Transgender women in sport: Does ‘comparable’ mean ‘equal’?
March 14, 2026·9 min
This episode of More or Less examines a recent scientific study claiming the physical fitness of transgender and cisgender women is comparable. Host Charlotte MacDonald and reporter Tom Coles analyze the research to assess its validity for the debate on transgender women in sports. They consult Professor Alan Williams, a sports scientist, and correspond with the study's author, Bruno Gualano.
The discussed study is a systematic review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, compiling existing research on transgender and cisgender individuals' physical traits. The analysis included papers measuring height, muscle mass, fitness, and strength levels between these groups. One cited paper from Brazil compared transgender and cisgender women volleyball players, with only about seven or eight participants in each group. That Brazilian study reported the cisgender women trained over 14 hours weekly, while the transgender women trained only about four hours weekly. The transgender women in that study were also shorter, weighed less, were older, and competed at a lower volleyball level.
Professor Williams notes the counterintuitive finding that transgender women had more lean muscle mass yet were deemed to have comparable fitness. He argues the significant disparity in training hours between groups in the Brazilian study likely affected the strength results. The systematic review's analysis of upper body strength incorporated the Brazilian study and three others that found transgender women were stronger. The combined analysis found the difference in upper body strength was not statistically significant, a result that held even when the volleyball paper was removed. However, the review itself rated the confidence in this conclusion as very low.
Williams criticizes many underlying studies for being cross-sectional, merely comparing groups at one time without controlling variables like training. He states longitudinal studies, tracking changes in individuals over time, are needed but scarce. The few longitudinal studies included showed only small changes, like slight reductions in muscle mass and strength after hormone therapy. The study's author, Bruno Gualano, clarifies that "comparable" does not mean "the same" but reflects a lack of statistically significant differences in their analysis. Gualano believes large intrinsic advantages would still be detectable despite methodological weaknesses, yet acknowledges those weaknesses could interfere.
The tone is analytical and educational, dissecting scientific methodology and statistical interpretation in a measured manner. The style is conversational between host and reporter, featuring direct quotes from experts and a focus on evidential scrutiny.
Listeners interested in the intersection of science, statistics, and sports policy would find this episode compelling. Those seeking definitive answers or strong advocacy positions on transgender participation in sports might find its nuanced, evidence-focused approach less satisfying.
