EPISODE · Feb 5, 2026 · 32 MIN
Trans 101: Trans Athletes & What the Science Actually Says
from Taboo Science · host Ashley Hamer Pritchard
How many studies does it take for something to be "settled science"? For trans athletes—who face state bans across the country, which recently reached the Supreme Court—there's hardly any research at all. In this episode, we're digging into what that research actually found, and it's way more complicated than the “fairness” advocates would have you believe. Dr. Blair Hamilton walks us through findings showing that trans people gain some advantages and lose others after transitioning. Champion triathlete Chris Mosier talks about what trans kids actually lose when they're banned from sports—and why the real threats to women's athletics have nothing to do with trans people. Whether you’re against trans athletes competing or you’re just trying to understand why politicians are obsessed with a few dozen athletes, this episode will uncover the nuance in the noise.00:00:00 - Introduction: Where Support Falls Apart 00:01:20 - How Sports Became the Wedge Issue 00:04:08 - The "Settled Science" 00:10:24 - How Many Trans Athletes Actually Exist 00:13:23 - Can't Win by Losing, Can't Win by Winning 00:15:11 - Why Ban Chess and Darts? 00:16:35 - The Playbook of Using Women's Safety 00:18:00 - Genital Inspections and Racial Targeting 00:19:35 - What's Lost: Community, Belonging, and Identity 00:25:17 - Solutions: Sport-Specific Analysis and Evidence-Based Policy 00:27:06 - Why We Celebrate Some Advantages But Not Others 00:29:11 - ConclusionMore from Blair Hamilton:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blair90x/?hl=en X: https://x.com/BlairH_PhD More from Chris Mosier:Website: https://www.thechrismosier.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechrismosier/Buy the book “Fair Game: Trans Athletes and the Future of Sports” https://thenewpress.org/books/fair-game/ Citations and transcript: https://www.tabooscience.show/trans-101-trans-athletes-what-the-science-actually-says/Connect with the show:Join the Patreon: https://patreon.com/tabooscienceLeave me a voice memo: https://podline.fm/tabooscienceInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tabooscienceYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tabooscienceWebsite: https://www.tabooscience.show/ Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/taboo-science/id1533606473
What this episode covers
How many studies does it take for something to be "settled science"? For trans athletes—who face state bans across the country, which recently reached the Supreme Court—there's hardly any research at all. In this episode, we're digging into what that research actually found, and it's way more complicated than the “fairness” advocates would have you believe. Dr. Blair Hamilton walks us through findings showing that trans people gain some advantages and lose others after transitioning. Champion triathlete Chris Mosier talks about what trans kids actually lose when they're banned from sports—and why the real threats to women's athletics have nothing to do with trans people. Whether you’re against trans athletes competing or you’re just trying to understand why politicians are obsessed with a few dozen athletes, this episode will uncover the nuance in the noise.00:00:00 - Introduction: Where Support Falls Apart 00:01:20 - How Sports Became the Wedge Issue 00:04:08 - The "Settled Science" 00:10:24 - How Many Trans Athletes Actually Exist 00:13:23 - Can't Win by Losing, Can't Win by Winning 00:15:11 - Why Ban Chess and Darts? 00:16:35 - The Playbook of Using Women's Safety 00:18:00 - Genital Inspections and Racial Targeting 00:19:35 - What's Lost: Community, Belonging, and Identity 00:25:17 - Solutions: Sport-Specific Analysis and Evidence-Based Policy 00:27:06 - Why We Celebrate Some Advantages But Not Others 00:29:11 - ConclusionMore from Blair Hamilton:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blair90x/?hl=en X: https://x.com/BlairH_PhD More from Chris Mosier:Website: https://www.thechrismosier.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechrismosier/Buy the book “Fair Game: Trans Athletes and the Future of Sports” https://thenewpress.org/books/fair-game/ Citations and transcript: https://www.tabooscience.show/trans-101-trans-athletes-what-the-science-actually-says/Connect with the show:Join the Patreon: https://patreon.com/tabooscienceLeave me a voice memo: https://podline.fm/tabooscienceInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tabooscienceYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tabooscienceWebsite: https://www.tabooscience.show/ Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/taboo-science/id1533606473
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Trans 101: Trans Athletes & What the Science Actually Says
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