A gender-inclusivity model in sports is proposed, balancing meaningful competition with socio-political rationalization, to address the inclusion of trans-athletes.
Authors
Tarun Tarun, Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar, India
V. Rakshitha, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India
Rishiraj Pargaonkar, Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai, India
Souniya Dhuldhoya, Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar, India
Anamika Shukla, Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar, India
Summary
The debate around inclusive sports reaches far beyond the realms of merit and ability. It circumvents the domain of physiology and gender identity of athletes across the world. It is perhaps this societal obsession with projection of normative cis-gender behaviour that paves way for the movement against trans-athletes’ participation in elite sports. In this context, this paper shall meander through the evolution of gender pluralism and the history of trans-people in South Asia in its initial chapter. This theme also interacts with the global policies adopted by the International Federations with respect to trans-athletes, with special reference to Indian policies and inclusionary models. Drawing from the myriad arguments for inclusion and exclusion of trans-athletes, the authors have proposed a gender-inclusivity model in sports based on the synthesis of socio-political rationalization that upholds principles of meaningful competition and public policy.
Published in: International Sports Law Journal
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