“I wish I was normal”, is what many transgender people say to themselves after being taught to hate who they are. The constant existential crises and the growing discomfort of knowing that you might not fit into society is something that no one should have to go through. Even if our society is not the same as it used to be 100 years ago, we still have a long way to go to achieve equality. One critical problem to solve that is needed to make the world a better place is the discrimination towards transgender and nonconforming people. To this day, laws are still being passed that dehumanize transgender people. A rising argument has been whether transgender students should be able to participate in school sports. I took it to myself to interview 25 students that attend Curie High School and ask them their opinion about this. The survey ended with 100% of all participants agreeing that trans students should be able to participate in school sports. Although the constant argument that trans students will cause a disadvantage in sports, nevertheless, trans teens should be able to participate in school sports and activities because it’s good for their mental health, they don’t cause an imbalance in sports like some people claim, and they should be accepted into society for who they are, just like everyone else.

Discrimination is not a new topic for members of the LGBTQ+ community, especially transgender people. It’s proven that transgender people, especially trans people of color, are more prone to hate crimes than any other person. This is not any easier for young trans people. We know, for example, that peer, school, community, and family based rejection, discrimination, and victimization are associated with greater risk for suicidal behaviors for transgender teens. Roughly half of transgender teens who identify as male but were assigned a female gender at birth have attempted suicide at least once, the study found. And 42 percent of adolescents who don’t identify exclusively as male or female have at least one prior suicide attempt.(Rapaport). As a youth myself, I sympathize with them, knowing that we are in a stage where we need reassurance from others, except for them it feels like the world is against them. These people are some of our friends or family, who we care and want the best for. In this case, we should give them the opportunity to give trans people one less obstacle by not prohibiting them to do something they love and enjoy. Furthermore, transgender students in states with fully inclusive athletic policies were 14 percentage points less likely to have considered suicide in the past year than students in states with no guidance (Goldberg, Santos). This proves that sports participation in trans teens’ life is very critical and can solve the greatest problem in this whole situation. This is just one step of the way to include trans people into society.

When some people are asked why trans people shouldn’t participate in sports, they argue that it is because they cause inequality and bring imbalance to sports, especially in women’s sports. Many lawmakers have established anti-trans laws without even citing a case where a trans athlete causes an unfair advantage in a game. In fact, the difference in athleticism between girls and boys before puberty is almost inconsequential and doesn't require separate sports teams, much less a ban on transgender athletes (Jones). Even after puberty, hormone suppressants are useful and can help trans people be regulated to who they truly are. Moreover, saying that trans women athletes hold an advantage over cisgender women athletes because they are “stronger” is invalidating them by regarding and treating them as a male.

Transgender people struggle to find themselves in our current society. Most hide who they are in return for acceptance and liberty. “Suppressing myself just to be able to play sports felt like a piece of me was dying, like I was killing myself at the same time—and that’s why I ultimately came out and transitioned.” said Emet, a field hockey player, coach and transgender man (Goldberg, Santos). No cisgender person has ever experienced debating whether choosing basic human rights over something they love, which is why transgender people shouldn’t either. Banning trans people from sports will keep an ongoing cycle of injustice, and force trans people to keep hiding. Visibility is a powerful tool for social change. Having trans representation shows others that they don’t have to compromise any part of their identity to do what they love (Mosier).

Overall, it is important for trans teens to be accepted into society in ways other generations of trans people couldn’t be. We must start by letting them have free will over their choices like their cisgender counterparts. Letting trans people do things as who they are is just one of many steps that we have to take to a better future.

Trans teens much more likely to attempt suicide. Lisa Rapaport, Reauthers Health, 12 Sep. 2018,

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-transgender-teen-suicide/trans-teens-much-more-likely-to-attempt-suicide-idUSKCN1LS39K, Accessed 1 Apr. 2022.

The Ban on Transgender Athletes - 6 facts. Zoe Christen Jones, 7 June. 2021,

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transgender-athlete-bans-facts/, Accessed 1 Apr. 2022.

Fact Sheet- The Importance of Sports Participation for Transgender Youth. Shoshana K. Goldberg and Thee Santos, 18 Mar. 2021,

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/fact-sheet-importance-sports-participation-transgender-youth/, Accessed 1 Apr. 2022.

Transgender Athletes have to keep fighting for their space in sports. Chris Mosier for CBS Sports, 1 May. 2019,

https://www.cbc.ca/playersvoice/entry/transgender-athletes-have-to-keep-fighting-for-their-space-in-sport, Accessed 1 Apr. 2022.