Supermajority of Americans think transgender athletes should compete against same biological gender

A growing majority of Americans believe transgender athletes should compete against athletes of the same biological gender, according to recent polling by Gallup.

According a Gallup survey this month, 69% of Americans believe transgender athletes should play on sports teams that match their biological gender while 26% of Americans believe transgender athletes should play on teams that align with the gender they identify with.

The percentage of Americans who believe transgender athletes should compete against athletes with the same biological gender has increased in the past two years, according to Gallup.

In 2021, the poll showed that 62% of Americans believe transgender athletes should be able to compete on sports teams that match their biological gender while 34% believed transgender athletes should compete on teams that correspond with the gender they identify as.

This year's poll also revealed that about 93% of Republicans, 48% of Democrats and 67% independents believed transgender athletes should only compete on sports teams that match their biological gender, increasing seven points for Republicans and Democrats and four points for independents.

Allowing transgender athletes to play on a team of the gender they identify as, lost support among people who know a transgender person, with about 64% believing they should play on a team that matches their biological gender. About 72% of people who don’t know a transgender person agreed with the statement. Both percentages have increased since 2021.

The Biden administration proposed new Title IX regulations on transgender students in schools, stating no school or college that receives federal funding would be allowed to implement a "one-size-fits-all" policy that categorically bans transgender students from competing on sports teams consistent with their gender identity.

The Republican backed "Save Women’s Sports" legislation passed in the House with zero votes from Democrats. Republicans say the bill is an attempt to spare women and girls from having to compete against transgender athletes – biological males who can sometimes dominate these sports and prevent some female athletes from making the team, according to Fox News. 

Several Democrats argued the bill is an extension of the bullying that transgender students are already facing at school, and President Joe Biden has said he would veto the bill.