A new scientific review is challenging one of the most common claims used against trans inclusion in sports. A new analysis of nearly 50 studies suggests transgender women do not have a competitive fitness advantage over cisgender women after undergoing hormone replacement therapy. Researchers involved scientists from Brazil, who reviewed data from 6,485 people aged 14 to 41. That group included nearly 3,000 trans women, along with trans men, cis women, and cis men.
The findings show that after months of hormone therapy, trans women demonstrate strength and fitness levels comparable to cisgender women. Researchers found no measurable differences in upper- or lower-body strength, or in maximal oxygen consumption — a key indicator of athletic performance. While trans women retained slightly higher muscle mass than cis women after one to three years of hormone therapy, they also had significantly higher fat mass, further countering claims of athletic dominance.
The scientists behind the review emphasized the need for fairness and inclusion, writing: “Continued research into physiological as well as psychosocial trajectories among transgender athletes with diverse demographics and clinical characteristics remains essential for developing equitable frameworks that balance justice, inclusion and scientific rigour.” For LGBTQ audiences, the message is clear: science continues to affirm fairness, not fear.
