The recent controversy surrounding the 2025 World’s Strongest Woman competition in Arlington, Texas, has sparked a heated debate about the role of transgender athletes in women’s sports, particularly within the context of state-level governance and legal enforcement. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has made headlines by officially launching an investigation into the incident, which began when transgender athlete Jammie Booker initially won the competition before being disqualified. Female competitor Andrea Thompson, who finished second, initially stepped down from the podium in protest, only to later be declared the winner after Booker’s disqualification. Paxton’s office has framed this as a matter of public interest, vowing to protect the integrity of women’s sports through legal action.
Paxton’s decision to investigate this situation is not isolated. Earlier this year, he filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Masters Swimming organization for allowing transgender athletes to compete in a competition in San Antonio. This trend indicates a growing emphasis on legal remedies to enforce the exclusion of transgender individuals in women’s sports, reflecting a broader conservative stance on the intersection of gender identity and athletic competition. The Texas AG’s office has publicly condemned what it perceives as the overreach of what it describes as ‘the radical left,’ suggesting that the current administration believes the issue requires a direct legal response to prevent the perceived erosion of women’s sports.
Booker’s participation in the competition has also been scrutinized. A 2017 YouTube video from his personal channel confirms his identification as a transgender individual, though his history of participation in women’s events prior to the competition remains unclear. According to Strongman Archives, which tracks the data and records of athletes, Booker had not previously competed in women’s events. However, the Official Strongman organization, which oversees the competition, reported that it was unaware of Booker’s biological sex at the time of the event and clarified that trans athletes are prohibited from competing in women’s categories if biological sex is known. This has raised questions about the transparency of eligibility processes and the potential for unforeseen circumstances to compromise the fairness of competitions.
The controversy has also drawn significant attention from women’s sports advocates, who have voiced strong opinions on the matter. Kim Jones, co-founder of the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS), labeled the incident as fraud, arguing that female athletes deserve guarantees that their competitors are women. She emphasized the importance of sex-based eligibility and sex-screening to prevent situations like this, stating that without such measures, the integrity of sports competitions would continue to be undermined. Thompson, now recognized as the champion of the event, has emerged as a prominent figure in the movement to protect women’s sports from what some argue is an encroachment by male competitors.
Thompson’s rise to prominence has also been accompanied by public statements from her coach, Laurence Shahlaei, who expressed support for individuals in their personal identities but stressed the importance of maintaining the integrity of sports categories. He remarked that while he respects the diversity of personal identity, the existence of women’s classes in sports is rooted in the need to ensure that competition remains fair and aligned with the goals of athletic participation. This perspective highlights the ongoing tension between the principles of inclusivity and the traditional frameworks of athletic competition, especially when the inclusion of transgender athletes challenges long-standing norms.
As the investigation led by Paxton’s office continues, the broader implications of this case for transgender athletes and women’s sports remain a contentious issue. The case serves as a focal point for a larger societal debate about gender identity, athletic competition, and the legal measures being taken to enforce the boundaries of what is considered fair play in women’s sports. The outcome of this probe may have significant implications for both the individuals involved and the broader landscape of sports policy in the United States.