Majority of Americans Oppose Transgender Athletes Competing in Women’s Sports
A recent survey conducted by The New York Times and Ipsos reveals that a significant portion of Americans, including most Democrats, believe transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports.
The survey posed the question: “Considering transgender female athletes—those who were assigned male at birth but currently identify as female—do you believe they should be allowed to compete in women’s sports?”
Among the 2,128 participants, a notable 79% indicated that biological males identifying as women should not be permitted to participate in women’s sports.
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Of the 1,025 respondents identifying as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% opposed allowing transgender athletes to compete with women. This opposition was even higher among the 1,022 Republicans surveyed, with 94% expressing the same views.
The 81 independent voters interviewed showed a slightly less definitive stance, with 64% opposing transgender athletes in women’s sports and 26% choosing not to answer. In contrast, only 3% of Democrats and 1% of Republicans declined to respond.
2024 marked a significant shift in public awareness and opposition toward transgender athletes in women’s sports, spurred by several high-profile stories and controversies. The topic emerged as a crucial point for candidates in the election, particularly for President-elect Trump and other Republicans.
A national exit poll from the Concerned Women for America (CWA) legislative action committee discovered that 70% of moderate voters considered Trump’s stance on the participation of transgender boys and men in girls’ and women’s sports, along with their use of women’s bathrooms, to be important. Around 6% felt it was the most critical issue, while 44% labeled it “very important.”
How Transgenderism in Sports Influenced the 2024 Election
According to a Gallup poll conducted last year, nearly 70% of Americans believe biological men should be barred from competing in women’s sports.
A June survey by NORC at the University of Chicago asked if transgender athletes of both genders should be allowed to join sports leagues reflecting their chosen gender identity rather than their biological sex. The results indicated that 65% of respondents felt this should rarely or never be allowed, with 69% opposing adult transgender female athletes competing in women’s sports.
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Supporters of transgender athletes demonstrate outside a Riverside Unified School District meeting on December 19, 2024.
As Trump prepares to take office once again, Republicans are advancing legislation addressing this matter in Congress. The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act successfully passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, garnering support from two Democratic members.
This bill is now set to advance to the Republican-controlled Senate, and if it passes there, Trump is expected to sign it into law early during his new term.
