The media is often a marketplace of ideas where a diversity of ideas can find their way to a reader. So what is the motivation for the press to cover trans athletes?

Trans athletes are competing in the highest levels of competition amidst bans against trans youth in school sports in republican controlled states. Trans stories in the media inspire young athletes to overcome whatever challenges they might face and exposure to trans coverage in the media directly affects how the public perceives trans people so it is ever important to get trans coverage right.

Trans athletes in the media are often portrayed in a light that pushes too much of an emphasis on biology and anatomy. In an LA Times Op-Ed named “A trans athlete’s guide to writing about trans athletes” Rook Campbell, a lecturer at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, states that “A fixation with hormones and transitions reduces trans, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming people to anatomy and physiology.”

Trans athletes in the media have progressed to being on front pages of magazines like Swimming. But many articles still miss the mark when it comes to recognizing gender identity.

The Swimming article that Campbell was featured in stated that “Campbell made the decision to transition and started taking male hormones.”

To categorize testosterone as a male hormone gives the impression that T is not present in female bodies. This myth and misconception is wrong, since both testosterone and estrogen are found in both male and female bodies.

“At one time I was, of course, identified and perceived as a woman, but that was not my self-sensing or naming.” commented Campbell when he was described as transitioning from woman to man in the Swimming article.

Trans people do not become their genders when they transition or align their bodies to their affirmed genders. Medical transitions and hormones are not the defining feature of gender identity. Although sports journalists are often well intentioned when writing about trans athletes, coverage of trans athletes in the media needs to change.

Layshia Clarendon, the WNBA’s first openly nonbinary and transgender player, told The 19th that reporters often lack a broader knowledge and are unequipped to cover trans people.

“I think there’s definitely a lack of general preparedness because that’s the world we live in, a very binary world,” said Clarendon who uses she/her, they/them, and he/him pronouns interchangeably.

Trans athletes face harsh scrutiny when they win competitions. “I don’t think we’re really comfortable with trans people winning in sports,” said Clarendon.

Trans athletes shouldn’t face scrutiny when they are successful at their sport. The press shouldn’t support trans athletes when they are losing against cisgender athletes and then put down trans athletes when they win. In a 19th News article Chris Mosier, the first trans athlete to qualify for the Olympic Trials in the gender they identify as, said that the media overlooked other challenges he faced after coming out and that every article was about his transness.

Trans and LGBTQ+ athletes should be recognised for their achievements and challenges rather than being reduced to gender identity and sexuality.

In the future sports journalists need to take notes from the trans athletes they are trying to cover on how to use the appropriate language and widen their knowledge on trans athletes.