The NCAA recently announced a ban on transgender women from competing in women’s sports, following an executive order by President Donald Trump. However, in a puzzling contradiction, the organization still allows transgender women to practice with women’s teams. This inconsistency raises serious questions about the actual reasoning behind the ban and highlights the hypocrisy of those pushing for it.
A Contradictory and Unjustified Decision
One of the key arguments used to justify banning transgender women from sports is the claim that they pose a physical threat to cisgender female athletes. However, if this were truly the case, why does the NCAA still permit transgender women to practice with these same teams? Additionally, male practice players are still allowed, which further undermines the supposed concern for cisgender women’s safety.
If transgender women are considered too dangerous to compete, wouldn’t they also be a risk during practice? If the argument is that they are men attempting to harm or dominate women’s sports, why allow them to train alongside female athletes at all? This contradictory stance exposes the ban for what it really is—an act of discrimination, not a safety measure.
The NCAA’s History of Advocacy – Now Forgotten
The NCAA was once known for standing up against bigotry. In the past, it refused to hold championship events in South Carolina due to the Confederate flag flying over the Statehouse. It also took a stand against North Carolina’s anti-transgender bathroom law and Indiana’s so-called “religious freedom” bill, which enabled discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals.
Now, under NCAA President Charlie Baker, the organization has abandoned this legacy of inclusion and courage. Instead of protecting marginalized athletes, the NCAA has caved to political pressure, sacrificing the rights of transgender women to appease those spreading fear and misinformation.
Debunking the Myths Around Transgender Athletes
A common argument against transgender participation in sports is the idea that transgender women will dominate competitions and eventually push cisgender women out. This fear is completely unfounded.
For over a decade, both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the NCAA had policies allowing transgender athletes to compete, yet there is no evidence that cisgender women have been overrun or unfairly disadvantaged. If transgender women had an overwhelming competitive advantage, we would see them consistently winning championships—but that is not happening.
Additionally, scientific research on transgender athletes remains limited. The assumption that all transgender women have the same physical advantages as cisgender men is both inaccurate and misleading. In fact, some studies suggest that transitioning, particularly hormone therapy, can actually put transgender women at a disadvantage compared to cisgender female athletes.
The Real Agenda: Erasing Transgender People from Society
This issue is not just about sports. The Trump administration has systematically worked to strip transgender people of their rights, from banning them in the military to restricting their access to healthcare and workplace protections. The attack on transgender athletes is just another step in this broader effort to push them out of public life entirely.
By banning transgender women from competing, the NCAA is sending a harmful message: that transgender athletes do not belong, that their identities are not valid, and that the lies spread by those who fear them are justified. This decision does not foster inclusivity, despite what the NCAA claims. Instead, it isolates and marginalizes an already vulnerable group.
Sports have always been a powerful platform for teaching values like fairness, inclusion, and perseverance. Sadly, with this decision, the NCAA has chosen to prioritize fear and ignorance over those very principles. Rather than standing up for the rights of transgender athletes, it has chosen to abandon them, reinforcing harmful stereotypes and deepening divisions.
Transgender athletes are not a threat. They are simply young people who want to play sports like everyone else. The NCAA had a chance to be on the right side of history but instead chose cowardice over courage. This decision does not bring “clarity,” as Charlie Baker claims—it only highlights the NCAA’s failure to uphold its own values.
