Table of ContentsIntroductionThe Moral Debate About Transgender AthletesSuicide Rates Among the Transgender PopulationImpact of Testosterone Suppression on Athletic PerformanceBody Development of Transgender AthletesImpact of Aerobic Fitness on athletesPerceived performance advantage of transgender athletesConclusionWorks CitedIntroductionAs justice is the cornerstone of society, to what extent should transgender female athletes cross the finish line at a women's sporting event? In the 1970s, Renée Richards, one of the first transgender athletes in the United States to gain attention, gained popularity due to unusual situations (Stark-Mason). Richards, a biologically male tennis player, "underwent sex reassignment surgery in 1975 at the age of 40" and entered as an athlete in the 1977 US Open and competed in the women's division ( Stark-Mason). Currently, “the International Olympic Committee has opened its doors to transgender athletes who meet three criteria: hormone therapy, legal recognition of their assigned sex, and surgical anatomical modifications, including modifications of the external genitalia and gonadectomy” ( Stark-Mason). The lack of standardized requirements for transgender female athletes, previously classified as men, ultimately gives athletes an advantage during competitions. Lenient rules allow athletes to take advantage and ignore certain requirements, thus giving the individual an advantage in competition. Although inclusion would help transgender athletes feel accepted, biologically male athletes should not compete in women's divisions because the individual still exhibits physical differences and testosterone influences body structure and developmental abilities. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayThe Moral Debate About Transgender AthletesMany people think that the topic of transgender athletes consists of a moral debate, containing topics such as inclusion and fairness for transgender athletes. Others argue that increased suicide rates among the transgender population are directly linked to the lack of acceptance of activities offered by the aspiring gender. Helen Carroll, LGBTQ sports advocate and NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) board member, is adamant about where to draw the line as an ethical question (Ashwanden). Carroll then states how many transgender people constantly struggle with themselves and feel a sense of bodily displacement (Ashwanden). Playing a sport instills a feeling of confidence in an individual and in others around them. With this newfound confidence, a transgender athlete will have confidence in a new identity. Karen Morrison, a member of the NCAA Board of Directors and head of the NCAA Inclusion Department, believes that “we are on the cusp of a huge cultural shift” (Elfman). This change will produce a tolerant society, but the important concept of inclusion still remains absent in many communities. Massive advancements for transgender athletics, released every day, allow society to accept these individuals through the inclusion generated by sport. Where society should draw the line varies among different collegiate and professional organizations. The outcome of the subject, considered a moral debate and an ethical decision, still remains undecided. Suicide rate among the transgender population Without participating in typical activities offered by gender ingrass, the individual will feel more and more isolated. Due to the isolation and detachment of a new gender, many transgender people have suicidal thoughts, even committing suicide (Toomey). Skyrocketing suicide rates in the United States alone baffle AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention), ranging from 14% to 20%, and averaging 47,173 suicide deaths per year (American Foundation for suicide prevention). The high suicide rates among transgender people average nearly half of the transgender population. Russell Toomey, an associate professor at the University of Arizona, says studies "have found that nearly 25 to 30 percent of transgender adolescents report having attempted suicide" (Toomey). Many transgender people face a lot of discrimination and isolation and a new identity. How would it help if society excluded these individuals from activities that made them feel normal and helped create relationships with a new gender? Others might argue that with a larger transgender population, suicide rates will also increase due to the number of individuals falling into this category. Results from the 2008 National Transgender Discrimination Study found that 45% of transgender people ages 18 to 24 had attempted suicide (Toomey). This study revealed the common assertion expressed by many supporters of mixed sport, that there is a direct correlation between inclusion and suicide rates. Due to acceptance into a budding gender at a young age, this will potentially affect the acceptance of individuals into a society later on. Impact of testosterone suppression on athletic performance. Testosterone suppression, a medical procedure that allows the male body to appear feminine, suppresses testosterone production and promotes estrogen production. This method gives the male transgender individual the feminine body and appearance that he previously only felt emotionally. Suppression of testosterone creates an "increase in body fat" that neutralizes athletic ability between a man and a woman, as well as a "decrease in strength and muscle mass" (The Healthline Editorial Team, Gotter ). This method helps change the anatomy and appearance of a transgender person, allowing the body to appear more feminine. With the crucial help of surgeons and health specialists, communities beginning to accept transgender people are ultimately alleviating the feelings of isolation and loneliness that these people may feel. Many argue that the crucial inclusion of transgender people would eliminate the risk of suicide and ultimately foster a fully inclusive society. Solutions such as testosterone suppression support the inclusion of individuals using visual similarities to the budding sex. Rates of suicide and depression, linked to a lack of inclusion, are prompting many communities to create tactics that will improve the acceptance and prospects of transgender people in society. Body Development of Transgender Athletes Gender identity, typically discovered in the later years of many transgender people's lives, allows the biological development of the body to create irreversible changes. Many people hold an opposing viewpoint consisting of many solutions such as medical practices that level the playing field; thereby allowing that transgender individual to continue to compete in the preferred division. Although many use testosterone suppression asremedying the problem of unfairness to other athletes, countless people fail to take into account the role that testosterone played on the body during structural development. Muscle potential capacity, one of the primary ways testosterone influences the body, affects the body's structural capacity after it has developed. A study by individuals in the Department of Neurology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry linked testosterone and muscle growth. The study results showed that “male muscle mass, as estimated by creatinine excretion [lower levels of creatine phosphate in muscles], increased in all nine subjects (average increase of 20%)” (RC et al.). With increased levels of testosterone present, just as would appear during development, male muscle mass increased by 20% overall (RC et al.). The results showed that hormone levels change the amount of muscle an individual can possess, giving male athletes the advantage simply because of increased testosterone levels. Over the years of body development, the overall growth and structure of the body is molded and shaped by the presence and levels of testosterone. Highlighted during development, the structural differences between male and female athletes become apparent. Benefiting from a structural advantage, men generally possess "longer arms and legs", allowing for a longer stride and greater arm span ("structural differences"). The length of an individual's arms and legs will not change due to the elimination of testosterone; instead, this trait presents itself in the genetic makeup. Additionally, “due to higher estrogen levels, women have more body fat than men” (Lee). The thinnest female athletes have a body fat percentage of about 8 percent, compared to 4 percent for male athletes” (Lee). Testosterone affects metabolism production during development, setting a precedent that the body must follow to maintain, lose, or gain body fat. Allowing men to have lower body fat levels, a man's metabolism typically burns much faster than a woman's, allowing the man to have less body fat. Impact of Aerobic Capacity on Athletes Many athletes' successes typically stem from prestige aerobic capacity. From Olympic swimmers to marathon runners, lung capacity and performance allow any athlete to excel. Women have a smaller rib cage, “resulting in lower lung capacity” (“Structural Differences”). The unchanging size and capacity of a lung cannot change. When a male athlete decides to transition to female, he cannot decrease the size of his lungs, the amount of type II muscle fibers, or shorten the length of his arms and legs. Fueled by the presence of testosterone, certain characteristics created during development influence the body's performance, growth and potential functioning. Although testosterone suppression creates a minimal decrease in performance and appearance, many uniform features of the male anatomy remain. Myostatin, classified as an “autocrine and paracrine hormone” and produced by skeletal muscle cells, “inhibits muscle differentiation and growth” (S. Lee, Feher). A medical experiment by New Zealand scientists found that the difference in muscle mass between men and womenwomen “could be due to the fact that male muscles have lower levels of myostatin” (“Block Myostatin”). Responsible for producing certain amounts of this hormone, the genetic makeup of a skeletal muscle's myostatin production does not fluctuate based on current testosterone levels. Myostatin production, unaffected by the presence of testosterone, eliminates the idea that suppressing testosterone will allow both parties to compete fairly. Highly impacted by the presence of myostatin, male muscle growth exceeds female muscle growth due to the fact that male skeletal muscles contain less myostatin. This allows men to possess an immutable athletic advantage. Some of these benefits inhibit excessive muscle growth in women because they have high levels of the hormone. Due to higher levels of myostatin in women, the athletic advantage of transgender women is increasing. Perceived Performance Advantage of Transgender Athletes Male muscles contain many different levels of hormones and fibers, compared to the composition of a female muscle. A popular study, by M. Bilodeau and colleagues at the University of Iowa, determined the effect of sex "on changes in the electromyographic (EMG) signal characteristics of the quadriceps muscles" ("Slightly Higher Type II Fiber"). EMG, a common medical measurement, shows the electrical currents generated in a muscle during exercise. With increasing strength and fatigue, men's quadriceps showed "moderately higher type II fiber content in the VL [quadriceps] muscle of men compared to that of women" ("Slightly higher type II fibers" ). The data presented in the study reveals that many men's muscles produce increased amounts of type II fibers, which allows the muscles to overcome fatigue, allowing for increased muscle growth and capacity. Type II fibers, classified as “fast-twitch muscles” (white), inhibit muscle exhaustion. A fast-twitch muscle helps the muscle manage fatigue by acting as a "second resort" when slow-twitch muscles fatigue. During development, the production of type II fibers, fueled by the presence of testosterone, imparts irreversible muscle changes and functions to the body. Although testosterone affects muscle capacity during development, the skeletal structure of a biologically male athlete still allows many male athletes to maintain advantages over females. After testosterone levels are suppressed, men's natural advantage over women in sporting events remains between 10 and 12% (Niiler). Along with the “natural aptitude factor,” how does testosterone suppression address issues related to unfairness within mixed sports? Women cannot train harder to compete against biologically male individuals who have a natural advantage over them. A woman's skeletal structure only allows women to contain a certain amount of muscle, this amount of muscle equates on average to "8% less muscle mass" than a man ("Structural differences"). Potential muscle growth in women cannot exceed a certain amount; whereas a man's muscular growth may continue even after the female athlete's muscular capacity has reached the physiological limit. Even though testosterone levels decrease during testosterone suppression treatment, male athletes still possess natural advantages. 2019.