NAIA’s Bold Step: Honoring Biological Differences in Athletics

Now, the number of biological women attempting to compete in sporting events and gain an advantage by taking testosterone is incredibly low, so this qualifier is not really much of an issue. But under this new policy, a female athlete who has not begun any hormone therapy (such as taking testosterone hormones) may participate in women’s sports. However, if a female athlete has begun masculinizing hormone therapy, that athlete will not be allowed to participate in NAIA women’s sports.

The statement by the president of the NAIA was pretty bold and seeks to keep women safe from privacy invasions in the locker room and a fair playing field for women’s sports.

“We are unwavering in our support of fair competition for our student-athletes,” NAIA President and CEO Jim Carr said in a news release. “It is crucial that NAIA member institutions, conferences, and student-athletes participate in an environment that is equitable and respectful.”

The released policy of the NAIA (which was approved 20–0 by the Council of Presidents) was a mixed bag, however. Points 1 and 2 make sense (biblically and biologically), but point 3 seems to take a step back:

“The updated NAIA policy attempts to balance the interests and obligations of the NAIA to 1) offer fair competition, 2) create a structure that allows members to comply with Title IX and other applicable laws, and 3) provide appropriate and reasonable opportunities for transgender athletes to compete,” the organization’s statement reads. Then it adds: “Input regarding transgender participation in athletics was obtained from members and student-athletes throughout the process, with feedback overwhelmingly in favor of the proposed policy.”

So let me get this straight, only biological women can compete in women’s sports? But they are allowing for “reasonable opportunities for transgender athletes to compete”? Unless there is a transgender-only division (mostly for biological males pretending to be females), I don’t see many women signing up for men’s sports. Overall then, this is good news and a step forward in protecting women from injury, violations of privacy in the locker room, and even possible sexual abuse (we’ve read about such events frequently in the past two–three years).

God created men and women with biological and physiological differences but created both in his image.

God created men and women with biological and physiological differences but created both in his image (Genesis 1:26–27). Genesis 1:27 also makes it clear there are only two genders, male and female. Men should not look like or think they can “become” women, and women should not look like or think they can “become” men. Nor should they mutilate their bodies (Romans 1:24).

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Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.