over his competition.
In 2016, college transgender wrestler Haley Noll competed as a woman in the Big 12 conference tournament, but was denied permission to compete in the NCAA tournament because she had not undergone hormone therapy treatment for one year prior to competition, as required by NCAA rules. Noll sued the NCAA over their rules, but her case was ultimately unsuccessful.
These cases illustrate the difficulties that transgender athletes face when trying to compete at the professional level in Texas. Until there are explicit policies in place for transgender athletes, they will continue to be at a disadvantage when competing for spots on professional teams.
The future of transgender athletes in Texas
Transgender athletes in Texas have been dealt a blow with the recent news that the state is considering a bill that would ban them from competing in sports. The bill, which is being considered by the Texas Legislature, would require athletes to compete in sports according to the gender on their birth certificate. If enacted, the bill would have a significant impact on transgender athletes in the state, who would be forced to either give up their sport or compete in a division that does not match their gender identity.
Potential changes to high school and college policies
The debate over transgender athletes continues in Texas, with the state legislature considering several bills that would restrict their participation in school sports.
The bills range from requiring transgender athletes to compete according to their birth-assigned sex, to prohibiting transgender girls from altogether.
One bill, House Bill 3102, would require the University Interscholastic League (UIL), which governs public school sports in Texas, to designate events for “biological males” and “biological females.”
Another bill, Senate Bill 2095, would ban transgender girls from competing in UIL sports altogether.
These bills come after the UIL adopted a new policy in 2016 allowing transgender athletes to compete according to their gender identity. Under the policy, transgender athletes must meet certain requirements, such as providing documentation of hormone therapy or sex reassignment surgery.
The bills are pending in the Texas Legislature and could be voted on during the current session, which ends in May. If enacted, they would have a significant impact on transgender athletes in Texas.
The impact of the transgender athlete on professional sports in Texas
In recent years, transgender athletes have been making headlines for their participation in professional sports. While many states have passed laws and regulations protecting the rights of transgender athletes to compete in the sport of their choice, Texas has yet to do so.
This absence of legal protection has led to a number of challenges for transgender athletes in Texas. For example, in 2016, trans track and field star Zoey Skinner was forced to compete against boys in the state high school championships. This experience was both humiliating and frustrating for Skinner, who ultimately finished last in her event.
Currently, there is a bill before the Texas Legislature that would require transgender athletes to compete according to their biological sex. If this bill becomes law, it would have a profound impact on the future of transgender athletes in Texas. It is yet to be seen whether this bill will become law, but one thing is certain: the future of transgender athletes in Texas is far from certain.
