This is a risky book about a touchy topic. I plowed through it pretty slow to be honest. Thank you to Net Galley for this advanced copy.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me an advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

Fair Play by Katie Barnes is a groundbreaking work that delves into the often-misunderstood intersection of gender, sports, and politics. As a debut author, Barnes has managed to create an electrifying narrative that demands to be read by anyone interested in the ongoing debates about gender identity in sports. This book is not just a conversation starter; it is a catalyst for change and a beacon of understanding in the evolving landscape of gender politics.

Through masterful storytelling and in-depth reporting, Barnes explores the complex science of sex and gender. They present a seamless narrative that blends historical context, personal stories, and current debates, making it an enlightening read for all. Fair Play is not only a chronicle of milestones and achievements but also a testament to the relentless struggle for equality and fairness in women's sports.

What makes Fair Play stand out is its balanced approach towards the complexities and controversies surrounding this topic. Barnes acknowledges the challenges and proposes inclusive solutions that seek to preserve opportunities for all athletes. They highlight the stories of transgender and intersex athletes who are at the forefront of a cultural and legal battle, challenging the traditional binary view of gender in sports.

This book compels readers to rethink their preconceived notions and engage in a more informed and empathetic discussion about gender diversity in sports. In a world where gender fluidity is increasingly recognized but still fiercely debated, Fair Play emerges as a crucial guide to understanding and navigating these discussions.

Barnes's work is a triumph of journalism, combining rigorous research with compelling storytelling. Their inclusion of nuanced views and acknowledgement of challenges enhances the richness of the book's semantic features. The reader will appreciate the insights gained in reading Fair Play and become more understanding and inclusive, not only in sports but in society as a whole.

Thank you so much to St-Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy in digital and print formats in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

It's impossible for me to review this publicly unfortunately given I'd be sucked it in to culture war stuff I can't afford to be. It's a fair and balanced attempt to discuss gender issues in sport but becuase it starts from a particular ideological position it is difficult to remain objective.

Really interesting read for sure. I feel like I learned a lot from this book and I am not even that interested in sports in general.

Fair Play is an investigate history and discussion on gendered sports, and how transgender people fit into the rigid binary of the athletic system. This topic garners intense discussion from all perspectives, often from people who have no vested interest in sports but rather in transgender rights, whether for or against. As a trans person who reads and writes fiction books about trans athletes, this is a regular topic of my reading. Barnes does a phenomenal job addressing the many nuances of the topic, especially emphasizing the difference in regulating professional athletes versus children and/or recreational sports.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for information on the topic, and I look forward to recommending this title to inquiring patrons.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing a copy for advanced review.

"Whether we realize it or not, our sports are coded, laden with allusions to gender and sexuality in ways that are fundamental to our collective understanding of both athletics and gender."

In Fair Play, Barnes takes a nuanced look at gender identity in sports, at all levels, from the Olympics to youth leagues. She breaks down this complex topic into very readable material and gives a thorough historical context of how the gender debate in sports has evolved and the policies that have been created along the way. Barnes is an award winning nonbinary sports journalist and she clearly knows her stuff. Her voice is a very important one in this arena.

What is it like to be nonbinary and play sports? How do restrictions affect young transgender athletes? Barnes includes interviews with real queer and trans athletes from all levels and gives first hand accounts of their experiences.

This is definitely a worthwhile read and sparks a lot of discussion. Even if you aren’t a big sports fan, there is a lot of relevant information here that can be applied to other areas as well.

I was excited to read this book. I know that gender in sports, particularly transgender people in sports, is a big topic in our society right now, but I didn’t know a lot about the arguments on each side of the debate. I like that they author shares both sides of the argument. I also like that they stress that theirs is a not a simple, one size fits all solution to this issue. I like the stories about different athletes. I was shocked at how few studies have been done on transgender athletes. I really enjoyed this book and felt that it was well-rounded and concise with great examples.

This was such a great book to read! I know I will be turning back to it many times in the future. I love how the author challenges readers to view all the sides when considering the complex study of gender and sports on all skill levels.

I went into this book with moderate exceptions since this can be such a controversial topic. Instead, I found a well researched book that helped fill me in on some of the gaps that I didn't know I needed to be filled in on.

I highly recommend this book - I do think you have to have some sort of sports in your life to really enjoy it though.

Katie Barnes is an award-winning ESPN journalist who has been covering gender in sports for years, and it shows. This book is so well-researched and covers a breadth of topics from the history of women's sports to today's 'debate' about transgender youth in sports. Katie digs into the science of transgender athletes, something I think very few people are well-versed on (myself included!). I learned so much while reading this, though at points I had to put it down because of how hard it was to read about the kids who were excluded from activities they loved or who thought they had to choose between their passions and being who they truly are.

I'm thankful I was able to educate myself through this book, and appreciated Katie's insights on a variety of topics. They bring up the especially poignant point that sports aren't really fair to begin with -- some people are naturally taller and faster, some have genetic advantages (looking at you, Michael Phelps), some have the money to pay for expensive equipment and private tutors. But nobody is complaining about these advantages -- so why target trans women specifically? Personally, I find it to be an extension of the misogyny women's sports already have to deal with.

Regardless of your position, I think Katie does an excellent job of sticking to the facts and interviewing people on 'both sides.' They are able to empathize with the fact that some of the people in favor of restrictions for youth are really trying to defend women's sports. This isn't necessarily a clear cut debate and everyone is happy to cherry-pick the facts that support their side. Katie is willing to show that the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

I'm going to be raving about this book to everyone for a long time. It provides a context much needed in today's political climate and I hope that it will be able to reach the audiences who need it.

I think when reading and reviewing a non fiction book, you have to look at the thought and research put into the subject matter to "rate" it. Fair Play written by Katie Barnes was a true testimony to a well researched book that included arguments and articles taken from many sources to help push the author's intent forward.

I'm a sports gal and I've loved sports my whole life. My mom instilled that in me when "forcing" us kids to watch football every Sunday. But then that trickled over to so many other sports. But where were the women? Where were the professional sports for them besides the Olympics every 4 years (that was the schedule for the Olympics back when I was growing up).

Katie Barnes starts out their book focusing on women, title IX and how far we've come and have yet to go when we are talking about women and sports. I think to truly appreciate this book, you have to be a lover of sports. From there, they take the book that they've written about gender and sports and unraveled the debate of LGBTQ+ and their inclusion from when they are children, to college, to the professional level. I honestly wasn't sure where I stood on the debate, but that also was because I wasn't educated enough to make an informed decision. Barnes includes a plethora of articles, interviews and a deep research into this subject matter that will continuously evolve from when they started the book to many years down the road. There is science to back this book and there is personal opinion. No matter what side you stand on, I think Katie Barnes gave us a good look and arguments for the reader to not only inform us, but also to show their passion on the subject that has become a heated debate countrywide.

This book challenges its readers to look at all the sides when considering the complex study of gender, sports and the inclusion of trans and nonbinary athletes on all levels. I feel like I have a deeper understanding because of this book and how they broke down the content that made it easy to understand and grasp. Along with Barnes personal experience, I believe this is a book that should be required reading for the sports world. Thank you to St Martin's Press for my early copy.

As someone who loves learning more about women's sports as well as the world of LGBTQ+ athletes, this book was very insightful and I learned a lot about it. There were so many things that I didn't know or things that have always been left out histories about women's sports as well as LGBTQ+ sports. Definitely recommend reading it if you want to learn more.

A rarity for me, a nonfiction book 😍 I picked this up to educate myself on a topic I knew little about. Thank you st martins press for the finished copy.

Written by an award winning LGBTQ+ sports journalist, Fair Play starts off discussing how sports are coded and the history of women's sports. From there gender norm stereotypes and homophobia are discussed, and then on to biology and science.

The disparity between men's and women's sports made me so a n g r y. Reading about the barriers women's teams have and even what the men's teams vs. the women's teams were allowed to do during covid-19 was infuriating. The section on sex verification testing made my blood boil.

I dunno man. This book made me mad. We can do better than this, can't we? I'm sorry to anyone that received an unhinged voice note from me at 2 AM. Fair Play honestly blew my mind.

The only con I can think of is I'm not a sports person, so I did not understand any of the many (many) acronyms that were tossed around.

Thank you Netgalley for ARC. Lots to think about after reading. So much history of gender issues within sports, didn’t realize the history of it all.

Thank you St Martin's for my gifted copy! I really enjoyed the thoughtful exploration that Katie Barnes offers in Fair Play, it is well researched, easy to engage with, and covers what to me are valuable and needed insights into gender, including transgender themes, and sports. These are topics that deserve, and require, a nuanced discussion and an openness to having a dialogue and Barnes' book is a welcome discussion starter. I am excited to use some of these chapters in a class I teach on adolescent identity as I think the material offers a niche perspective that students will appreciate.

Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates by Katie Barnes is one of the best books I’ve read all year. Incredibly readable and accessible, enlightening accounts of the history of gender in sports, special attention to the people under the policies. Katie Barnes is a non-binary ESPN writer!?! So it also introduces a wonderful voice to look to in sports journalism! I could go on and on. Must read for everyone, but especially anyone who has any interest in this topic and is looking for a really well explained breakdown. I have often felt like the people most harmed by these policies are somehow always absent from these discussions. Barnes does a beautiful job of giving these people a voice in this book. I would even go as far to say this feels like essential reading for any discussion in the “gender question” when it pertains to sports. I can’t say enough how impressed I was with not just the quality of the work but the depth and accessibility that this book provides. This was incredibly easy to read, and I feel like it can only lead to more worthwhile discussions of the topic.

I feel like this is without a doubt in my top 5 non-fiction of the year. I’ll never run out of good things to say, but you should definitely find a way to read this book! Request it from your library as well, even if you buy it personally, that’s how important I think this is. Especially when our fight feels so dire right now. I honestly think anyone could read this and take anyway something worthwhile.

Fair Play by Katie Barnes is an insightful look at the history of women’s sports and the controversy surrounding trans athletes by a leading LGBTQ+ sports journalist.
I enjoyed reading this book more than I originally thought.
This book was expertly written. It is so easy to visualize what Katie is describing.
I personally loved reading about the history of women who play sports as well as queer and trans.
It was interesting to read about the policies and how they came about.
I feel that this is such an important book to read for anyone wanting to be better informed and understanding about this subject.
This book, this simple honest read, was so much more to me.
I was truly inspired by this book, and know that you too can be yourself, out loud and proud.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Although this book is prefaced as a look at women sports that is only because it is really a book about transgendered people and their plight to play in or compete in the sport they love. As a mother of an LGBT person I read a lot about their struggles and although I look so forward to reading this book I have no tolerance for those who have no tolerance for others and that includes the author of this book who thinks gender identity is ridiculous and that is her words not mine. I really enjoyed the few chapters on the history of women sports. I I really wanted to know more about the controversy about those transitioning from male to female and then competing on women’s teams and how they can potentially and do in some cases get scholarships that others believe were meant for cis females. Because of that opinion I wanted to learn why it was OK for someone born male to compete with naturally born females if someone takes asterton does that change their DNA identifier and or does it medically make them more female and male but unfortunately none of these questions were answered this is another nonfiction book where the author had her opinion set in stone and wanted to convey that to the reader and nothing else. She says in the first chapter that males are physically different from females but then goes on chapter after chapter talking about how people are against transgender athletes playing on teams with naturally born females and I am not saying this is wrong or right I just wish The author would have given more evidence to explain why this shouldn’t be a discussion at all. Instead she just wrote to reinforce her own opinion unfortunately the only thing I learned from reading Fair Play by Katie Barnes it’s more sports history. I wish when people in the community write books like this they would give us more facts and less rehashing of the old controversies. For the most part I enjoyed the book I found some things the author said problematic because even though I am sure she is against generalizing she is not against doing it herself. I am really against people expecting a level of respect that they’re not willing to give but having said that we live and we learn and as far as sports history goes I would definitely recommend this book that talks about title IX the fight for women to be able to play sports at all and so there are many positives I just wanted to point out a few negatives. I want to thank Saint martins gross and net galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

This is one of the best nonfiction books I've read in a long time. You have to be interested in the subject matter, but if you are, no matter what side of the issue you're on, this book provides SO many examples and so much context to the topic of gender in sports and the history of inclusion/exclusion of transgender and nonbinary athletes. It could have easily come off as textbook-y with how much history is included, but the author's passion helped keep it personal and relevant to the actual individuals involved in the situations discussed and I really enjoyed it. I'm hopeful this book will help to inform and shape inclusion within sports and the ongoing gender debate in the future. Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!