How Does Framing Shape Public Support for Transgender Exclusion in Elite Sport? - Evidence From a German Survey Experiment

The inclusion of transgender athletes is one of the most contested issues in sport today. Drawing on original survey data from Germany, this study examines how framing, gender, and political values shape public attitudes toward transgender participation in elite sport. Using a vignette-based design and ordered logistic panel regressions, we manipulate inclusion versus fairness framing and examine responses across gender and political orientation. The results indicate that fairness framing tends to increase support for exclusionary regulations relative to inclusion framing, extending prior US-based evidence to Europe. Notably, men are more likely than women to oppose transgender inclusion, and this gender gap is significantly moderated by political values: polarization concentrates among conservative-leaning women, while men’s opposition remains stable regardless of political orientation. The findings point to a value-moderated form of gender polarization. We discuss implications for policy communication and design, sport governing bodies, and future research.