A scientific survey confirms that a majority oppose including biological men in women’s sports and breaks the Left’s narrative that those who do so are “transphobic.”
The Washington Post-University of Maryland poll found that while many people personally know someone who identifies as transgender and say greater social acceptance of transgender people is good for society, many continue to oppose the inclusion of transgender participants in female athletics. In total, 49% of Americans oppose including biologically male transgender athletes in girls’ youth sports, 55% in women’s high school sports, and 58% in women’s college and professional sports.
An even greater percentage, 68%, agree that “transgender girls would have a competitive advantage over other girls” in youth sports.
Among those who have a family member or close friend who identifies as transgender, 70% believe greater social acceptance of transgender people is good for society, while only 49% say they should be included in women’s professional sports.
Michael Hanmer, the research director of UMD’s Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement, noted that smaller shifts in acceptance for transgender individuals in women’s sports than in society at large, even among those with transgender friends and family, suggest “there are additional considerations involved.”