Transgender women in sport: Does ‘comparable’ mean ‘equal’?
From More or Less by BBC Radio 4
March 14, 2026 · 9 min
About this episode
The episode explores the fairness of transgender women competing in women's sports, examining recent research findings.
In most sports, men compete against men and women compete against women. That is generally considered fair, because men are faster, more powerful and have greater endurance. But there is an ongoing controversy about transgender women - people who were born male and now identify as women. Is it fair for them to compete in the women’s sport category or do they have an advantage? A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine recently added to the debate with an analysis that found the strength and fitness of transgender women is “comparable” with that of women. More or Less looks into the research to explain what it does, and does not, say. Contributors: Professor Alun Williams, Manchester Metropolitan University Credits: Presenter: Charlotte McDonald Reporter: Tom Colls Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Mix: Gareth Jones Editor: Richard Vadon
People in this episode
Host: Charlotte McDonald
Guest: Professor Alun Williams
Topics covered
- transgender women
- sports
- fairness
- gender identity
- athletic performance
- research analysis
Keywords
- transgender women
- sports competition
- gender equality
- athletic advantage
- British Journal of Sports Medicine
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Manchester Metropolitan University, British Journal of Sports Medicine
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