Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2025

Establishment of Rat Models Mimicking Gender-affirming Hormone Therapies
Published on: January 10, 2025
"I Get Treated Poorly in Regular School-Why Add To It?": Transgender Girls' Experiences Choosing to Play or Not Play
Jonah P DeChants1, Amy E Green1, Myeshia N Price1
1The Trevor Project, West Hollywood, California, USA.
Purpose:
Transgender girls' right to participate in high school sports has been attacked by legislation banning them from doing so. This study uses open-ended survey responses among transgender high school girls to examine reasons that they choose to participate or not participate in sports.
Methods:
Data come from 294 transgender girls currently in high school who answered one of two open-ended questions about sports participation as part of a larger survey on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ) youth mental health. An inductive approach with exploratory and descriptive codes was used, resulting in a codebook with 14 codes about high school girls' choices to participate or not participate in sports.
Results:
Among respondents' answers about why they participate in sports, six codes were identified: physical health benefits, mental health benefits, fun, social connections, family expectations, and gender affirmation. Among respondents' answers about why they do not participate in sports, eight codes were identified: not interested in sports, gendered teams or spaces, not athletic, physical or mental health limitations, social discomfort around peer athletes, worsened gender dysphoria, bullying or harassment, and lack of resources or access. These codes were not mutually exclusive and many responses were tagged with multiple codes.
Conclusion:
This study highlights the need for inclusive sports environments for transgender athletes. Providing LGBTQ cultural competence training for coaches, administrators, and parents may decrease barriers and increase comfort for transgender athletes, allowing them to benefit from the skills and education that sports provide.
Related Concept Videos
Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development
Signs of Puberty
Bullying
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies
Robbers Cave

