Trans women do not have an inherent advantage over cis women in sports, study finds

A meta-analysis of 52 studies with 6,485 participants found no evidence that transgender women have inherent athletic advantages over cisgender women; authors say current evidence is limited and call for more rigorous, long-term research.

A new meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine reviewed 52 studies on transgender and cisgender athletes. The researchers compiled data from 6,485 participants aged 14 to 41, including 2,943 trans women and 568 cis women. The authors conclude that current evidence is low and varied in quality and does not support theories of inherent athletic advantages for transgender women over cisgender women. They emphasize the need for more sport-specific and long-term research and for better control of factors such as training history and prior hormone use. Key findings: - The review covered 52 studies and 6,485 participants; 45 studies focused on adults and seven on adolescents. - After one to three years of gender-affirming hormone therapy, trans women showed higher absolute lean body mass than cis women, but no significant differences were found in measures such as upper-body strength, lower-body strength, and maximum oxygen consumption. - Differences among studies prevented researchers from establishing direct correlations between muscle mass and functional strength. - Few studies adequately controlled for variables like training history, diet, baseline fitness, prior hormone therapy, or assessed sociocultural and psychological factors that affect performance. - The authors state that the current data do not justify blanket bans on transgender women in sports. Summary: The review challenges the assumption that trans women retain irreversible physical advantages and notes that transgender women remain under-represented in elite athletics. The authors call for more rigorous, sport-specific and long-term studies that control for physiological and sociocultural factors; the article also notes existing policy actions and legal challenges, including state-level bans, pending court cases, and actions by sports bodies.