Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates

Fair Play - How sports shape the gender debates by Katie Barnes

I was excited to get this book. I was hoping for understanding as to why it is ok for transwomen to compete against women in sports. I was hoping to understand. The author generalized a lot and I still don't know where I stand on this issue. I was at a soccer game and a transwoman was on the team... I thought, yeah... cool! I watched her run full tilt to the goal and elbowed the opposing defense in the nose. The lady was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. I'm sure this doesn't happen much but I wondered, what if that was my daughter in an ambulance? How would I feel? I think I would definitely like to know more about this and this book didn't answer anything for me but it was well written enough I would likely recommend it.

3 stars

disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for review consideration.

Katie Barnes is an award-winning ESPN journalist who has been covering gender in sports for years, and it shows. This book is so well-researched and covers a breadth of topics from the history of women's sports to today's ‘debate' about transgender youth in sports. Katie digs into the science of transgender athletes, something I think very few people are well-versed on (myself included!). I learned so much while reading this, though at points I had to put it down because of how hard it was to read about the kids who were excluded from activities they loved or who thought they had to choose between their passions and being who they truly are.

I'm thankful I was able to educate myself through this book, and appreciated Katie's insights on a variety of topics. They bring up the especially poignant point that sports aren't really fair to begin with – some people are naturally taller and faster, some have genetic advantages (looking at you, Michael Phelps), some have the money to pay for expensive equipment and private tutors. But nobody is complaining about these advantages – so why target trans women specifically? Personally, I find it to be an extension of the misogyny women's sports already have to deal with.

Regardless of your position, I think Katie does an excellent job of sticking to the facts and interviewing people on ‘both sides.' They are able to empathize with the fact that some of the people in favor of restrictions for youth are really trying to defend women's sports. This isn't necessarily a clear cut debate and everyone is happy to cherry-pick the facts that support their side. Katie is willing to show that the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

I'm going to be raving about this book to everyone for a long time. It provides a context much needed in today's political climate and I hope that it will be able to reach the audiences who need it.