The Perils Of Athletic Transgendering

Ever wonder what the rules are for transgender athletes? Well, we didn't either, but hey, it's a slow news day: Slate has a helpful primer on transgender golfers. (Hey, shush you: Phil Mickelson doesn't count.) Apparently, you have to wait two years after your reassignment to compete professionally — thankfully for those of us who love Baseball Prospectus' transaction report, Web baseball journalists have no such waiting period — and estrogen is anything but a performance enhancer.

Studies show that male-to-female transsexuals lose much of their former muscle mass, which minimizes or eliminates any built-in power advantage they might have because of their genetic sex. Their body fat redistributes into typical female patterns, with pads forming at the hips and breasts.

This is why no one will sign Rodman, by the way.

Different Strokes [Slate]