School and recreational sports are activities that most people say that they competed in at one time in their life, no matter how small of a time that was. 

Some people do it for the exercise and stay health, some do it for the group dynamic and the feeling of being part of a family, or they do it as a source of escape from something else going on in their lives. 

However, to individuals who are transgender, being involved in athletics can be a source of controversy. 

Due to rules and policies regarding hormone replacement therapy, gender markers on identification forms and locker rooms, being transgender, and playing a sport can be almost impossible unless you are willing to fight and jump through hoops for months, or even years, at a time. 

This is being seen right now with Mack Beggs. Briggs is a 17-year-old transgender boy from Texas. He is on the wrestling team at Euless Trinity High School. Now, if it wasn’t for the media and the outraged population in this Texas town, you would never know he was trans. Briggs is on testosterone, which changes the body to help the individual present more masculine and helps the body reflect the gender they are meant to be. Characteristics that come along with being on testosterone for hormone replacement therapy is increase in muscle mass, stamina, and weight redistribution, along with physical changes such as facial hair, voice drop, etc. 

Because of these physical changes, he has the same abilities and characteristics as his fellow male wrestlers in his team, and those they compete against. However, he is not allowed to compete against them. Due to the gender marker on his birth certificate still saying “female”, he must compete against female wrestlers. He has an obvious advantage. Now, it isn’t the wrestling rules that state he has to compete against them- it’s the school, parents, and people in charge of school athletics. 

The frustration just keeps rising for those who support Beggs, because as he continues to win competitions, those around continue to get more angry. They are angry that he is winning against girls in the girl’s section of wrestling competitions.

However, this wouldn’t be happening if they would just let him compete in the male competitions. 

So, how does this get fixed? Let him compete with those who identify with the same gender as him. If there is a problem with him winning against girls, who the school system is making him compete against, then prove to them that he should be competing with other guys so he has actual competition. When you’re on hormones, especially testosterone, you gain muscle mass so quickly and your strength increases as well. This has an impact on his abilities to wrestle and he should have the same opportunity to go up against someone of the same abilities as him, just like everyone else. 

Everyone should have the equal opportunity and the equal right to do what they love, and to live up to their full potential. That shouldn’t be determined by the gender marker on a piece of paper.