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The decision came only after female golfers refused to stay silent and fought back against the LGPA’s announcement that a female-identifying man would be allowed to enter LPGA competitions.
The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and the United States Golf Association (USGA) have updated their policies on transgender athletes competing against women following criticism from female golfers who said allowing males to compete in women’s golf was unfair.
This fall 275 women golfers sent a letter to the LPGA, the USGA, and the International Golf Federation calling for a policy that prohibited males from competing in women’s golf.
The letter pointed out the unfair competitive advantage males possess even when suppressing testosterone and urged the organizations to adopt a policy that was based on a player’s “immutable sex.”
The LPGA decision to allow male player Hailey Davidson to compete in women’s events was the primary impetus behind the letter and the frustration some female golfers are now expressing.
While the policies adopted by the organizations may not be exactly what the women asked for, it appears their voices were heard.
The LPGA and USGA released new policies on December 4 that prohibit any male who has gone through “Tanner Stage 2” of puberty or reached age 12 before transitioning from competing in women’s competitions.
“The policy—informed by a working group of top experts in medicine, science, sport physiology, golf performance and gender policy law—was developed with input from a broad array of stakeholders and prioritizes the competitive integrity of women’s professional tournaments and elite amateur competitions. This working group has advised that the effects of male puberty confer competitive advantages in golf performance compared to players who have not undergone male puberty,” the LPGA said in a press release.
LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan stated,
“Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach. The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.”
Males who identify as female will be allowed to compete if they did not undergo male puberty.
USGA CEO Mike Whan stated,
“It was all based on competitive fairness as the North Star. Right or wrong, let’s be able to look ourselves in the face and any competitor in one our women’s events in the face and say if you’re in this event, nobody has a competitive advantage relative to their gender.”
He added, “We remain committed to providing opportunities for everyone to compete for a national title or team but have made changes to our eligibility criteria that reflects current scientific data and strives to maintain competitive integrity. Our updated policy reflects a thoughtful and thorough process during which the USGA consulted with leading medical professionals from around the world.”
The policies are very similar to those adopted by the World Athletics Council, the international governing body for track and field, and World Aquatics, formerly known as FINA, which is the governing body for swimming.
Davidson expressed anger at the policy, saying, “Can’t say I didn’t see this coming. Banned from the Epson and LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.”
Meanwhile women’s sports activists and female golfers celebrated the policy.
Amy Olson, recently retired LPGA golfer and a USGA champion has been outspoken on the importance of prohibiting males from competing in women’s golf. She praised the organizations’ decisions, saying,
“Today marks a massive victory for female athletes…this goes a long way in protecting fairness in women’s sports and it recognizes that our chromosomal makeup actually affects how we develop in a way that’s irreversible. So thank you to the LPGA and the USGA for your courage and leading on this issue and making sure that we protect these opportunities for women.”
This policy didn’t come about because the LPGA and USGA suddenly saw the light. It came about because of the bold stand of women who refused to be silenced on this issue. XX-XY Athletics rightly said that it’s because of outspoken women like female golfer and XX-XY Athletics ambassador Lauren Miller that the LPGA and USGA changed their policies.
Miller, who has been heavily involved in pushing back on this issue, was asked why she continues to speak out despite all the hate she receives for her stance.
“Truth is worth it. Fairness is worth it. Women are worth it,” she said. “I care so much more about the future generation than my own career individually. I want to have, hopefully, daughters one day that can pursue professional sports or college sports, and I want them to thrive and have an environment that is fair and that has integrity and really focuses on the truth and beauty of women’s sports, and it’s not taken away from them due to male athletes coming in and dominating.”
She added, “I knew that if I chose to remain quiet that I would essentially be enabling it and silence was gonna say a lot and I knew in my heart that it wasn’t what was right. Coming from a strong Christian background and that has given me a lot of courage and confidence to fight for what is beautiful and what is true and from that I’ve gained so many people standing behind me.”
To Miller, Olson, Riley Gaines, Sophia Lorey, Paula Scanlan, Brooke Slusser, and the scores of women out there who are fighting back — whether through your speech, lawsuits, protests, and more — you are having an impact. Your decision not to remain silent is changing the future for girls and women.
The LPGA and USGA should have barred males from women’s sports years ago. Their policies still don’t go far enough to protect women as they still use degrading language and descriptors, such as “Player whose Sex Assigned at Birth is female.” It also opens the door for some parent or medical professional to encourage a boy to ask for puberty blockers or undergo medical transition even before he begins puberty in order to allow him to compete as a female.
The correct policy is that athletes must compete according to their sex–not the one that was somehow “assigned” to them but the one which is part of who they are and which cannot be changed.
With that in mind, it is certainly a positive development that the LPGA and USGA have decided to take a major step towards protecting women and girls and their equal opportunity, and we look forward to seeing these professional women golfers competing against each other for years to come.
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