This section killed me. Sums up my entire high school experience, even though I did not come out until almost 30.
"Even Sam herself starts to wonder if she’s a gay man, because it would definitely explain the queerness she feels all the time. It would also explain why she feels a kinship to the gay community, even though she’s not gay herself. Alas, she was a boy who exclusively liked girls — it didn’t get much more hetero than that."
Current science actually shows that trans women perform worse than cis women in several categories and identical in others. Which correlates with the fact that in the 20 years that trans women have been allowed to compete in the olympics, not a single one has made it there. It was a small study and needs to be expanded upon, but is still better evidence than what any of the reactionary bans have.
Here's a link to an article that includes a link to the actual study https://www.outsports.com/2024/4/12/24091267/transgender-athletes-study-research-science-sports-governing-bodies/