Including Transgender Student-Athletes in Collegiate Athletics

Making Fair Policy&

Enacting Best Practices

Transgender Student-Athlete Participation

Participation in athletics provides student-athletes a unique and positively powerful experience. As a higher educational association, the NCAA and its member institutions govern athletics programs in accordance with the Association’s core mission to assure safe and equitable opportunities for participation.

Workshop Objectives

To provide a basic understand of transgender identity

To understand why collegiate athletic programs need to address the participation of transgender student-athletes

To discuss questions related to the inclusion of transgender student-athletes

To identify recommended policies and best practices for including transgender student-athletes on school teams

Who Are Transgender Student-Athletes?

Transgender students’ internal sense of their gender does not match the sex/gender they were assigned at birth

Why Address Transgender Athlete Issues?

Estimates are that 1-2% of the population identifies as transgender

More young people are identifying as transgender at younger ages

In recent years, the NCAA has had at least 40 inquiries from member schools about how to include transgender students on athletic teams

Why Address Transgender Athlete Issues?

Participation in athletics contributes to students’ overall educational experience

The NCAA is a part of the higher education community and supports a broad commitment to inclusion and equal access

Why Include Transgender Student-Athletes on Collegiate Sports Teams?

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

Commitment to Equal Opportunity

School Non-Discrimination Policy

State and Federal Laws

First, A Few Definitions to Make Sure We Have A Common Vocabulary

Towards A Common Vocabulary

Transgender - A person whose gender identity does not match the sex/gender assigned at birth.

A transgender woman (MTF) was born with a male body but identifies as a girl/woman

A transgender man (FTM) was born with a female body but identifies as a boy/man

Toward A Common Vocabulary

Biological Sex

Sex/Gender Assigned at Birth

Gender Identity

Gender Expression

Sexual Orientation

Transgender

Intersex (Differences in Sexual Development)

Toward A Common Vocabulary

Biological Sex – The anatomical, physiological, hormonal, genetic characteristics that we are born with

Sex/Gender Assigned at Birth – Assignment of boy or girl based on appearance of external genitals

Toward A Common Vocabulary

Gender Identity – A person’s internal sense of being a woman/girl, man/boy

Gender Expression – The behavior and appearance characteristics used to express our gender identity. Many characteristics are based on social expectations of what is appropriate for girls/women or for boys/men.

Toward A Common Vocabulary

Sexual Orientation – A person’s sexual desires, behaviors, fantasies directed toward someone of another sex (heterosexual), the same sex (lesbian, gay), or any sex (bisexual).

Transgender - A person whose gender identity does not match the sex/gender assigned at birth.

Toward A Common Vocabulary

Intersex – A person born with both male and female anatomical, physiological, genetic characteristics (Also called differences of sexual development).

One in 2,000 babies are born intersex

What We Assume About Sex, Gender and Sexuality

Linear Relationship Among Sex, Gender and Sexuality

Binary & Fixed Assumptions

Intersex

Lived Experiences of Sex, Gender & Sexuality

What Does Transitioning Genders Mean?

Social Transitioning – choosing a name, behavior and appearance characteristics that express one’s gender identity.oName, pronounsoHair styleoClothesoVoice

What Does Transitioning Genders Mean?

Medical Transitioning – Taking hormones and/or having surgery to better match one’s body to one’s gender identity.

Many transgender people choose not to have surgery.

Trends in Federal Policies Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Gender Identity/Expression

Title IX - Addresses Discrimination Based on Gender Stereotypes

Student Non-Discrimination Act (Introduced in U.S. Congress in 2010)

Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)

(Introduced in the U.S. Congress in 2010)

State Laws Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Gender Identity/Expression

California

Colorado

Illinois

Iowa

New Hampshire,

Minnesota

Maine

Washington

New Jersey

Oregon

Vermont

District of Columbia

School Policies Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Gender Identity/Expression

377 Colleges and Universities in the United States Have Non-Discrimination Policies that Include Gender Identity/Expression

Transgender Law and Policy Center

http://www.transgenderlaw.org/college/index.htm#policies

NCAA Considerations

What About Competitive Equity?

Do Transgender Women Have An Unfair Competitive Advantage When Competing With Women identified as Female at Birth?

Addressing Concerns about Unfair Competitive Advantage

We already accept many competitive advantages among women and among men as part of the game

o Physical differences (Weight, height, strength, etc)o Genetic conditions ( Marfans Syndrome, etc)o Access to excellent coaching, training, equipmento Access to good nutrition, clean air and watero Access to social support and reward for athletic abilities

Addressing Concerns About Competitive Equity: M2F Transgender Athletes on Women’s Teams

Wide range of physiological difference and athletic abilities among women athletes

Overlap of physiological differences and athletic abilities between women and men

Student-Athletes Who Take Hormones As Part of a Gender Transition After Puberty

Available medical research indicates that:

After one year of taking estrogen, the hormone levels of transgender women fall within the range for non-transgender women

Transgender men taking testosterone experience increases in strength almost immediately that could provide a competitive advantage in competition on women's teams

Student-Athletes Who Take Hormones as Part of a Gender Transition After Puberty Transgender women and men who take hormones have

strength and endurance levels that are within the typical range for non-transgender athletes of their gender after one year of hormone treatment.*

* van Kesteren P, Lips P, Deville W, Popp-Snijders C, Asscheman H, Megens J & Gooren L. The effect of one-year cross-sex hormonal treatment on bone metabolism and serum insulin-like growth factor-1 in transsexuals. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 1996 81 2227–2232.

Student-Athletes Who Transition Gender After Puberty

Transgender women do retain the effects of bone growth triggered by testosterone production during male puberty

Transgender men taking testosterone will not have the bone growth that occurs during a male puberty

Not all transgender women are big boned or tall

Not all transgender men are slight and short

Policy RecommendationSlides 30-36 on hold

A transgender student-athlete at the college level should be allowed to participate in any sex-separated sports activity so long as that athlete’s use of hormone therapy, if any, is consistent with the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) existing policies on banned medications. 

Transgender Student-Athlete Participation & Hormone Treatment for the Purpose of Gender Transition

A [trans male] student-athlete who has received a medical exception for treatment with testosterone for gender transition, for purposes of NCAA competition, may compete on a men’s team, but is no longer eligible to compete on a women’s team without changing that team status to a mixed team.

A [trans female] student-athlete being treated with testosterone suppression medication for gender transition, for the purposes of NCAA competition, may continue to compete on a men’s team but may not compete on a women’s team without changing it to a mixed team status until completing one calendar year of testosterone suppression treatment.

Policy Recommendations For Student-Athletes Undergoing Hormone Treatments

It is the responsibility of the NCAA institution to submit the request for a medical exception for testosterone treatment prior to the student-athlete competing while undergoing treatment. In the case of testosterone suppression, the institution must submit written documentation of the year of treatment and ongoing monitoring of testosterone suppression.

 

For the purpose of NCAA competition, interruptions of treatments for gender transition will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

Policy Recommendations For Student-Athletes Undergoing Hormone Treatments

A male-to-female (MTF) transgender student-athlete who is taking medically prescribed hormone treatment related to gender transition may participate on a men’s team at any time, but must complete one year of hormone treatment related to gender transition before competing on a women’s team.

A female-to-male (FTM) transgender student-athlete who is taking medically prescribed testosterone related to gender transition may not participate on a women’s team after beginning hormone treatment, and must request a medical exception from the NCAA prior to competing on a men’s team because testosterone is a banned substance.

A female-to-male (FTM) transgender student-athlete who is taking medically prescribed testosterone for the purposes of gender transition may compete on a men’s team.

In any case where a student-athlete is taking hormone treatment related to gender transition, that treatment must be monitored by a physician, and the NCAA must receive regular reports about the athlete’s eligibility according to these guidelines.

Policy Recommendations for Transgender Student-Athletes Who are NOT Undergoing Hormone Treatment

Any transgender student-athlete who is not taking hormone treatment related to gender transition may participate in sex-separated sports activities in accordance with his or her assigned birth gender.

A female-to-male transgender student-athlete who is not taking testosterone related to gender transition may participate on a men’s or women’s team.

A male-to-female transgender student-athlete who is not taking hormone treatments related to gender transition may not compete on a women’s team.

Participation on Mixed TeamsTransgender Student-Athletes Taking Hormones

For purposes of mixed gender team classification, a male-to-female (MTF) transgender student-athlete who is taking medically prescribed hormone treatment related to gender transition shall be counted as a male participant until the athlete has completed one year of hormone treatment at which time the athlete shall be counted as a female participant.

For purposes of mixed gender team classification, a female-to-male (FTM) transgender student-athlete who is taking medically prescribed testosterone related to gender transition shall be counted as a male participant and must request a medical exception from the NCAA prior to competing because testosterone is a banned substance.

Participation on Mixed TeamsTransgender Student-Athletes Not Taking Hormones

For purposes of mixed gender team classification, a female-to-male (FTM) transgender student-athlete who is not taking testosterone related to gender transition may be counted as either a male or female.

For purposes of mixed gender team classification, a female-to-male (FTM) transgender student-athlete who is not taking testosterone related to gender transition participating on a women’s team shall not make that team a mixed gender team.

For purposes of mixed gender team classification, a male-to-female (MTF) transgender student-athlete who is not taking hormone treatment related to gender transition shall count as a male.

Best Practice Recommendations:Education

All members of the school community should receive information about transgender identities, non-discrimination policies, the use of pronouns and chosen names, and expectations for creating a respectful school and team climate for all students, including transgender students.

Best Practice Recommendations:Facilities Access

Transgender student-athletes should be able to use locker rooms and bathrooms in accordance with their identified gender

Every locker room and toilet area should have provisions for privacy accessible to all students

When requested by a transgender student-athlete, separate changing and toilet facilities should be provided

Best Practice Recommendations:Facilities Access

Many schools have already accommodated facilities use by transgender students and staff.

Athletics staff should work with colleagues on campus for implementing best practices for facilities use.

Best Practice Recommendations:Hotel Rooms

Transgender student-athletes should be assigned hotel rooms according to their identified gender in the same manner that other members of the team are assigned rooms

Provisions should be made for any student-athlete who need extra privacy whenever possible

Best Practice Recommendations:Language

Coaches, teammates and media should refer to transgender athletes by their preferred name

When referring to a transgender student-athlete, coaches, teammates and media should use pronouns that reflect the student-athlete’s identified gender

Best Practice Recommendations:Dress Codes

Transgender student-athletes should be able to dress in accordance with their identified gender

Dress codes for athletic teams should be gender-neutral (For example: Do not require women to wear dresses or skirts. Instead require attire that is neat, clean and appropriate for the occasion)

Best Practice Recommendations:Team Uniforms

All team members should have access to uniforms that are appropriate for their sport and that they feel comfortable wearing.

No student should be required to wear a gendered uniform that conflicts with the student’s gender identity.

Best Practices: Media Provide Training to All Staff Who Interact with the Media

Respect confidentiality. All medical information must be kept confidential in accordance with applicable state, local, and federal privacy laws.

Use appropriate language (transgender, preferred pronouns and name) in media interviews and insist that this terminology be used in media reports on transgender issues in athletics.

Focus on the importance of providing equal opportunities for all students to participate in athletics.

Describe how departmental policies provide equal opportunities for all students.

Best Practices: Communications with Opponents

Talk with athletic directors and coaches from other schools prior to competitions about expectations for treatment of transgender student-athletes on and off the field.

Do not identify a particular student-athlete as transgender, but rather establishing general expectations for the treatment of all student-athletes, including those who may be transgender.

Overall Guidelines

Be Proactive, don’t wait for a crisis

Focus on inclusion, not exclusion

Protect the privacy of transgender student-athletes

Educate athletic staff and student-athletes about gender transitions and athletics

NCAA Executive CommitteeFramework for NCAA Inclusion

As a core value, the NCAA believes in and is committed to diversity, inclusion and gender equity among its student-athletes, coaches and administrators.   We seek to establish and maintain an inclusive culture that fosters equitable participation for student-athletes and career opportunities for coaches and administrators from diverse backgrounds.  Diversity and inclusion improve the learning environment for all student-athletes and enhance excellence within the Association.  

The Office of Inclusion  will provide or enable programming and education, which sustains foundations of a diverse and inclusive culture across dimensions of diversity including, but not limited to age, race, sex, class, creed educational background, disability, gender expression, geographical location, income, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation and work experiences.   

Primary ContactsBernard Franklin – bfranklin@ncaa.org (Executive VP, Chief Inclusion Officer)Kimberly Ford - kford@ncaa.org  (Minority Inclusion)Karen Morrison - kmorrison@ncaa.org (Gender Inclusion and LGBT) 

www.ncaa.org/gender_equity