Iowa State University’s recent lecture, Trans Athletes and the Future of Sports, opened up a timely discussion on the challenges, rewards and myths surrounding transgender athletes in today’s sports landscape.
Moderated by Dr. Kelly Winfrey, the event brought together perspectives from Lia Thomas, a former NCAA Division I swimmer and advocate; Dr. Christina Roberts, a professor of pediatrics specializing in adolescent health at Mount Sinai; and Keenan Crow, director of policy and advocacy at One Iowa.
Thomas, known for her historic NCAA win as a transgender athlete, began by sharing her journey of “finally competing as [her] authentic self.”
“Participating in sports is… massively beneficial and can be hugely transformative for a person’s life, especially for a kid’s life,” Thomas said.
She emphasized how sports gave her a sense of identity.
“It’s so necessary to a good and healthy upbringing,” Thomas said.
Reflecting on her early years, Thomas described her fear the first time she swam across an Olympic-sized pool as a child.
“I thought, ‘There’s no way I can make it across this pool… I’m going to drown,’” Thomas said. “But I was so lucky because I had coaches who believed in me, who reassured me that I could do it… even though something seems so scary and impossible, I can still do it.”
Crow, whose work at One Iowa involves advocating for LGBTQ+ policy, spoke on the impact of Iowa’s transgender athlete ban, explaining that the ban isn’t only about competition but bars transgender women from any sports participation.
“The Iowa ban… doesn’t say you can’t compete as a trans woman,” Crow said. “It says you can’t participate, period.”
They highlighted how this ban ignores the broader benefits of sports, noting that “what most people are getting out of sport is enjoyment… learning teamwork, learning leadership skills, being part of something bigger.”
Crow shared how the benefits of sports reach far beyond medals or titles.
“Excluding trans athletes from sports denies them the chance to participate in a part of life that teaches resilience, teamwork and community… there’s value in just being on a team and being included, especially for young people who might be struggling to find acceptance,” Crow said.
Roberts, who has researched gender-affirming care’s impact on athletes, then gave insight into the medical side of transitioning and how it affects athletic performance.
“At puberty, athletic performance in people assigned male at birth does increase… but once on hormone therapy, these advantages decline significantly,” Roberts said.
According to Roberts, studies show that “within about two years, strength advantages in trans women decrease to cisgender female levels.”
Roberts dispelled misconceptions that individuals might transition solely for a sports advantage.
“People don’t just transition one day to win in sports,” Roberts said.
She described the thorough, multi-step process involved.
“It’s about ensuring that each individual truly understands what transitioning means for their future,” Roberts said.
Roberts emphasized that “transitioning is a deeply personal and medically supervised decision, not an impulsive one.”
Thomas discussed the mental health effects that policies banning transgender athletes have on youth, pointing out that restrictive laws actively exclude and isolate transgender children.
“With the ban here in Iowa… the state is actively saying to trans kids, ‘You don’t deserve to participate. You are actually being excluded,’” Thomas said.
Roberts added research support to this.
“For every additional area where a trans person can be themselves… rates of suicidal ideation go down by up to 25%,” Roberts said.
Crow reflected on the legislative climate, responding to a question about revising the ban to only cover competitions.
“No, we asked them to do that, and they explicitly told me they weren’t going to,” Crow said, underscoring how entrenched resistance to change has become in the state legislature.
The panelists agreed that sports go beyond just competition.
“It’s the 13-year-old who just wants to play softball with her friends… who’s learning teamwork, putting team goals before her own and finding joy in the game,” Roberts said.
She emphasized that blocking access to sports for transgender athletes not only denies them physical activity but strips them of a space where they can experience growth and connection.
To close the discussion, Thomas highlighted the importance of finding belonging through sports.
“I had a team, a group I could identify with… it gave me that belonging,” Thomas said. “Athletics and, for me, the water, was just… a place of peace where I could leave my worries outside.”
The panelists highlighted that the real conversation about transgender athletes isn’t just about sports. It’s about who is included, the mental well-being of those impacted and the shared human need to belong in spaces that foster growth and confidence.
