Transgenders in women’s sports: Trans swimmer wins five women’s gold medals
A transgender swimmer made headlines last weekend after winning five women’s races at the U.S. Masters Swimming Spring National Championship. Ana Caldas, a 47-year-old athlete, dominated the competition in the women’s age 45-49 category, taking home gold in the 50- and 100-yard breaststroke, freestyle, and the 100-yard individual medley.
The victory sparked controversy and backlash on social media, with many questioning the fairness of allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports. U.S. Masters Swimming’s gender eligibility policy permits transgender swimmers to participate in the gender category they identify with, as long as certain conditions are met.
One of these conditions is the requirement for hormonal therapy appropriate for the female gender to be administered continuously and uninterrupted for at least one year, with proof of low testosterone levels. Despite the policy, the debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports continues to rage on.
In response to the controversy, Texas passed the Save Women’s Sports Act in June 2023, which prohibits trans athletes from competing in girls and women’s sports based on their gender identity. The law mandates that students can only participate in sports according to the gender listed on their birth certificate, with limited exceptions for clerical errors.
The Texas Senate also recently passed the Texas Women’s Privacy Act, aimed at ensuring women’s safety in bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, and domestic abuse shelters. These legislative actions reflect a larger national conversation surrounding transgender athletes and their participation in sports.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order in February requiring publicly funded institutions to ban transgender athletes from women’s and girls’ sports. The issue gained national attention in 2022 when former University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, who transitioned from the men’s to women’s category, competed in women’s swimming at the NCAA championships.
UPenn and the NCAA are now facing legal challenges over Thomas’ participation, with the Trump administration freezing funding to UPenn and alleging violations of Title IX. The ongoing controversy highlights the complex and contentious nature of transgender athletes in sports, prompting a reevaluation of policies and regulations at all levels of competition.
