On Friday during the Music City Open in Nashville, disc golfer Abbie Wilson walked off the course in protest, refusing to compete against a transgender woman who was playing in the women’s division. In a video widely shared on social media, Wilson declared, “Females must be protected in our division; this is unfair. I refuse to play.”
Her actions were quickly amplified by conservative media outlets and anti-transgender influencers who lauded her as standing up for “fairness” in women’s sports. But as the discourse exploded online, a critical fact has gone largely overlooked: there has been no official confirmation that a transgender woman was actually participating in the event.
However, amid the wave of social media outrage, a key point was largely ignored: both Wilson and many of her supporters appear to have overlooked the Professional Disc Golf Association’s (PDGA) clear and public policy on gender-based division eligibility.
According to the PDGA’s official Gender-Based Division Eligibility Policy, transgender women are permitted to compete in the women’s division if they meet specific medical and legal criteria. These include:
- Legal documentation confirming their gender,
- At least 12 months of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to align testosterone levels with those typically observed in cisgender women,
- Adherence to therapeutic use exemption (TUE) processes when applicable.
These policies are consistent with guidelines adopted across many professional sports and are designed to balance inclusion with competitive integrity. Any transgender woman competing in the PDGA’s Female Protected divisions must have followed these rules to be eligible.
Despite these regulations being publicly available on the PDGA website, online discourse surrounding the event largely ignored them. Many of Wilson’s supporters misgendered the player in question and repeated misinformation suggesting that any man could simply “identify” as a woman to compete—a claim directly contradicted by PDGA policy.
The event has reignited national debate around transgender athletes in sports, particularly women’s divisions, and has become another flashpoint in the ongoing cultural and political battles over gender identity and inclusion. For transgender athletes and their supporters, it’s another example of how public perception often disregards established rules and the lived realities of trans competitors.
As of now, the PDGA has not released a formal statement on the incident. There is also no indication that Wilson reviewed or acknowledged the league’s policy before walking off the course.
For transgender individuals, their families, and allies, this moment is a reminder that while conversations about fairness in sports are valid, they must be grounded in facts—not fear or misinformation. Trans athletes who meet eligibility criteria should be treated with the same respect afforded to any other competitor.
At TransVitae, we will continue reporting on these issues with clarity, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to truth—because trans lives and voices belong on every field, every stage, and yes, every course.
