IndexIntroductionThe Moral Debate About Transgender AthletesSuicide Rates in the Transgender PopulationImpact of Testosterone Suppression on Athletic PerformanceBody Development of Transgender AthletesImpact of Aerobic Capacity on AthletesPerceived Performance Advantage of Transgender AthletesConclusionWorks CitedIntroductionWith Justice a Stone corner of society, At what point should transgender athletes cross the finish line in a women's sporting event? In the 1970s, Renée Richards, one of the first transgender athletes in the United States to receive attention, gained popularity due to unusual situations (Stark-Mason). Richards, a biologically male tennis player, "underwent gender reassignment surgery in 1975 at age 40" and registered as an athlete at the 1977 US Open and competed in the women's division (Stark-Mason). Currently, “the International Olympic Committee opened its doors to transgender athletes who met three criteria: hormone therapy, legal recognition of assigned sex, and surgical anatomical modifications, including modifications of the external genitalia and gonadectomy” (Stark-Mason). The non-existent status of standardized requirements for transgender athletes, previously classified as male, ultimately gives female athletes leverage during competition. Lenient rules allow athletes to take advantage and ignore certain requirements, giving the individual an advantage in the competition. While inclusion would help transgender athletes feel accepted, biologically male athletes should not compete in women's divisions because the individual still exhibits physical differences and testosterone influences body structure and developmental abilities. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Moral Debate About Transgender Athletes Many people believe that the topic of transgender athletes consists of a moral debate, containing topics such as inclusion and fairness to the community. transgender athlete. Others argue that the increased suicide rates in the transgender population are directly related to the lack of acceptance in the activities provided by the aspiring gender. Helen Carroll, LGBTQ sports advocate and NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) board member, flatly expresses where to draw the line as an ethical issue (Ashwanden). Carroll then states how many transgender individuals constantly battle themselves and the feeling of bodily displacement (Ashwanden). Playing a sport ignites a sense of confidence in an individual and others around them. As a result of this newfound confidence, a transgender athlete will gain confidence in a new identity. Karen Morrison, an NCAA board member and head of the NCAA's inclusion department, believes that "we are on the cusp of a huge cultural shift" (Elfman). This change will produce a welcoming society, but the important concept of inclusion still remains absent in many communities. The great strides made by transgender athletics, broadcast every day, allow society to accept these individuals as a result of the inclusion generated through sport. Where society should draw the line varies between different collegiate and professional organizations. The outcome of the topic, considered a moral debate and an ethical decision, still remains undecided. Suicide Rates Among the Transgender Population Without participating in the typical activities offered by the aspiring gender, the individual will feel increasingly isolated. As a result of isolation and detachment from a new genre, many individualstransgender people have suicidal thoughts or commit suicide altogether (Toomey). Skyrocketing suicide rates in the United States alone baffle the AFSP (American Foundation of Suicide Prevention), ranging from 14% to 20% and averaging 47,173 suicide-related deaths per year (American Foundation of Suicide Prevention) . High suicide rates in transgender individuals represent on average nearly half of the transgender population. Russell Toomey, an associate professor at the University of Arizona, states that studies “have revealed that nearly 25% to 30% of transgender adolescents report having attempted suicide” (Toomey). Many transgender individuals face great amounts of discrimination and isolation for a new identity. How would it help if society excluded those individuals from activities that make them feel normal and help create relationships with a new gender? Others may argue that with a larger transgender population, suicide rates will also increase due to the number of individuals with that classification. Results from the 2008 National Transgender Discrimination Study revealed that 45% of transgender people between the ages of 18 and 24 had attempted suicide (Toomey). This study revealed the common assertion, expressed by many supporters of co-ed sport, that there is a direct correlation between inclusion and suicide rates. As a result of acceptance into an aspirational gender at a young age, this will potentially influence the individual's acceptance into a society at a later time. Impact of Testosterone Suppression on Athletic Performance Testosterone suppression, a medical procedure that allows the male body to appear feminine, suppresses testosterone production and promotes estrogen production. This method gives the male transgender individual the female body and appearance that he previously only felt emotionally. Suppression of testosterone creates an “increase in body fat” that helps neutralize athletic ability between a male and a female, along with a “decrease in strength and muscle mass” (The Healthline Editorial Team, Gotter). This method allows a transgender individual's anatomy and appearance to change, allowing the body to appear more feminine. With the crucial help of surgeons and healthcare specialists, communities, by beginning to accept transgender individuals, ultimately reduce the feelings of isolation and loneliness that these individuals may feel. Many argue that crucial inclusion for transgender people would eliminate the likelihood of suicide and ultimately promote a fully inclusive society. Solutions such as testosterone suppression support the inclusion of individuals who utilize visual similarities to the aspiring gender. Suicide and depression rates, linked to lack of inclusion, invigorate many communities to create tactics that will improve acceptance and perspective towards transgender individuals in society. Bodily Development of Transgender Athletes Sexual identity, typically discovered in the later years of life for many transgender individuals, allows the biological development of the body to create irreversible changes. Many individuals possess an opposing point of view consisting of many solutions such as medical practices that even the playing field; therefore allowing that transgender woman to still compete in their preferred division. While many use testosterone suppression as a cure for the problem of injustice towards other athletes, countless people fail to take into account the role testosterone has played on the body during structural development. Potential muscle capacity, one of the main ways in which testosteroneaffects the body, affects the structural capacity of the body after development. A study conducted by individuals in the Department of Neurology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry correlated testosterone and muscle growth. The study results showed that “male muscle mass, estimated by creatinine excretion [the lowest levels of creatine phosphate in muscles], increased in all nine subjects (average increase of 20%)” (RC et al.). With increased testosterone levels present, just as it would appear during development, male muscle mass increased overall by 20% (RC et al.). The results showed that hormone levels change the amount of muscle an individual can possess, giving male athletes the limit only due to increased testosterone. Over the years of body development, the overall growth and structure of the body is shaped and shaped by the presence and levels of testosterone. Highlighted developmentally, structural differences between male and female athletes become apparent. With a structural advantage, men typically possess “longer arms and legs,” allowing for a longer stride and wider arm span (“Structural Differences”). The length of an individual's arms and legs will not change due to the elimination of testosterone; instead, that trait occurs in the genetic makeup. Furthermore, “due to higher estrogen levels, women have more body fat than men” (Lee). Leaner female athletes have a body fat ratio of approximately 8% compared to 4% for male athletes” (Lee). Testosterone influences metabolism production during development, setting a precedent for the body to follow to maintain, lose, or gain body fat. By allowing men to have a lower body fat ratio, a male's metabolism typically burns much faster than a woman's allowing the man to have less body fat. Impact of Aerobic Capacity on Athletes The successes of many athletes typically derive from prestige aerobic capacity. From Olympic swimmers to marathon runners, lung capacity and performance allow any athlete to excel. Women have smaller rib cages, “resulting in lower lung capacity” (“Structural Differences”). The invariable size and capacity of a lung cannot change. When a male athlete decides to transition to female gender, the individual cannot reduce the size of the lungs, the amount of Type II muscle fibers, or shorten the length of the arms and legs. Fueled by the presence of testosterone, certain characteristics, created during development, influence the body's performance, growth, and potential function. Although testosterone suppression creates minimal decrease in performance and appearance, many uniform characteristics of the male anatomy still remain. Myostatin, classified as an “autocrine and paracrine hormone” and produced by skeletal muscle cells, “inhibits muscle differentiation and growth” (S. Lee, Feher). A medical experiment, conducted by scientists in New Zealand, revealed that the difference in muscle mass between males and females “may be due to the fact that male muscles have lower levels of myostatin” (“Myostatin Blockade”). Tasked with producing certain amounts of this hormone, the genetic makeup of a skeletal muscle's myostatin production does not fluctuate based on current testosterone levels. Myostatin production, unaffected by the presence of testosterone, eliminates the idea that testosterone suppression will allow both parties to compete equally. Stronglyinfluenced by the presence of myostatin, male muscle growth exceeds female muscle growth due to male skeletal muscles containing less myostatin. This allows men to possess an immutable athletic advantage. Some of these benefits inhibit excess muscle growth in women because they possess high levels of the hormone. As a result of higher levels of myostatin in women, the athletic advantage of transgender people has become more pronounced. Perceived Performance Advantage of Transgender Athletes Male muscles contain many different levels of hormones and fibers, compared to the composition of a female muscle. A popular study, conducted by M. Bilodeau and his colleagues at the University of Iowa, determined the effect that sex has "on changes in the electromyographic (EMG) signal characteristics of the quadriceps muscles" ("Type II Fiber slightly higher"). EMG, a common medical measurement, shows the electrical currents generated in a muscle during exercise. With increasing strength and fatigue, male quadriceps showed moderately “greater type II fiber content in the VL [quadriceps] muscle of men than that of women” (“Slightly higher Type II fibers” ). The data shown by the study reveals that many male muscles produce greater amounts of type II fibers which allow the muscles to overcome fatigue, therefore allowing for greater muscle growth and capacity. Type II fiber, classified as “fast-twitch muscle” (White), inhibits muscle exhaustion. A fast-twitch muscle helps the muscle manage fatigue by acting as a “second asset” when slow-twitch muscles get tired. In development, the production of type II fibers, fueled by the presence of testosterone, provides the body with irreversible muscle changes and functions. Although testosterone influences muscular capacity during development, the skeletal structure of a biologically male athlete still allows many male athletes to maintain advantages over female athletes. After testosterone suppression, the natural advantage of men over women in sporting events still remains between 10% and 12% (Niiler). With the “natural ability factor” how does testosterone suppression solve the problems of injustice in mixed sports? Women cannot train harder to compete with biologically male individuals who possess a natural advantage over them. A woman's skeletal structure allows females to only contain a certain amount of muscle, that amount of muscle is on average "8% less muscle mass" than a male ("Structural Differences"). Potential female muscle growth cannot exceed a certain amount; while a man's muscle growth can continue even after the athlete's muscular capacity has reached the physiological limit. Even though testosterone levels decline during testosterone suppression therapy, male athletes still possess unalterable natural advantages over women. Many of these advantages, skeletal muscle capacity, type II fiber content, and lower myostatin levels, unfairly allow a transgender woman to excel. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Customize EssayConclusionAt what level should society draw the line between the moral and ethical debate about the inclusion of transgender people and fairness towards biologically female athletes? The benefits a transgender athlete can experience will allow the individual to dominate in all levels of sport, from. 2019.