Trans people in sport: eligibility rules, challenges, and resistance
In 2003, the International Olympic Committee issued eligibility rules for transgender people, and since then, various sporting bodies have developed their own rules. Some federations apply rules based on self-definition of sex, while others apply rules based on the sex assigned at birth or when the sex claim was made. This article deepens the debate on the inclusion of trans people in sport through the presentation of the rugby’s case study, whose international federation presented, in 2020, exclusivist rules under the argument of fair competition and protection of the physical integrity of cisgender women. A critical analysis of the foundations of these rules will be presented and the consequences of similar approaches in the sports career of trans people will be discussed. Regarding methodology, a critical document analysis on the World Rugby’s rules was carried out and semi-structured interviews were conducted with people related to the sports universe in Portugal. It was observed that the elaborate rules create a hierarchy between the binary sexes and between trans people themselves, focus on limited measures of comparison such as single repetition strength, and rule out factors such as increased fat mass after transition. In the absence of the possibility of pursuing a sporting career, there was a capacity for agency and engagement in other areas that allows trans people to reach other important functions within the sports universe.
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Universidad de Guadalajara
2023
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rev-lv-mx-article76842024-08-28T17:24:24Z Trans people in sport: eligibility rules, challenges, and resistance Pessoas trans no desporto: regras de elegibilidade, desafios e resistências Santos, Ana Lúcia In 2003, the International Olympic Committee issued eligibility rules for transgender people, and since then, various sporting bodies have developed their own rules. Some federations apply rules based on self-definition of sex, while others apply rules based on the sex assigned at birth or when the sex claim was made. This article deepens the debate on the inclusion of trans people in sport through the presentation of the rugby’s case study, whose international federation presented, in 2020, exclusivist rules under the argument of fair competition and protection of the physical integrity of cisgender women. A critical analysis of the foundations of these rules will be presented and the consequences of similar approaches in the sports career of trans people will be discussed. Regarding methodology, a critical document analysis on the World Rugby’s rules was carried out and semi-structured interviews were conducted with people related to the sports universe in Portugal. It was observed that the elaborate rules create a hierarchy between the binary sexes and between trans people themselves, focus on limited measures of comparison such as single repetition strength, and rule out factors such as increased fat mass after transition. In the absence of the possibility of pursuing a sporting career, there was a capacity for agency and engagement in other areas that allows trans people to reach other important functions within the sports universe. Em 2003, o Comité Olímpico Internacional (COI) emitiu regras de elegibilidade para pessoas trans e, desde então, vários órgãos desportivos têm vindo a elaborar as suas próprias normas. Algumas federações aplicam regras baseadas na auto-definição de sexo, enquanto outras aplicam regras baseadas no sexo atribuído à nascença ou no momento em que a afirmação de sexo foi legalmente realizada. Este artigo aprofunda o debate sobre a inclusão de pessoas trans no desporto através da apresentação do estudo de caso do rugby, cuja federação internacional estabeleceu, em 2020, regras trans-exclusivas sob o argumento de competição justa e proteção da integridade física de mulheres cisgénero. É apresenta uma análise crítica aos fundamentos destas políticas e discutidas as consequências de abordagens similares na carreira desportiva de pessoas trans. Como metodologia, foi realizada uma análise crítica documental às normas da World Rugby e foram realizadas entrevistas a pessoas relacionadas com o universo desportivo em Portugal. Observou-se que as regras elaboradas criam uma hierarquia entre os sexos binários e entre as próprias identidades trans, focam em medidas de comparação insuficientes como a força de repetição única, e descartam fatores como aumento de massa gorda após reposição hormonal. Na ausência da possibilidade de prosseguir uma carreira desportiva, verificou-se uma capacidade de agência e de encaixe noutros âmbitos que, não sendo a prática desportiva competitiva enquanto atletas, permite às pessoas trans chegar a outras funções de relevo dentro do universo desportivo. Universidad de Guadalajara 2023-05-16 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion text/html application/pdf http://revistalaventana.cucsh.udg.mx/index.php/LV/article/view/7684 10.32870/lv.v7i59.7684 Revista de Estudios de Género, La Ventana E-ISSN: 2448-7724; Vol 7 No 59 (2024); 388-425 Revista de Estudios de Género, La Ventana E-ISSN: 2448-7724; Vol. 7 Núm. 59 (2024); 388-425 2448-7724 1405-9436 10.32870/lv.v7i59 spa http://revistalaventana.cucsh.udg.mx/index.php/LV/article/view/7684/6912 http://revistalaventana.cucsh.udg.mx/index.php/LV/article/view/7684/6947 Derechos de autor 2023 Revista de Estudios de Género, La Ventana E-ISSN: 2448-7724 |
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México |
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spa |
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Digital |
| author |
Santos, Ana Lúcia |
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Santos, Ana Lúcia Trans people in sport: eligibility rules, challenges, and resistance |
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Santos, Ana Lúcia |
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Santos, Ana Lúcia |
| title |
Trans people in sport: eligibility rules, challenges, and resistance |
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Trans people in sport: eligibility rules, challenges, and resistance |
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Trans people in sport: eligibility rules, challenges, and resistance |
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Trans people in sport: eligibility rules, challenges, and resistance |
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Trans people in sport: eligibility rules, challenges, and resistance |
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trans people in sport: eligibility rules, challenges, and resistance |
| description |
In 2003, the International Olympic Committee issued eligibility rules for transgender people, and since then, various sporting bodies have developed their own rules. Some federations apply rules based on self-definition of sex, while others apply rules based on the sex assigned at birth or when the sex claim was made. This article deepens the debate on the inclusion of trans people in sport through the presentation of the rugby’s case study, whose international federation presented, in 2020, exclusivist rules under the argument of fair competition and protection of the physical integrity of cisgender women. A critical analysis of the foundations of these rules will be presented and the consequences of similar approaches in the sports career of trans people will be discussed. Regarding methodology, a critical document analysis on the World Rugby’s rules was carried out and semi-structured interviews were conducted with people related to the sports universe in Portugal. It was observed that the elaborate rules create a hierarchy between the binary sexes and between trans people themselves, focus on limited measures of comparison such as single repetition strength, and rule out factors such as increased fat mass after transition. In the absence of the possibility of pursuing a sporting career, there was a capacity for agency and engagement in other areas that allows trans people to reach other important functions within the sports universe. |
| publisher |
Universidad de Guadalajara |
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2023 |
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http://revistalaventana.cucsh.udg.mx/index.php/LV/article/view/7684 |
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