LPGA Implements New Gender Policy for Fair Play

The LPGA has updated its gender policy to exclude players assigned male at birth who have experienced male puberty from elite competitions, starting in the 2025 season. The policy aims to preserve fairness and equity while being informed by top experts in various fields.

The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) has announced a significant update to its gender policy, effectively barring players assigned male at birth who have undergone male puberty from competing in elite tournaments. The regulation will come into effect starting the 2025 season and will cover the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, and Ladies European Tour, among other top-tier competitions.

LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan stated that the policy reflects an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach. The aim is to maintain fairness and competitive equity while ensuring that all individuals feel welcome within the organization. This policy was developed with input from a working group comprising experts in medicine, science, sports physiology, golf performance, and gender policy law.

The advisory group concluded that male puberty can confer competitive advantages over those who have not experienced it. Thus, athletes in this category must meet specific criteria, including testosterone levels below a certain threshold, to participate. The policy sees fallout for some, like transgender golfer Hailey Davidson, who labeled her exclusion from the Epson Tour events as a result of 'silence' from the community, echoing broader shifts in sports governance over the inclusion of transgender athletes in recent years.

(With inputs from agencies.)