“She Shoots, He Scores!”: Transgender Disclosure and the Politics of Women’s Ice Hockey

Abstract

This article examines the news coverage of transgender hockey players Harrison Browne and Jessica Platt. Using textual and discourse analysis, I explore the dominant themes present in this coverage and how they represent both Browne and Platt. A key finding is that the disclosures of Browne and Platt are informed by and inform the gender politics of women’s hockey. I argue that this coverage does not ultimately challenge the problem of gender segregation in sports as both athletes are reinscribed into the gender binary. However, the coverage represents a potential paradigm shift in how to humanize and empower transgender people when our bodies are talked about in public discourse. Exploratory and balanced news coverage offers a much better way forward than demonizing transgender athletes who are just trying to compete.