Eirenne Aleeseeyah A. Lumasang1, Josua Reili Kemuel C. Castillo2, Marc Eljohn B. Lim2, Jozon A. Lorenzana3, Alvin George C. Cobar1
1Department of Leadership and Strategy, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines
2Department of Communication, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines
3Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines
Perception of Filipino Cisgender Women on Transgender Women Involvement based on their Lived Experience as Combat Sports Athletes
J. Anthr. Sport Phys. Educ. 2025, 9(2), | DOI: 10.26773/jaspe.250403
Abstract
The research focuses on the stances of actively competing Filipino Cisgender Women Athletes (CWA) in combat sports regarding the inclusion of Transgender Women Athletes (TWA). Adopting a qualitative research design to uncover the discourse around the participation of TWA in combat sports, the researchers interviewed ten (N=10) actively competing CWAs. The researchers integrated the arenas where discourse occurs—sporting experiences, media interactions, and social relationships—in the questions in order to understand how the stance of CWA is constructed. Results showed emerging themes namely Sense of Fairness (SF) between CWA and TWA, Invasion of Women’s Spaces (IWS) in combat sports, Kind of Openness (KO) in TWA inclusion, and Cancel Culture or Avoidance of Topic (CC/AT) surrounding TWA participation. The themes lead the researchers to their findings, which contend that CWA are reluctant and unwilling to compete against TWA due to their belief in Men’s Physical Advantage, Strength outweighs other performance components, TWA is changing the women competition landscape and anxieties about intimacy, and security in CWA private spaces. On the other hand, reception to TWA participation were also discussed, deepening CWA’s LGBTQ relations and equal platforms for all genders with TWA category in competitions. It is noteworthy that responses were given with hesitancy of voicing opinions with the fear of cancel culture. It is recommended that follow-up research should be done including ethnography, content analysis, and focus group discussions to capture more authentic and holistic data.
Keywords
Cisgender Women Athletes, Trans Women Athletes, Combat Sports, Fairness
View full article
(PDF – 110KB)
References
Adams, D. (2020). THE POWER AND IMPACT OF FRAMING TRANSGENDER ATHLETES IN SPORTS. The Pennsylvania State University. https://etda.libraries.psu.edu/files/final_submissions/23042
Aguilar, M. G. W. (2023). Inclusive sports in Philippine higher education: Determining attitudes towards transgender students’ participation. In Simulacra (Vol. 6, Issue 1, pp. 95–108). University of Trunojoyo Madura. https://doi.org/10.21107/sml.v6i1.19796
Andaya, E. (2021, August 23). Abundo: No to transgender athletes. Journalnews. https://journalnews.com.ph/abundo-no-to-transgender-athletes/
Anderson, K. & Holloway, J. (2020). “Discourse analysis as theory, method, and epistemology in studies of education policy”. Journal of Education Policy, 35:2, 188-221, https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2018.1552992
Bakher, R. (2021). #CancelCulture : A critical discourse analysis of cancel culture and its effect on representation and voice. DIVA. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1571876&dswid=-4297
BBC Sport. (2024). BBC Elite British Sportswomen's Study 2024: Athletes on ‘difficult’ transgender debate. BBC Sport. https://www.bbc.com/sport/68564019.amp
Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77-101.
Capuzza J. C. (2016). Improvements still needed for transgender coverage. Newspaper Research Journal, 37(1), 82–94. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739532916634642
Easwaramoorthy, M. & Zarinpoush, F. (2006). Interviewing For Research. Imagine Canada(6). https://sectorsource.ca/resource/file/interviewing-research
Hamilton, J. (2022). Breaking Barriers? Examining Neoliberal–Postfeminist Empowerment in Women’s Mixed Martial Arts - Justen Hamilton, 2022. Gender & Society. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/08912432221111170
Harper, J., Martinez-Patino, M. J., Pigozzi, F., & Pitsiladis, Y. (2018). Implications of a third gender for elite sports. Current sports medicine reports (Vol. 17, Issue 2, pp. 42-44). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323070331_Implications_of_a_Third_Gender_for_Elite_Sports. http://dx.doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0000000000000455
IAPAC. (2021). Cisgender Women and Girls - International Association of Providers of AIDS Care. International Association of Providers of AIDS Care. https://www.iapac.org/fact-sheet/cisgender-women-and-girls/
Itani, S. (2015). Japanese female and ‘trans’ athletes: Negotiating subjectivity and media constructions of gender, sexuality, and nation (Order No. 3723640). Available from ProQuest One Academic. (1729174024). Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/japanese-female-trans-athletes-negotiating/docview/1729174024/se-2
Krabben, K., Orth, D., & van der Kamp, J. (2019). Combat as an Interpersonal Synergy: An Ecological Dynamics Approach to Combat Sports. Sports Medicine, 49(12), 1825–1836. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01173-y
Ma, C. (2001). Age, regional distribution, and fighting styles of elite mixed martial arts athletes (p. 3). The Sport Journal. https://thesportjournal.org/article/age-regional-distribution-and-fighting-styles-of-elite-mixed-martial-arts-athletes/
Malanum, J. (2022). PSC urges women to join sports as it holds martial arts festival. Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1188030
Manalastas, E. J., & Torre, B. A. (2016). LGBT psychology in the Philippines. Psychology of Sexualities Review , 7 (1), 60-72. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/y2rhfrb6
Matthews, T. R. (2016). Decolonizing transness in sport media: The frames and depictions of transgender athletes in Sports Illustrated (Publication No: 10192461) [Master’s Thesis, Colorado State University] ProQuest.
Mojtahedi, D., Dagnall, N., Denovan, A., Clough, P., Dewhurst, S., Hillier, M., Papageorgiou, K., & Perry, J. (2023). Competition Anxiety in Combat Sports and the Importance of Mental Toughness. Behavioral Sciences, 13(9), 713. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13090713
Naples, N. A., & Gurr, B. (2014). Chapter 2: Feminist empiricism and standpoint theory: Approaches to understanding the social world. In Feminist research practice: A primer, second edition (pp. 14-41). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications.
Nelson, M., Scovel, S., , & Thorpe, H. (2022). Media framings of the transgender athlete as “legitimate controversy”: The case of Laurel Hubbard at the Tokyo Olympics. Communication & Sport (Vol. 0, Issue 0, pp. 1–16). https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795221116884.
Pocaan, J. (2022). THE LGBTQA INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETES’ EXPERIENCES IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES: BASIS FOR AN INSTITUTIONAL INCLUSIVE SPORTS PLAN. In Dalat University Journal of Science (pp. 59–76). Dalat University. https://doi.org/10.37569/dalatuniversity.13.3.1054(2023)
Press, A. (2016). IOC rules transgender athletes can take part in Olympics without surgery. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jan/25/ioc-rules-transgender-athletes-can-take-part-in-olympics-without-surgery
Shang, Y.-T., Liao, C.-M., & Gill, D. L. (2012). Sport Gender Ideology, Past Contact Experiences, and Attitudes toward Sexual Minority Athletes in Taiwan. Asian Women, 28(3), 31-51. https://oak.go.kr/central/journallist/journaldetail.do?article_seq=18523
Tanimoto, Chikako, and Koji Miwa. (2021). Factors Influencing Acceptance of Transgender Athletes. Sport Management Review, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 452–474, https://doi.org/10.1080/14413523.2021.1880771.
Tidmas, V., Halsted, C., Cohen, M. H., & Bottoms, L. (2023). The Participation of Trans Women in Competitive Fencing and Implications on Fairness: A Physiological Perspective Narrative Review. Sports 2023, 11(7), 133–133. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11070133
UNDP & USAID. (2014). Being LGBT in Asia: The Philippines Country Report. 20. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc949211/
Van der Tuin, I. (2016). Feminist Standpoint Theory. The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118663219.wbegss040
Winter, S., Rogando-Sasot, S., & King, M. (2007). Transgendered Women of the Philippines. International Journal of Transgenderism, 10(2), 79–90. https://doi.org/10.1080/15532730802182185
Vega, D. T. R. (2017). Escaping frankenstein: Achieving stealth identity and embodiment through exercise (Order No. 10599321). Available from ProQuest One Academic.(1929217496). Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/escaping-frankenstein-achieving-stealth-identity/docview/1929217496/se-2