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As With Many Other Issues, Americans Out of Step With Science on Trans Athletes
Дата публикации: 12-08-2026 16:39:14


Most Americans are uncomfortable with two things: transgender athletes and science. According to polling data shared this week by the Pew Research Center in light of the current debate around the WNBA, a majority of Americans (73%) say that they are uncomfortable with the idea of trans athletes playing on sports teams that do not match their gender as assigned at birth. A smaller majority (66%) say they would support a law or policy that legally bar trans athletes from participating on sports teams that match their gender identity. The results of the survey were even more skewed when political affiliation was taken into account. Among Republicans, 91% said that they would be uncomfortable with trans athletes, while only a small majority of Democrats (55%) said the same. The surveys, conducted in February and November of last year, included over 10,000 respondents as part of its methodology and recruited people via online surveys and telephone calls.Of course, the results reflect a political world in which right-wing politicians have been demonizing trans youth and trans athletes as wedge issues, despite the majority of Americans supporting trans rights more broadly for several election cycles. While these poll results might be in step with the United States’ political reality, they are unfortunately out of step with the science on trans athletes. Several studies have found that not only do trans athletes not have any advantage over their cisgender counterparts when it comes to athletic competition, they may in fact face several disadvantages. Prior to the current trend of leagues banning trans athletes outright, some had instituted policies more in keeping with current research, simply requiring trans women to have maintained a certain hormone benchmark for specified durations of time in order to compete against other women.But of course, this is not the only issue for which there is a sizable gap between science and public opinion. A 2014 Pew Research Center poll found that there were some pretty striking differences between how the general American public and the scientific community view several issues. For example, only 37% of Americans believe that genetically modified foods are safe to eat, while 88% of the scientific community believes the same. (A majority of health and food organizations have found that GMOs are safe to eat.) A 37-point gap exists between the general population and scientists on that poll when it comes to people who believe that the earth is getting warmer because of human activity (50% of general population vs. 87% of scientists) and there’s a 33% gap when it comes to believing in evolution (65% vs. 98%). Only 68% of Americans said childhood vaccines should be required compared to 86% of scientists. Despite Americans’ distaste for trans athletes playing on their preferred teams, the majority still support protecting trans people from discrimination in employment, housing, and in public accommodations, per a 2025 Pew Research Center report. The same percentage (56%) would like to bar doctors from offering gender-affirming care to youth, once again going against science.Get the best of what’s queer. Sign up for Them’s newsletters.

Основное содержимое страницы с новостью.

Most Americans are uncomfortable with two things: transgender athletes and science.

According to polling data shared this week by the Pew Research Center in light of the current debate around the WNBA, a majority of Americans (73%) say that they are uncomfortable with the idea of trans athletes playing on sports teams that do not match their gender as assigned at birth. A smaller majority (66%) say they would support a law or policy that legally bar trans athletes from participating on sports teams that match their gender identity.

The results of the survey were even more skewed when political affiliation was taken into account. Among Republicans, 91% said that they would be uncomfortable with trans athletes, while only a small majority of Democrats (55%) said the same.

The surveys, conducted in February and November of last year, included over 10,000 respondents as part of its methodology and recruited people via online surveys and telephone calls.

Of course, the results reflect a political world in which right-wing politicians have been demonizing trans youth and trans athletes as wedge issues, despite the majority of Americans supporting trans rights more broadly for several election cycles.

While these poll results might be in step with the United States’ political reality, they are unfortunately out of step with the science on trans athletes. Several studies have found that not only do trans athletes not have any advantage over their cisgender counterparts when it comes to athletic competition, they may in fact face several disadvantages. Prior to the current trend of leagues banning trans athletes outright, some had instituted policies more in keeping with current research, simply requiring trans women to have maintained a certain hormone benchmark for specified durations of time in order to compete against other women.

But of course, this is not the only issue for which there is a sizable gap between science and public opinion. A 2014 Pew Research Center poll found that there were some pretty striking differences between how the general American public and the scientific community view several issues.

For example, only 37% of Americans believe that genetically modified foods are safe to eat, while 88% of the scientific community believes the same. (A majority of health and food organizations have found that GMOs are safe to eat.)

A 37-point gap exists between the general population and scientists on that poll when it comes to people who believe that the earth is getting warmer because of human activity (50% of general population vs. 87% of scientists) and there’s a 33% gap when it comes to believing in evolution (65% vs. 98%). Only 68% of Americans said childhood vaccines should be required compared to 86% of scientists.

Despite Americans’ distaste for trans athletes playing on their preferred teams, the majority still support protecting trans people from discrimination in employment, housing, and in public accommodations, per a 2025 Pew Research Center report. The same percentage (56%) would like to bar doctors from offering gender-affirming care to youth, once again going against science.

Get the best of what’s queer. Sign up for Them’s newsletters.

Mathew Rodriguez

Mathew Rodriguez. Mathew Rodriguez is the former senior news editor at Them. In the past, he has been a senior cult... Read more

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