For Immediate Release: 

DGPT Reiterates Statement on PDGA Transgender Competition Policies 

August 2nd, 2022: This past weekend, Natalie Ryan had a historic victory at Discraft’s Great Lakes Open. Since her win, we have seen an increase in the volume of questions and feedback from the disc golf community on the topic of gender-based divisions and fair play. In an ongoing effort to ensure that all members of our community have clarity on the DGPT’s position on the topic and the current policies in place from the PDGA, we are providing a condensed overview of the status quo. 

What is the current policy on trans players engaging in PDGA competition? 

The PDGA currently follows the most recent version of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) standards surrounding eligibility for play in gender-based divisions. Recently, the IOC published an update to its policy on this topic (1). This update encouraged individual sports to make their own determinations on eligibility based on considerations specific to their sport. Thus, the PDGA has created a sub-committee (2) to review its current standards and make recommendations as to any future changes. Questions and comments regarding this process should be directed to the PDGA. 

How does the DGPT work with the current policy?

We follow all PDGA rules and competition guidelines. These rules currently allow for Natalie and other trans players to compete once they meet the requirements for reclassification. As long as an athlete is in compliance with the PDGA policy on eligibility, they are considered to be eligible for competition at a DGPT event. The DGPT’s internal community guidelines do not sanction harassment, bullying, or any language or action that makes a targeted attack on another person based on their gender identity. There is plenty of room to disagree with the current policy while maintaining respect for the integrity and core humanity of all people involved. We reserve the right to moderate our social space to ensure these guidelines are met. 

The Disc Golf Pro Tour (DGPT) recognizes the validity of the transgender experience. We understand that there is a myriad of opinions across the professional disc golf fanbase regarding transgender athletes engaging in competition. Furthermore, we recognize that there are legitimate concerns about fairness that should be addressed by medical professionals capable of forming appropriate policies. We follow current PDGA guidelines on this topic and…