8 in 10 Americans support banning transgender athletes from women’s sports, NYT poll shows

Few Americans think males should be allowed to compete in women’s sports, according to a new poll from The New York Times and Ipsos.

The poll found that 79% of Americans oppose males who identify as transgender women competing in women’s sports, while just 18% support it. The opposition includes 94% of Republicans and Republican leaners, 67% of Democrats and Democratic leaners, and 64% of independents and third-party members.

“Thinking about transgender female athletes – meaning athletes who were male at birth but who currently identify as female – do you think they should or should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports?” the poll asked. 

Opposition to males in women’s sports has continually increased in recent years, especially as the issue has received national attention. A June 2021 Gallup poll found that 62% of Americans opposed transgender-identifying males from competing in women’s sports. Two years later, when Gallup polled the issue, 69% opposed. 

However, this latest poll indicates a 17-point swing toward opposition to transgender athletes competing in women’s sports in just 3.5 years. 

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, mostly along party lines. The bill would prevent males from competing in women’s sports at schools that receive federal funding. Just two Democrats supported the bill. 

The U.S. Senate will also vote on the bill in the coming weeks.  

Although many Democratic voters oppose males in women’s sports, fewer than 1% of Democrats in the U.S. House voted to ban it. Given Democratic politicians’ opposition to the bill, it may not achieve the 60 votes needed to pass. 

In the past two years, seven states have had transgender athletes win high school girls’ track and field state championships: Nevada, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Oregon and Washington. Transgender athletes have also injured girls and won league MVP awards and all-state honors. 

State laws prevent males from competing in girls’ or women’s sports in 25 of the 50 states. 

Other states, such as Georgia and Nebraska, are considering passing similar legislation this year.