What do we do about women athletes with testes?

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Bioethics
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Elite sports regulations often aim to ensure fair competition, particularly concerning performance-enhancing substances like testosterone.
• Some female athletes, including transgender women and those with intersex variations, may possess testes and produce testosterone.
• Existing policies by governing bodies like the IOC and IAAF mandate medical interventions, such as gonadectomy, for eligibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically examine the ethical implications of current sports policies regarding female athletes with testes.
• To challenge the simplistic binary view of sex and gender underpinning these regulations.
• To explore alternative, more inclusive approaches to managing testosterone levels and athletic eligibility.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of sports policies and ethical frameworks.
• Analysis of scientific understanding of sex, gender, and testosterone's role in athletic performance.
• Discussion of bodily autonomy and human rights in the context of sports eligibility.

Main Results:

• Current policies may impose unethical demands and violate bodily autonomy.
• The scientific basis for a strict binary sex/gender model in sports eligibility is questionable.
• Rigorous scientific testing on the performance advantage conferred by testes in female athletes is lacking.

Conclusions:

• The current approach to regulating female athletes with testes is ethically problematic and scientifically simplistic.
• Alternative strategies that respect individual autonomy and acknowledge the complexity of sex and gender are needed.
• Revisiting eligibility criteria requires a nuanced understanding of biology and a commitment to ethical principles.