Thread by @Scienceofsport

Rapper identifies as female, breaks women's deadlifting record, goes back to identifying as male. To prove a point: bigleaguepolitics.com/rapper-briefly… If I read this on April 1st, I think "nah", but this is where we are. I have to make some points, so short thread... (1/)

There is so much confusion at the moment about what happens for transgender females (male to female conversion). The policies around requirements for reassignment vary by sport, by organization, by competition, by age, so I understand why there is "fear". But a lot is inaccurate

It's not helped by vocal transgender athletes who distort biology for the sake of their advocacy. For instance, testosterone is not "irrelevant" for performance, and when male-to-female trans athletes make this claim, they stoke the fires and the fear. It's non-science & nonsense

Equally unhelpful, however, are campaigns like the one by the rapper (see original tweet), because generally, IN MOST CASES, simply self-identifying as male or female is NOT sufficient to allow switch back & forth from men's to women's competition. So it creates unreasonable fear

The IOC policy, used by MOST sports, necessitates lowering of testosterone for 12 months. Now, we can (and will, don't you worry!) debate for hours over how this should be done, whether it works, and whether it's harmful. But the point is, it's what most situations require

There is pretty good evidence that many aspects of physiology that affect performance (strength, endurance, power, lean mass, fat mass) are reversible when the T is lowered as the policy requires. So much of the fear of "men storming & dominating women's sport" is unfounded.

Other attributes, such as size/bulk, stature, may persist even after T is lowered, and for contact sports (MMA, boxing, rugby, football), there is an important debate to be had over whether lowering T is enough. Those sports may need to do more. That's not fear, it's reality

There is, however, a lack evidence about the MAGNITUDE of the "male advantage" that is lost when testosterone is lowered as required by most sport's policies (be it through gonadonectomy or medication). That's why the discussion is important - fairness in women's sport demands it

My perception in the last 3 weeks is that people (like Navratilova) with genuine concerns for fairness sometimes speak without fully knowing the policies and the science/physiology behind them. And then the people who attack them, well, I just can't stand their approach. It hurts

What I particularly can't stand are attempts to deny the importance of testosterone to performance. People frame it totally the wrong way, either out of ignorance or wailfully, to distort the issue. Here's an example I saw recently. Just poor thinking. A classic range failure

That said, there is as much wilful or accidental ignorance from the other side. There are some very real threats, make no mistake. In future, some MASSIVE decisions will have to be made, & challenges withstood. The push to ignore T is alive, & that could hurt women's sport hugely

However, as things stand, in most situations, transfemale athletes are competing with lower T, so the rapper's illustration is detached from CURRENT reality. Instead, it feeds on "fear", some of which I appreciate as POTENTIAL FUTURE concern, but some of which is unfounded.

I want to, and will, write much more on this in future. Right now, this whole area is in "wait-and-see" mode, because CAS' decision on Semenya will guide how the IOC move on their Transgender policy. Then we can discuss what is ACTUALLY in play, rather than try to catch shadows.

OK, that's my thread done. I nearly escaped without remembering why I try not to post here! I'll do this as a #shortthoughtonsport next week, but I've been reading stuff for weeks and just had to put something down. I'll write a more in depth article or five soon (/end)!