Trans athlete pioneer's new book refutes 'moral panic' over inclusion in women's sports

In the past couple of years, we've seen the incredible growth of women's sport. New leagues, expansion teams and a lot more media coverage. Growth is exciting, necessary and long overdue.

But something that is less wonderful are the movements that claim to "protect" or "save" women's sport, alleging that trans women athletes are ruining the sanctity of women's sport. 

There have been recently enacted federal policies in the U.S., as well as organizations that seek to amplify the "injustices" against cis-gendered women in sports. A lot of these policies and campaigns seek to prohibit children from sports. 

On May 1, the Football Association in the U.K. banned trans women from playing amateur or professional football. According to the BBC, there are fewer than 30 trans women among millions of registered players, and currently no trans women playing professional football. Zero. It's completely nonsensical that there are policies being made against professional athletes in spaces where there are no trans athletes at all.

Just a few days ago, Riley Gaines, a former U.S. collegiate swimmer (who once tied for fifth place with trans swimmer Lia Thomas ) was embroiled in an online battle with one of the most storied athletes of all time, U.S. multi-gold medallist gymnast Simone Biles. Biles was defending the inclusion of all women while Gaines is famously anti-trans.

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"Straight up sore loser" is one of the comments Biles hurled at Gaines in a heated exchange on X. Kudos to Biles for taking a stand on what's become one of the defining issues of injustice in sport of our time. 

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