A fair playing field

Much of the conversation around transgender inclusion and gender diversity in sport is so intertwined with fear, hate and misinformation that it results in many people shying away from joining the discussion, fearing the reprisal from others. Organisations such as the International Swimming Federation, the International Rugby League, the International Cycling Union and most recently British Triathlon have banned transgender women from completing in women's events, with some allowing transgender women to compete but only in male categories or if they transitioned pre-puberty. Many sporting governing body CEOs refer to transgender inclusion as 'a problem to fix' or a 'toxic debate': but should an individual's right to safely access sport and physical activity be a debate in the first place?

Little attention has been paid to transmen and non-binary people, with a focus on transwomen, the fundamental understanding of how biological sex, gender and identity interact, and how this can impact on safety and fairness. There's limited scientific research specifically investigating transgender athletes, and the debate is regularly fuelled by misinformation and misinterpretation in the media, and the silencing of voices on either side rather than the welcomed sharing of information and productive discourse. An approach to discussion based on who can shout the loudest will never create a 'fair playing field' or an inclusive environment where every individual can access physical activity to maintain good health, and every athlete can perform to their potential.

This book presents gender diversity from the perspective of experts in the field and of those with lived experience.

Thankfully, Gemma Witcomb and Elizabeth Peel's Gender Diversity and Sport presents a robust evidence-based foundation for anyone looking to enhance their understanding of transgender inclusion in sport. Written in an easy-to-understand way, this book presents gender diversity from the perspective of experts in the field and of those with lived experience, providing the reader with a historical context as well as clear recommendations for personal and societal development. Chapters cover a range of subjects from sex-segregation and regulatory barriers faced by athletes to barriers faced in relation to gendered kit, media representation and social stigmas. This book really covers it all. 

It opens with Jamie Schultz's exploration of sex segregation in sport, providing a clear and concise tour of the history of sex segregation and both the historical and emerging issues around inclusivity. This leads on perfectly to a chapter by Seema Patel exploring the legislative and regulatory approaches that have been used to inform recent decisions made by sporting national governing bodies. Many of these present clear barriers to transgender inclusion and are in direct conflict with the Olympic Charter. When I asked her about her chapter, Seema shared her wish for the future: 'The significant attention being paid to trans athlete eligibility policies by sports bodies in recent years is positive progress, but they need to shift perspectives from exclusionary to inclusionary. Furthermore, as society advances and develops in its understanding of gender identity, so too will sport have to catch up and accept the changing nature of gender diversity.'

Catherine Phipps uses university sporting policy to present a window into the inclusivity of sport for those who identify outside of the male/female binary. Similarly, Hannah Kettle-Linsell, Rachel Sandford and Janine Coates present the barriers facing transgender inclusion in youth sport. They explore physical education and sport in a school setting, highlighting important considerations schools must explore to be truly inclusive to trans students.

Often discussion and discourse are focused at a policy or regulatory level but Lauren Whitehouse, Catherine Armstrong and Jennifer Cooke highlight the impacts of sporting clothing and how different sports such as swimming can become almost inaccessible primarily because of the clothing required. Similarly, Lauren Stewart, Jennifer Oates and Paul O'Halloran provide an overview of how their voice and how it is perceived by others can have a profound impact on sporting participation for trans women.

This book goes beyond the normal discourses presented on transgender inclusion and explores the subject from both a wholistic and individualistic perspective.

Turning the lens outwards, Gabriel Knott-Fayle, Elizabeth Peel and Gemma Witcomb discuss how gender diversity is represented in the UK media and how this is contributing to damaging stereotypes and perpetuating misinformation. When speaking about his chapter Gabriel said: 'My chapter paints quite a pessimistic picture of the media landscapes engagement with trans sport, yet away from elite level sports and in less traditional sports there are lots of sites of trans-inclusion and organisation which fundamentally disrupts the cisgender sporting system. To me, they provide examples of alternative ways of doing sport and, hopefully, contribute to a groundswell of inclusive, disruptive, novel and exciting ways of thinking about sport that will ripple outwards.'

Finally, Hannah Newman and Gemma Witcomb begin to question where we can go from here, introducing a 'Limitless' a gender-neutral strength competition as an example of how sport can move beyond sex segregation to create a more inclusive and exciting competition space for all athletes. Gemma shared how she does see signs of change in the UK: 'I think most people recognise the need and desire to be physically active – either individually or as part of a sport – because it is pleasurable, sociable, and great for both physical and mental health. It is not just about competitions and winning. In that sense, I am hopeful that there will be positive progress in how physical activity and exercise opportunities are presented in the community. Developments are likely to be slow and small and even backtrack. The recent announcement that British Triathlon will have an "open" category for gender-diverse competitors seemed like a small step in the right direction in terms of starting to develop inclusive categories, not tightly bound by sex-segregation. However, the detail of the categories suggests otherwise, for now.'

This book goes beyond the normal discourses presented on transgender inclusion and explores the subject from both a wholistic and individualistic perspective, elevating transgender voices throughout. It offers an easy to understand, evidence-based introduction to gender diversity in sport for those interested in building their knowledge and breaking through the misinformation.

Reviewed by Dr Emily Pattinson, Chair of the British Psychological Society's Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology.