This Is Not a Test

The WTA recently announced that it will require all athletes who wish to compete to undergo a genetic cheek swab test to “prove” they are indeed a woman. This follows the IOC’s policy announcement from earlier this year, which itself followed a Trump executive order ahead of the 2028 Olympics. It exists within the larger context of anti-trans legislation and the inescapable language of “protection.” We spend the first half of the episode trying to understand the policy and what has prompted it; the historic context; the broader movement to bar trans women from women’s sport and, in some cases, to delegitimize trans identity altogether; and what the current science tells us. Later, we attempt to decipher the barely-followable PTPA infighting and who’s fighting for what. We also touch on some tennis results, wedding season, a doping story and a match fixing story, and finally the recently announced US Open mixed doubles pairings. 02:00 The WTA’s newest “Women’s Eligibility Policy” 08:45 What happens when someone’s gender becomes a matter of public speculation 24:30 What the current science tells us 31:00 Will the real PTPA please stand up? 39:10 A lesbian wedding! 46:05 Facundo Bagnis: before he speaks his vitamins bespoke 50:25 Speeding through recent results 56:25 US Open mixed doubles teams: subject to change (hopefully)