2 days ago
LGBTQ+ athletes strive toward equality and inclusion
Throughout history, professional athletes have made headlines for coming out as members of the LGBTQ+ community. For these LGBTQ+ athletes and others, participating in sports often comes with struggles cisgender athletes may not experience, as they may face homophobia at all levels of competition.
Thomas Foley is a former School Counselor at Princeton Middle School and current senior education manager of HiTOPS, an organization in Princeton providing support groups for LGBTQ+ youth and their families.
Foley said his participation in high school soccer as an 'out' gay athlete was not positively received.
'People used to call me slurs on the field,' Foley said. 'People in my own locker room would tell me to leave the locker room because they weren't comfortable with me being there, when all I wanted to do was change, put my gear on, and get ready to play.'
Much of the polarizing debate regarding transgender inclusion in competitive sports is rooted in the potential physical advantages transgender women possess as biological men. Lia Thomas, a trans woman competing in the collegiate women's swimming league, faced discrimination and controversy after her Division I National Championship win. Negative media coverage and public condemnation of her alleged physical advantages sparked conversation within the LGBTQ+ community.
'Trans people have been participating in sports for decades, and they're really only hated doing so when they win,' Foley said.
In the biological realm, inherent physical advantages including greater height, higher bone density, greater lung capacity, higher testosterone levels, longer wingspan, and larger hand and feet sizes are sometimes present in trans women who have gone through male puberty. The differences between biological men and women are the reason for different net heights in volleyball, different hurdle heights in track, and different three-point arcs in basketball.
But these physical variations between athletes often occur within sexes in a similar way they do across. Advocates for trans women in women's sports point at Michael Phelps, the swimmer decorated with 28 Olympic medals, for holding biological advantages such as a longer torso and lower lactic acid production, or Boban Marjanovic, the seven-foot-five-inch tall male NBA player who towers over shorter defenders.
Sporting organizations such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association have established regulatory guidelines that consider the individual circumstances of trans athletes and scientifically address potential advantages, such as regulating hormone levels.
In New Jersey, Princeton High School follows all New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association rules and regulations, meaning transgender athletes are allowed to compete with the sports team that either aligns with their gender identity or biological sex. The PHS Board of Education approved Policy 5756 to help guide decisions regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion within school.
'[This policy] ensures a safe and supportive learning environment that is free from discrimination and harassment for transgender students, including students going through a gender transition,' said PHS Director of Athletics Brian Dzbenski.
While the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association has rules that allow transgender athletes to compete with others of their aligned gender, there are still some instances where the athletes may feel uncomfortable.
'Sometimes it's a little strange being in a team of all girls when you're not a girl,' said transgender male athlete Jordan Shaevitz '23, who started playing softball in fifth grade and is currently a member of the PHS girls softball team. 'Sometimes it's a little uncomfortable. I choose not to use the girls locker room, so I have my own routines that are separate from the team.'
Although playing on a team that does not align with his gender identity can feel uncomfortable at times, Shaevitz remains grateful for his supportive team members.
'It would be nice to have a boys softball team or a girls baseball team, or just make the teams co-ed,' said Shaevitz. 'I was able to find my community in the girls softball team even though I'm not a girl, but I know not everybody is [able to].'
Many trans athletes, such as Chris Mosier, a transgender male triathlete, have taken strides in advocating for trans inclusion in sports. As an All-American duathlete, Mosier utilized his platform to prompt the International Olympic Committee to make changes to their rules in 2016, removing restrictions for trans men to compete with other male athletes. For many LGBTQ+ athletes, these progressive changes are a win.
'Softball is really good for my mental health … [and] sports are something that are for everyone. People [against trans inclusion in sports] are going off based on the assumption that [trans athletes] are naturally better, and they're not looking at all the hard work that they did,' Shaevitz said. '[Sports should] have rec-leagues [that] have opportunities for people of all identities to play.'
For LGBTQ+ athletes, having the ability to enjoy the sport they love without the fear of homophobia is a critical aspect of their overall well-being and experience in the athletic community.
'Inclusion for anyone who wants to participate in anything is important,' Foley said. '[Some] people have a lack of understanding on LGBTQ+ people. The thing I want most is for people to understand.'
