What are some barriers trans weightlifters face?

Aside from the obvious spread of right-wing legislation in the US targeting trans people in sports, fitness as an industry and practice, creates many barriers to entry for trans people. From gendered locker rooms, to the toxicity of weight-lifting culture, to the bioessentialism of many competitive sports — there’s no shortage of ways gyms and fitness institutions exclude trans people, intentionally or not.

“So many of us face employment discrimination,” Rock says. “Transitioning is expensive, saving for surgery, recovering from surgery, buying binders and tucking panties, and all of that kind of stuff adds up.” 

“I always call on fitness and wellness spaces to consider—if you have equity in your mission, if you want more trans people in your gym and you charge $300 a day for a membership, it’s just not going to happen. And so, how do we increase access to some of the folks who are most deserving of these moments of wellness, and safety, and care?”

What are some medical concerns trans people might face in strength training?

Of course, trans people sustaining a joyful relationship with any kind of fitness is often beholden to their medical needs and where they may be in their transition.

Though not all trans people medically transition, those who do often have specific and ever-changing medical needs. “One of the biggest issues that I consistently see through my practice is from scar tissue and its effect on tissue mobility,” says Taylor Hatcher, sports medicine massage therapist and coach at Living Wellness Center. “I think it’s important to have an active flexibility and mobility routine. For your chest, your lats, your triceps, your biceps, your neck muscles, your spine.” This is just one way gender-affirming care could affect your fitness or movement needs. 

“For folks who don’t have access to adequate gender-affirming medical care, modifying the body to align with one’s gender truth through movement and food can also be life-sustaining,” says Parker. However, he adds that it’s also a layered connection because this can easily lead to a disordered relationship with food and exercise. 

Trans people experience higher rates of eating disorders and exercise addiction more than any other group of people; current research indicates that trans folks have a two to four times higher rate of eating disorders than the white, 20-something cisgender women who were previously believed to have the highest rate of EDs. “It is important to recognize that eating disorders and exercise addiction are serious, life-threatening mental illnesses that require compassionate, knowledgeable, care that is rooted in harm reduction,” Parker adds. 

Hormone replacement therapy can also affect how one experiences the gym altogether as well. Trans masculine individuals can experience rapid muscle growth and increased strength (in addition to increased risk for injury), while trans femmes can face a loss of motivation to go to the gym or slowed increase in muscle mass. Navigating this usually requires a trusted doctor’s advice, and ideally some kind of community resource or community to gain the same solidarity cis people are so easily afforded.