Transgender Athletes - A Scientific Look at Competitive Advantage

There has been debate in the sports world over the last month, as Laurel Hubbard was recently selected as the first transgender weightlifter to ever compete in the Olympics Games. On the one hand, this is a huge moment of progress for the LGBTQ+ community and reflects a society that is embracing more liberal views of gender. On the other hand, many question the fairness of Laurel Hubbard’s inclusion, citing concerns of inherent biological advantages that a trans female would have over a cis female in the context of athletics. So what are the actual physiological differences between cis and trans females? And are the differences significant enough that people’s concerns are warranted? Researcher Joanna Harper joins the podcast.