‘Insensitive’ trans athlete study rejected
TRANSGENDER athlete research has been shut down after a professor called trans women “males”.
Dr John Armstrong, of King’s College London (KCL), applied to carry out a survey of elite athletes and volunteers on whether trans women, who are born male, should compete in women’s track and field categories and whether they felt they could express their views.
However, the university’s ethics panel rejected his application last week, citing equality and diversity concerns, in what has been labelled an attack on academic freedom.
In a rejection letter, the university said: “The language is not sensitive and the misgendering of athletes is not appropriate… there is obvious bias in the language and there is very little scientific reasoning underpinning the hypothesis.”
KCL took issue with how Dr Armstrong had referred to trans women as “males” in his research proposal.
Dr Armstrong’s application had said: “The principle aim of the project is to find the views of athletes and volunteers on the question of when males should be allowed to compete in the female category in athletics.”
The row comes as Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, banned trans women from competing in female international events this week, to defend fairness in women’s sport against the scientific advantages gained by those who have undergone male puberty.
UK Athletics has said it wants an “open” category for those of all sexes, while national track, field and cross-country competitions for English school pupils will bar trans girls from female races too.
However, Lord Coe said “we’re not saying no forever” and there remains a patchwork of rules on trans athletes at national, Olympic and grassroots level.
Dr Armstrong, a lecturer in financial mathematics, also accused the ethics chiefs of an “ad hominem” attack on his expertise after they questioned why he was leading the project.
A King’s College London spokesman said: “We are committed to ensuring that the research carried out by our staff and students is of the highest quality and to the most rigorous standards.”