PE And Sport Is An Absolute Minefield For Trans And Non-Binary Teens
When Miles Pitcher was 13, he came out as trans to his friends. A year later he also came to his family.
As with many young people, sport played a major role in his formative years. But as a transsexual, he has faced a greater number of challenges in this area than most.
He’s not alone, new research has found that 52% of trans and non-binary young people feel their gender identity has influenced their participation in sport.
While unfortunately a third worry about participating in sport because of negative media reports about trans people.
“I go to a school for same-sex women and while they were really supportive when I came out as trans, there were a few obstacles,” Pitcher tells HuffPost UK.
One problem was that he felt uncomfortable wearing skorts (a combination of skirt and shorts), which were part of mandatory sports equipment.
He advocated reintroducing shorts, a gender-neutral option so people would have a chance to choose between the two – something the school accepted.
Despite efforts towards inclusion, there are still a number of barriers trans and non-binary students face when it comes to attending and enjoying sports and physical education (PE) at school, according to a new report by the Mermaids charity.
These barriers include gender-specific clothing, same-sex dressing rooms, and boy-girl teams that can exclude those who are not binary or trigger gender dysphoria — the distress a person experiences because of a mismatch between their gender identity and their assigned gender at birth.
Pitcher loves rugby, but strictly gendered teams meant he had to queue with the girls team “for fear of judgment and harassment” – an experience he says made him feel dysphoric.
However, when they played tournaments abroad that allowed mixed-sex teams, he was able to share the court with players he identified with – a huge moment of relief.
“I believe someone should be judged on their ability, not their gender,” he says. “We need more gender-neutral options where possible, and that our concerns are also seen as valid.”
Sport and exercise are hugely important to our health and well-being, but school can be a minefield for youngsters because of rules and regulations. For example, strict guidelines on uniform sportswear affect many teenagers – not just those who are trans or non-binary.
Recent research by Women In Sport found that some pieces of sports gear can make adolescent girls uncomfortable – 60% of girls aged 15-18 disliked wearing shorts or skorts and 63% said they felt unsafe in the required clothing.
They also anecdotally reported feeling sexualized by gender-specific school sports kits.
Many trans and non-binary teens want to play sports – in fact, Pitcher, now 17, has competed in athletics, soccer, MMA and now rugby – simply because they love it and are good at it.
More than a third of transgender youth exercise two to three times a week, with the biggest motivations being to have fun, meet friends and get fit and healthy.
But unfortunately, the barriers these children face are not always recognized by some teachers and coaches.
Sam Quaint came out as queer at 16 and identified as non-binary. From an early age they participated in sports competitions at a high level, which they loved very much.
However, since lockdown, Quaint says they have stopped participating in the sport as binary competitive categories, uniforms and locker room areas force them to mix themselves up to get included.
When Mermaids surveyed 180 trans and non-binary young people about their experiences, the responses were insightful and showed that Quaint’s experience is far from unique.
One person said: “I hate when we’re segregated at school because I’m at school and out with my peers but I’m still pressured to stay with my gender assigned at birth. I feel accepted until it comes to sports.”
And another added: “I think I would enjoy the sport if attitudes towards queer, trans and non-binary people weren’t so bad.”
I think I would enjoy sports if attitudes towards queer, trans and non-binary people weren’t so bad.
The charity has urged those working in sport – including in schools – to conduct training to increase understanding of the issues affecting transgender youth in sport.
It also said that careful consideration should be given to whether a sport or activity needs to be gender segregated. And where there are benefits to gender segregation, transgender youth should be allowed to choose the category in which they feel most comfortable.
“In order to make sport more inclusive for trans people and non-binary people, I think it’s very important to listen to what we say about what we need,” says Quaint, who is now 18 and a college student.
“I’d like to see more discussion about trans identities and pronouns within sport without having to instigate them myself, so people don’t just automatically assume I’m talking ‘she/her.'”
They also want more inclusive dressing rooms and more opportunities for gender-neutral competition.
“Smaller sports often don’t see the same inclusion efforts as larger sports, like football with the Rainbow Laces campaign,” they add. “It is important that we promote inclusion at all levels and in all sports.”
Breaking down the barriers to exercise can have hugely positive effects on the mind and body – including alleviating gender dysphoria.
At the end of the day, kids just want to have fun and be active. And regardless of how they identify, we shouldn’t take that away from them.