transgender athletes have soared in recent years, with many conservatives arguing that transgender women competing in all-female leagues allows for an unfair advantage against biological girls and women.Hailey Davidson kicked off the second stage of LPGA qualifying on Tuesday with a round of 78, against the backdrop of growing controversy.Reports surfaced that 275 female golfers had signed a letter calling on the LPGA, U.S.
Golf Association (USGA), and International Golf Federation to reconsider and repeal policies that allow individuals assigned male at birth to compete in women's competitions.Current regulations permit transgender athletes to participate if they have undergone gender-affirming surgery postpuberty and maintain hormone levels that meet specific criteria.Here Newsweek has detailed everything you need to know about Davidson and the current controversy surrounding her.Newsweek contacted Davidson via Instagram for comment on Wednesday.Hailey Davidson is a professional golfer and one of the first openly transgender women to compete in high-level women's golf tournaments in the U.S.
She began her transition in 2015, meeting the hormone requirements set by the LPGA and USGA for transgender athletes to participate in women's competitions.Davidson made headlines in 2021 when she became the first openly transgender woman to win a professional women's mini-tour event, sparking debates on the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports.
While some argue that transgender athletes retain physical advantages after male puberty, others support Davidson's right to compete under the current guidelines, which regulate hormone levels and other factors.In a March Instagram post, Davidson said the LPGA and U.S.