Argafas and action: The status of elite trans female swimmers

Article: Lísa Margrét Gunnarsdóttir
Photo by: EPA
Translation: Victoria Bakshina

This summer, FINA, the International Swimming Federation, announced changes to its regulatory framework and restrictions on trans women's access to the Federation's swimming tournaments. The changes included a ban on the participation of trans women in elite-level competitions if a gender correction process began after the age of 12. This regulation excludes most, if not all, trans women, as it is virtually impossible to begin a sex reassignment procedure before the age of 12 anywhere in the world. The proposal was approved by 71% of the votes at a forum of the International Swimming Federation, among others by the Icelandic Swimming Association, but the decision has since been subject to considerable criticism. Those who oppose this decision have drawn attention to the fact that the unequivocal revocation of the rights of a certain group of people is never morally justified. They point out that if ethical arguments are not sufficient to prevent respect for human rights, the decision must at least be formed on data based on accurate and relevant research.

Reactions in Iceland

In Iceland, the attitude of the Icelandic Swimming Association was severely criticized, especially the informal group Argafas. The Student Paper spoke to Elí, one of Argafas members, about the reasons for the Swimming Association's decision and how it reflects the status of trans people in sports.

“Argafas actually originated as an opposition to the position of the Icelandic Swimming Association. We all felt that we needed more voices in the wake of these decisions. The Icelandic Sports and Olympics Association did not say anything, Samtökin ‘78 talked about it in the media but treaded carefully, and we just felt that the reaction from the community and sports organizations was lacking. “

Elí points out that it is important to put a decision like this in context and to realize the seriousness of the fact that a world-class organization decides to restrict a group's access to the largest competitive event in sports. Having played sports himself, he says that is an unacceptable message for trans people who play sports.

“The motivation to pursue a certain sport vigorously is often, not always, but very often, to become excellent in your sport. Knowing that even if you were to excel in your sport, you would never be able to compete in a World Cup if you are a trans girl or woman who wants to compete in a women's category, is a huge constraint and a big setback in the rights struggle of trans people.”

Ill-considered decision

FINA's decision was made following the success of Liu Thomas, a trans woman who won an NCAA title in swimming and planned to compete in the women's category at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, becoming the first trans woman to compete there. FINA said the decision was based on scientific evidence, studies had been conducted on trans women, and it was found that trans women who had undergone sex reassignment surgery after puberty had too much of an advantage over other female competitors. However, there are simply no studies that cover the performance of trans women in swimming compared to the performance of ciswomen in swimming. It's hard to believe that the new FINA rules are based on science.

“It's gross, it's literally revoking people's rights, even though no trans woman has ever competed in a World Swimming Championship before. Research needs to be accurate; it needs to be compared to a set, have enough ciswomen athletes in swimming and compare them with enough trans women athletes in swimming. However, most of the research that forms the basis of this decision of the International Swimming Federation was done on cismen! “

Joanna Harper, a long-distance runner and the only one to have published a peer-reviewed study of trans people's performance in sports, has criticized FINA's decision. As she puts it, there is absolutely no reason to rule out that trans women might have an advantage in some areas of certain sports. On the other hand, the position of science is such that there is no basis for making a decision as firm as this one, and it is absurd for FINA to justify the decision as if it were based on scientific research. University students and academics can certainly agree that an equally firm decision, involving the exclusion of a certain group from pursuing a high level of sporting activity, should be based on sound and significant research. Elí points out that both the decision and the lack of reaction to it are indicative of the fact that society does not take the rights struggle of trans people seriously enough. 

The Icelandic Swimming Association made an extremely damaging decision, based on an imaginary assumption or an unproven hypothesis (trans women have an advantage in swimming), rather than basing their decision on real fact (the exclusion of one group based on their gender identity is a serious discrimination and a violation of human rights).

The consequences of this decision are something that must also be considered, including other sports associations that made similar decisions following FINA's statement. World Rugby followed in FINA's footsteps and banned trans women from entering their competitions at an elite level, and the International Cycling Association raised its threshold considerably in terms of participation of trans women. In addition, the British Triathlon Federation has banned the participation of trans women at both the elite and grassroots levels. Another chain effect of this development is that the legislation that applies to trans women has immediately affected ciswomen, but examples are already emerging of competitors ' parents accusing outstanding sportswomen of being trans and forcing them to undergo unnecessary and unpleasant physical examinations so that it can be made sure that they are ciswomen.

A healthy spirit for all athletes

Elí says sports organizations in Iceland as well as international organizations must decide which is more important; to ensure a healthy spirit for all in sports, or to assume that only a few parties have advantage in one area. Actions like these must also be seen in the context of another setback against the rights of trans people.

“People like Jordan Peterson and Sigmundur Davíð are being given so much space in the debate to spew misinformation and hate, while systematic killings and violence against trans people continue. The discourse is extremely hateful, and we noticed it in the wake of the Argafas’ protests.“

Argafas’ protests and trans activism are a necessary response to the backlash that is taking place in trans people's rights struggles - a backlash that not only includes the exclusion and revocation of rights, but also inaction that sends the message that trans people's right to exist is not a priority, that people don't care. “No person should have to choose between fulfilling their dream of becoming an elite athlete in the area they chose or living in their own gender identity freely.”

Finally, Elí would like to point out that he runs a sports group at the University of Iceland in collaboration with Q-félagið. There are group classes once a week for trans people, queer people, and gender questioning individuals where they can come together to practice. If you are interested, you can contact the Q-félagið at queer@queer.is or search for the event on Facebook, “Sterkari saman - líkamsrækt fyrir trans fólk (Stronger Together - fitness for trans people)”.