National Public Radio faced criticism for its recent article, which argued that there is “limited scientific evidence” to support the idea that men have a “physical advantage” over women in sports. The article was published in support of transgender athletes, following the World Athletics Council’s decision to prohibit transgender athletes from competing in events designated for biological women.
During a press conference on Thursday, World Athletics Council president Sebastian Coe announced that “male-to-female transgender athletes who have been through male puberty” would be excluded from female world ranking competitions starting on March 31st. Coe also stated that a working group would be established to “consult specifically with transgender athletes to seek views on competing in athletics to review and maybe commission additional research where there is currently limited research, and to put forward recommendations to council.”
Critics of NPR’s article found the claim that there is “limited scientific evidence” for men’s physical advantage in sports to be concerning. One commentator remarked that the article was “beyond a joke.” The debate surrounding transgender athletes in sports is ongoing, with many calling for a more nuanced approach that considers both inclusivity and fairness.
The NPR article argued that the issue at the center of the debate around transgender athletes is whether they have a physical advantage over other female competitors, even after reducing their testosterone levels. However, the article noted that there is limited scientific research available on this topic, particularly involving elite transgender athletes.
The World Athletics Council claimed to have conducted research over the past decade and found that there can be an impact on performance, but this evidence has been challenged by groups such as the Human Rights Watch.
According to NPR, the ban on transgender athletes is part of a larger trend of resistance against transgender women and girls in female sports. The outlet accused the sport of track and field of “moving away from trans inclusion.”
In a tweet, NPR summarized the situation by stating, “The international governing body for track and field will ban trans women athletes from elite women’s competitions, citing a priority for fairness over inclusion despite limited scientific evidence of physical advantage.”
NPR claims “limited scientific evidence” that biological men tend to have a physical advantage in sports.
Attaining such levels of absurdity often requires years of study! https://t.co/bNl70jh14P
— Maxim Lott (@maximlott) March 25, 2023
Despite NPR’s claim that there is “limited scientific evidence” to support the notion of men having a physical advantage over women in sports, Twitter’s Community Note flagged a recent tweet from the news outlet, citing “significant evidence from numerous studies” that demonstrates the opposite.
The Community Note provided links to four different studies that found transgender athletes to have a competitive physical advantage, despite gender-affirming care.
Following NPR’s controversial article, public health expert Pradheep J. Shanker criticized the news outlet for spreading “scientific misinformation.” Shanker argued that there is “decades of scientific evidence” supporting the idea of physical gender disparity, and accused NPR of dishonesty.
Several individuals have criticized NPR’s coverage of the World Athletics Council’s decision to ban transgender women athletes from elite women’s competitions. Podcaster Noam Blum commented, “Limited evidence: compare the stats in every men’s sport vs every women’s sport.” Researcher John R Lott stated, “How can @NPR be taken seriously? Not even close.” Lott compared men’s and women’s records in the 100-meter dash and high jump events to demonstrate physical differences between the genders.
Media critic Joe Concha used Lia Thomas as an example to refute NPR’s claim that trans women athletes have no physical advantage over their female competitors. Concha stated, “It totally explains how Lia Thomas went from being a sub-par swimmer racing against other men to winning a national championship racing against women.”
This is absolutely NOT true-irrefutable scientific evidence of male advantage! #boycottNPR @fairplaywomen @Martina @iChampionWomen @KimJonesICONS NPR Claims ‘Limited Scientific Evidence’ Men Have ‘Physical Advantage’ over Women in Sports https://t.co/XUjdsMc9p6
— Mary I. O'Connor, MD (@MaryOConnorMD) March 26, 2023
Rational common-sense voices are criticizing National Public Radio (NPR) after the media outlet claimed there is “limited scientific evidence” that men have a “physical advantage” over women in sports. The controversial tweet was flagged by Twitter’s Community Notes which provided links to four different studies that found transgender athletes enjoy a physical advantage.
Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon mocked NPR’s tweet, stating, “If inclusion matters more than fairness, then we should eliminate men’s and women’s divisions entirely.” Conservative activist Ned Ryun criticized NPR for defying science and biology, calling the tweet “beyond a joke.”
Journalist Mollie Hemingway accused NPR of spreading propaganda, while talk show host Laura Ingraham called for the removal of government subsidies for NPR. Christina Pushaw, the rapid response director for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ re-election campaign, stated that NPR receives taxpayer funding despite “zero scientific evidence of any benefit to society.”
Researcher John R. Lott also criticized NPR’s tweet, citing examples of men’s and women’s records in athletics: “How can @NPR be taken seriously? 100-meter dash – Usain Bolt’s 9.58 seconds is the men’s fastest – Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 10.49 fastest for women High Jump – Javier Sotomayor for men 8 ft 1⁄4 in – Stefka Kostadinova for women 6 ft 10 1⁄4 in Not even close.”
Podcaster Noam Blum pointed to statistics in men’s and women’s sports, stating, “Limited evidence: compare the stats in every men’s sport vs every women’s sport.” Meanwhile, media critic Joe Concha criticized NPR for claiming that trans women athletes have no physical advantage over their female competitors, citing the example of Lia Thomas winning a national championship after being a sub-par swimmer racing against other men.
