Fact: There are tough girls, and weak boys.
Also fact: There are statistical differences in girls and boys.

First, imagine this scenario. You ran track, and trained for the 100m since you were 10. Your senior year of high school you were flying down the track; clocking in at 12.8s. The closest anyone has come to you is 13.7s, and you're clearly in scholarship range. You can't wait until your next track meet, where a scout is going to be there from the college of your dreams. At the meet you learn three transgender girls are competing, and you're stoked because you're supportive of that. The 100m starts. You clock in your time at 12.7. A personal best. But ahead of you... flying past you to the finish... those three transgender girls. Their times: 11.3, 11.5, 11.9 respectively. Taking first, second and third, and smashing the girls records of that year. Your record. The scout is highly impressed with the 11.3, and you just lost your scholarship. It sounds fantastical, but this could soon be a reality.

At the high school level, where students compete for scholarships, is where you'll find most of the opposition to this. This is the real crux of the situation. College level as well. There are real questions about the legitimacy of the athlete's sincerity to their transition. Nobody is privy to that information, nor should they be. However, there are some concerns that should be addressed. The problem is that this issue really isn't about feelings. It's about statistics, and can't be wiped away with sweeping legislature. They need to take a hard close look at the issue at every level.

It's easy to say that someone grew up with strong girls, or I knew a girl down the street that could whip a boy. Most likely it was a boy who was told not to hit back. However, the logical fact is that statistically, on average, most genetic males outperform genetic females in sports the older they get. That's why they are evaluated differently, for both scholarships and on the professional level. And that's why there are variances in the sports themselves.

The average high school 100m can range from 12s to 14s for males, and 14 to 18 for females. Most people look at that and think "well, we're talking seconds here!" Yes, we are. Notice that females at their best, would be bringing up the rear with the men. They could definitely fill in the middle of the pack, but they can hardly compete. This is why people get outraged when they see a story of a transgender girl coming in at 11.x in the female 100m. They're blowing the cis girls out of the water.

Even if they're honestly transitioning, and taking hormones, they still have developed differently than the girls they run against. And there have been studies saying that even after a year of HRT, they are still on a higher level. However, there have been questions as to the legitimacy of transgender athletes' claims. There have been reports of boys that couldn't cut it competing with the boys, so they claim they feel female, and are allowed to compete against girls. That is sometimes the only criteria they have to meet. Again, even at their worst, an average transgender girl would be in the top of the female field.

The variance grows from there. Average 200m for boys in high school ranges from 23 to 33. While the girls range from 29 to 39. "You're still talking seconds!" Yes... more seconds. The gap gets wider the longer they run. 400m boys 53 to 1:05. 400m girls 1:05 to 1:30. The trend continues, as we see the girls clocking in on their high end, about where the boys clock in on their low end.

It's not just track either. Boys and girls play on the same size basketball court, but the 3 point arc is different sizes for men and women, and the basket is lower for females. Boys play baseball on a vastly different field than a softball field. Nets are lower for women in volleyball. They have to separate male and female fighting.

Granted there have been some crossovers, but typically men prevail at sports, with a few exceptions.

There is no "true equality" in sports. This is why it's believed transgender women have an inherent advantage over cis women. Puberty is definitely a factor, as well as if/when they begin hormone treatment. Currently they don't even need to be receiving hormones in most states. They can simply claim they feel female. (I'm not trying to be insulting here, as we can't know how others feel.) However, it is a legitimate concern, especially to female athletes competing for scholarships. They're giving their best usually, and still getting burned by trans females.

Most of the time the trans athlete is putting up cis male numbers against cis females, and celebrated for it. The girls competing against them have to clap, because... what else can they do? We're talking about high school kids here with no real power. Most of them just go along with their peers anyway.

I really don't know if there is a viable solution to this problem. Yet, there definitely is a vast difference between male and female sports, and they need a clear dividing line on it. It's not something that can just be rammed through with legislature that says "it's okay for them to compete against each other." Even the Olympics have guidelines for transgender athletes. It is hurting our cis female athletes. That is why it's being blocked in some states, and honestly the states have that right.

Speaking of Olympics: https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/trans-women-retain-a...

I'm not against trans athletes competing. I just think they need to find some kind of middle ground, and there needs to be some regulation on it. One story I read awhile back was touting two transgender females destroyed a female track meet, coming in first and second with times in the 11.x area in the 100m. They never say what third place came in with, but I'm willing to bet it was in the 13s or 14s. To the average person, that would look like a pretty close race. In reality, it's two transgender females running at the top of the male game. While the cis females were running at the top of their game... not even close to catching them.