John Oliver

When it comes to trans athletes who've medically transitioned, studies of cis athletes are not necessarily relevant. A lot of medical gender-affirming treatments like hormone therapy have a meaningful impact on body and hormone composition. So the question then becomes, what do those impacts mean for athletic performance?

When it comes to trans athletes who've medically transitioned, studies of cis athletes are not necessarily relevant. A lot of medical gender-affirming treatments like hormone therapy have a meaningful impact on body and hormone composition. So the question then becomes, what do those impacts mean for athletic performance?

When it comes to trans athletes who've medically transitioned, studies of cis athletes are not necessarily relevant. A lot of medical gender-affirming treatments like hormone therapy have a meaningful impact on body and hormone composition. So the question then becomes, what do those impacts mean for athletic performance?

We spoke to scientists on all sides of this issue, and the one thing they actually agree on is that in part because the number of trans athletes is so small, the body of research specifically about them is extremely limited.

We spoke to scientists on all sides of this issue, and the one thing they actually agree on is that in part because the number of trans athletes is so small, the body of research specifically about them is extremely limited.

We spoke to scientists on all sides of this issue, and the one thing they actually agree on is that in part because the number of trans athletes is so small, the body of research specifically about them is extremely limited.

comparing specific anatomical features like muscle mass in women who transition, but which don't directly speak to their impact on athletic performance. But we were only able to find 12 studies that actually tested trans adult women's physical fitness in a lab or other performance scenario. Eight have a sample size of less than 20, and two are of a single athlete.

comparing specific anatomical features like muscle mass in women who transition, but which don't directly speak to their impact on athletic performance. But we were only able to find 12 studies that actually tested trans adult women's physical fitness in a lab or other performance scenario. Eight have a sample size of less than 20, and two are of a single athlete.

comparing specific anatomical features like muscle mass in women who transition, but which don't directly speak to their impact on athletic performance. But we were only able to find 12 studies that actually tested trans adult women's physical fitness in a lab or other performance scenario. Eight have a sample size of less than 20, and two are of a single athlete.

And look, I don't have any scientific experience, even though I look like a cross between a scientist and the profoundly sick mice he's studying, but... You probably shouldn't draw broad conclusions off a sample size of one. Those 12 studies generally find that medically transitioning does impact trans women's performance, but disagree on how or by how much. That researcher you saw earlier.

And look, I don't have any scientific experience, even though I look like a cross between a scientist and the profoundly sick mice he's studying, but... You probably shouldn't draw broad conclusions off a sample size of one. Those 12 studies generally find that medically transitioning does impact trans women's performance, but disagree on how or by how much. That researcher you saw earlier.

And look, I don't have any scientific experience, even though I look like a cross between a scientist and the profoundly sick mice he's studying, but... You probably shouldn't draw broad conclusions off a sample size of one. Those 12 studies generally find that medically transitioning does impact trans women's performance, but disagree on how or by how much. That researcher you saw earlier.

actually published the only longitudinal study to date of multiple athletes studying the impact of transitioning on eight long-distance runners. She found after at least a year on hormone therapy, their race times turned out to be more athletically similar to those of cisgender women than cisgender men, but she herself will tell you the study was limited and its conclusions were nuanced.

actually published the only longitudinal study to date of multiple athletes studying the impact of transitioning on eight long-distance runners. She found after at least a year on hormone therapy, their race times turned out to be more athletically similar to those of cisgender women than cisgender men, but she herself will tell you the study was limited and its conclusions were nuanced.

actually published the only longitudinal study to date of multiple athletes studying the impact of transitioning on eight long-distance runners. She found after at least a year on hormone therapy, their race times turned out to be more athletically similar to those of cisgender women than cisgender men, but she herself will tell you the study was limited and its conclusions were nuanced.

Here she is explaining what we do and don't know at this point.

Here she is explaining what we do and don't know at this point.

Here she is explaining what we do and don't know at this point.

Right. Bigger and stronger bodies are not automatically advantaged in every scenario. I mean, put The Rock in a pure bar class and see what happens. I mean, we know what would happen. He'd take a video of himself, caption it, mad respect to these mamas. Everyone go see Moana 2.

Right. Bigger and stronger bodies are not automatically advantaged in every scenario. I mean, put The Rock in a pure bar class and see what happens. I mean, we know what would happen. He'd take a video of himself, caption it, mad respect to these mamas. Everyone go see Moana 2.