Poll: Most West Virginians Believe Athletes Should Play Sports Based on Biological Sex Not ‘Gender Identity’

Respondents to a poll said they think athletes should participate in sports according to their biological sex and not the sex they want to live as or their “gender identity.”

Sixty five percent of the MetroNews poll respondents said biological sex should determine what team student athletes play on. Twenty-three percent said “transgender” athletes should be allowed to play on sports teams that match their “gender identity.”

MetroNews reported on its poll:

That closely matches the results of a national Gallup poll from earlier this year, which showed that a majority of Americans (62 percent) say trans athletes should only be allowed to play on sports teams that correspond with their sex at birth, while 34 percent said they should be able to play on teams that match their gender identity.

This year, West Virginia joined dozens of states placing restrictions on transgender athletes’ participation on sports teams. The new law defines male and female “based solely on the individual’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” It says “any student aggrieved by a violation of this section may bring an action” against a county board of education or college “alleged to be responsible for the alleged violation” — intended to allow lawsuits over anyone contending a transgender athlete was gaining advantage in sports.

Advocates for the bill said it would protect young female athletes from competing against stronger athletes who were born male. Opponents said the bill is discriminatory, mean-spirited, a likely turnoff for business investment and a possible conflict with competition under the NCAA.

The report noted that the results of the poll were divided along party lines — 81 percent of Republicans sided on the biological sex side while only 48 percent of Democrats agreed.

The poll also found 63 percent of Independents would limit athletes to sports teams that match their sex at birth, 24 percent said athletes should play on teams that match their “gender identity.”

When it comes to biological sex and poll results, 69 percent of men said athletes should play based on biological sex while sixty percent of women agreed.

The poll surveyed 400 registered voters between August 20 and August 25.

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