Latest news with #FionaMcAnena
Boston Globe
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Transgender women banned from women's cricket in England and Wales
The announcement comes a day after transgender athletes were banned from playing on women's soccer teams in England and Scotland by the Football Association. Transgender women were already banned from the top two tiers of elite women's cricket from the start of this year but had been permitted to compete in the women's game at lower levels including recreational cricket. Advertisement No longer. The U.K.'s highest court issued a ruling two weeks ago that defined a woman for anti-discrimination purposes as someone born biologically female. The head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission said after the ruling that transgender women would be excluded from women's toilets, hospital wards and sports teams. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up While the ruling was cheered by some feminist groups, it has been condemned by trans-rights groups who said it would have a broad and detrimental impact on daily life. The issue has been polarizing in the U.K. and beyond, particularly in the United States, where President Donald Trump has signed executive orders to prohibit participation of transgender athletes in sports and to use a rigid definition of the sexes, rather than gender, for federal government purposes. The orders are being challenged in court. Advertisement Reactions to cricket ban Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns at Sex Matters charity, said: 'The ECB's two-tier policy was never coherent. Restricting the top end of the women's game to female-only showed that it understood men's size and strength confer an unfair advantage in women's sport. 'But protecting around 300 women in England and Wales while leaving the other 33,000 female cricketers to face male bowling and batting was indefensible.' A spokesperson for Stonewall, the LGBTQ+ charity, said: 'The recent decisions of sporting bodies to ban trans women from women's sport have been made too soon, before the implications of the Supreme Court's ruling have been worked through by lawyers and politicians or before statutory guidance has been issued. 'It is very disappointing as several of them have been long term and vocal supporters of our Rainbow Laces campaign, advocating for inclusion in sport for all ages and at all levels.'
Irish Daily Mirror
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
UK transgender women planning move to Ireland to continue football career
A number of transgender soccer players are planning to relocate to Ireland to continue their football career following a recent ban introduced by the English Football Association. The FA has introduced new rules which means transgender women will not be able to play competitively at any level following last month's UK Supreme Court verdict. Natalie Washington, a campaigner at Football v Transphobia, said: 'The people I know that are talking about this are saying: 'Well, that's it for football for me.' Read more: Transgender women banned from playing women's football by English FA 'Most people clearly don't feel that they can go and play in the men's game for reasons of safety, for reasons of comfort.' Because of the change in the FA's rules, trans women are now considering coming to play football in Ireland as the FAI deal on the eligibility of a player on a case by case basis. An FAI Spokesperson said: 'The FAI continues to consult with relevant stakeholders on the policy around gender eligibility. 'FIFA is undertaking its own comprehensive review which may influence the development of the FAI's policy. Currently, any query on the eligibility of a player is dealt with on a player-by-player basis, with a clear commitment to assessing all relevant factors in a reasonable and proportionate way.' The FA's change of stance follows a UK Supreme Court ruling which clarified that references to sex in the Equality Act meant biological sex. It has been welcomed by human rights charity Sex Matters as their director of campaigns Fiona McAnena said: 'The FA has had ample evidence of the harms to women and girls caused by its nonsensical policy of letting men who identify as women play in women's teams. 'Every other sporting body now needs to re-establish a genuine women's category, and this shameful period in history will finally be brought to an end.' Now, with the rules changing, some trans women are seeking to play football in Ireland.
News.com.au
01-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Trans women barred from women's football by English, Scottish FAs
Transgender women will no longer be able to play in women's football from June 1, England's governing Football Association announced Thursday. The FA said it had updated its policy following last month's UK Supreme Court ruling regarding the Equality Act. The Scottish Football Association said Thursday it would also implement a similar ban from the start of its 2025/26 season. These new rule changes will apply to all women's football at amateur and professional levels in both countries. The English FA's transgender inclusion policy had been updated just before the Supreme Court ruling, and continued to allow transgender women to play in women's football provided they reduced testosterone levels. Those rule changes gave the FA discretion on whether to allow a trans woman to play, with consideration given to issues of safety and fairness. Now though, the FA has redrawn its policy and barred trans women from the women's game after the Supreme Court, the UK's highest court, ruled the legal definition of a "woman" is based on a person's sex at birth and does not include transgender women who hold a gender recognition certificate. "We understand that this will be difficult for people who simply want to play the game they love in the gender by which they identify, and we are contacting the registered transgender women currently playing to explain the changes and how they can continue to stay involved in the game," the FA said in a statement. In a separate announcement, the SFA said: "As a gender-affected sport, the Scottish FA board has determined that from the start of season 2025/26 only biological females will be permitted to play in competitive girls' and women's football which is governed by the Scottish FA." - 'Fairness and safety' - Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns at the charity Sex Matters, welcomed the ruling at the time, saying it was crucial for fairness and safety. "The judges mentioned fairness in sport," she told Britain's Press Association. "The law was always clear that everyone male can be excluded to provide fair, safe sport for women and girls, but some people claimed it was unkind or complicated to do so. "It's neither of those -- it's essential for fairness and safety for everyone female." Transgender participation has become a hot issue as different sports try to balance inclusivity with ensuring fair competition. International governing bodies in a number of sports including cycling, swimming and athletics have tightened policies to effectively ban transgender competitors, in some cases amid fears of possible legal action should a biological woman be injured by a trans competitor. Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics, has been outspoken about "protecting" the female category. The British track great, a double Olympic 1500 metres champion, made defending women's sport a key plank of his unsuccessful bid to succeed Thomas Bach as president of the International Olympic Committee. In March, World Athletics said it had introduced a cheek swab test to determine if an athlete is biologically female. "It's important to do it because it maintains... not just talking about the integrity of female women's sport, but actually guaranteeing it," said Coe. Meanwhile, Donald Trump's administration has said it will only recognise two sexes, male and female, and the US president signed an executive order seeking to ban transgender athletes from participating in women's sports.
BBC News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Why FA bar transgender women from women football
Transgender women no go fit play women football again for England from 1 June, na wetin di Football Association announce. Dem amend di rules on 11 April, as dem apply strict eligibility criteria for transgender women to kontinu to play for women football for all levels. However, sake of di ruling wey di Supreme Court for UK give on 15 April di legal definition of a woman now dey based on biological sex. Di FA now don scrap di policy and say only di pipo wey dem born biologically as female go dey permitted to play. "Dis subject dey complex , and our position don always be say if a material change for law, science, or di operation of di policy dey for grassroots football den we go review am and change am if necessary," di FA tok. "We understand say dis go dey difficult for pipo wey just wan play di game and dem love di gender wey dem dey identify wit. We don already start to contact di registered transgender women wey dey currently play to explain di changes and how dem fit kontin to stay involved in di game." Di FA tok on Thursday say di transgender women wey dey registered no reach 30 among millions of amateur players. No registered transgender women dey for di professional game across di Home Nations. However, di Scottish FA don ready to follow di FA ruling, dem wan also ban transgender women from women football for Scotland. Sources don tell BBC Sport say dem dem also expect di England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to ban transgender women from di women game. Di ECB bin don dey take legal advice on dia transgender policy sake of di Supreme Court ruling and dem dey expect di board to sanction changes for dia transgender policy for di board meeting on Friday. On Thursday England Netball also change dia guidelines as dem also ban transgender women from dia female category. Wetin be di former FA policy? Under di amended rules wey dem announce on 11 April, di FA say transgender women fit kontinu to participate for women football if dem meet certain condition. Dem get to prove thru medical records say dia testosterone levels dey below prescribed levels for at least di past 12 months, and provide a record of hormone therapy and an annual review of treatment. A new formal process, wey go involve "match observation" by FA official, go give di FA "ultimate discretion" on a case-by-case basis. How pipo dey react to dis announcement Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns for human rights charity Sex Matters, say di ruling dey "overdue" and say di previous policy dey "nonsensical". Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies, wey dey also tok about di issue of transgender women for women sport, tok on X: "Dis na great news for di safety and fairness of all our girls and women in football. Dem bin no suppose allow am in di first place. Now evri sport must follow suit." Campaign group Women's Rights Network say: "We dey happy say di FA don finally seen di light. But e no suppose fight so hard to get here." Wen dem ask Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wetin im bin tink about transgender women ban from women sport, im tok-tok pesin say di goment always "dey clear say biology dey important wen e come to women's sport and say make evribody dey compliant wit di law". Im say di goment go "kontinu to work to make sure say women and girls across di kontri fit enjoy sports and we go continue to support bodies to protect di integrity, safety and fairness of di game". Im say na di responsibility of sporting bodies to set dia own rules. Natalie Washington, campaign lead for Football vs Transphobia, say transgender women dey likely to give up football now. "Di pipo I know wey dey tok about dis dey tok say, 'Well, e don end for football for me'," she tok. "Most pipo clearly no feel say dem fit go play for di men's game for reasons of safety, for reasons of comfort." Lord David Triesman, former chairman of di FA, say "consequences for di most senior FA officers" wey bin take di decision to allow transgender women play women's football suppose dey. "Di FA don finally see sense. E for be di highest foolishness to disregard di Supreme Court," im tok. Anti-discrimination group Kick it Out say: "Now na di time to show solidarity wit di trans community and remind oursefs say football dey bring pipo togeda and na a space for belonging, connection, and joy evritime. "Di recent Supreme Court ruling and di FA decision to change dia policy go get far-reaching consequences, not only for di pipo we dey support but for our friends, families, team-mates and wider communities. "Transphobic abuse - on di pitch, for di stands and online - dey real and e dey rise." What about other sports? Di FA na di first major governing sporting body to amend dia transgender eligibility criteria sake of di Supreme Court ruling. Di Ultimate Pool Group (UPG) - di professional body for eight-ball pool - bin ban transgender women from dia female category last month. Oda governing bodies, including di World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), dey reassess dia transgender eligibility criteria. Athletics, cycling and aquatics don implement outright bans on transgender women wey dey participate for women's events. For 2022 British Triathlon becom di first British sporting body to establish an open category wia transgender athletes fit compete. Dis year di ECB bin ban transgender women from elite domestic cricket. Di ruling mean say any player wey bin don go thru male puberty no go fit feature for di top two tiers of di women's game, but say transgender women still dey eligible fto play from di third tier and below. However, di ECB dey expected to follow di FA ruling by banning transgender women from all levels of di women's game. England Netball new guidelines, wey go apply from 1 September, recognise three distinct gender participation categories: female, male and mixed. Di female category go be "exclusively for players born female, irrespective of dia gender identity", while mixed netball go "serve as di sport inclusive category, wey go allow players to complete under di gender wey dem dey identify wit". 'FA bin no get choice' - analysis BBC sports editor Dan Roan Di FA don begin do tok-tok wit di 28 transgender women wey dey registered for England wey di policy change go affect as dem dey try to find ways wey dem fit still dey involved for di sport. In recent years, governing bodies of oda sports, like rugby and hockey, bin introduce tough gender policies, wey add to di pressure on football to follow suit. Senior officials insist say dem neva take any ideological position on wetin dem dey see as a complicated issue, and dia task na to always provide as many opportunities to play to as many pipo as possible. But di fact say dem need to do U-turn on di transgender eligibility policy wey dem bin update only three weeks ago no go dey too good. Di FA reject suggestions say dem bow to pressure, wit di claim say dem bin no get any choice to amend dia approach yet again becos dia lawyers bin conclude ay di subsequent Supreme Court ruling last month bin make dem vulnerable to potential legal claims from some biologically female players. But di fact say dem don follow suit go dey welcomed by di pipo wey bin feel say dia previous stance na unsatisfactory attempt to compromise between competing rights and freedoms - one wey di critics bin feel say no get clear direction, wey create unclear and impractical guidelines and e potentially compromise di fairness on female players and safety as a result. Supporters of di trans community no go dey happy sake of wetin dem see as an unnecessary, exclusionary and discriminatory policy wey dey risk further marginalisation of a small number of pipo from di sport wey dem love.
Powys County Times
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Cricket set to follow football in banning transgender women from female events
English cricket is set to join football in banning transgender women from its female competitions, the PA news agency understands. Trans women have been banned from the top two tiers of elite women's cricket since the start of this year, but they are currently permitted to compete in the women's game up to and including tier three of the domestic game and throughout recreational cricket. However, it is understood that is about to change, with directors of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) meeting on Friday to discuss legal advice they have received in the wake of a UK Supreme Court ruling last month. Earlier on Thursday the English and Scottish Football Associations set out changes to their policies in the light of the ruling, which clarified that references to sex in the Equality Act meant biological sex. Both associations had previously allowed trans women to compete against and alongside biological women, provided they reduced testosterone levels. Fiona McAnena, the director of campaigns at human rights charity Sex Matters, said football's decision was 'welcome and long overdue'. On cricket, she said: 'The ECB's two-tier policy was an abomination – fairness for a few hundred women in the elite game and unfairness for the tens of thousands playing at a lower level. 'After the Supreme Court ruling, this was clearly untenable. It was way past time that the ECB came into line and stopped prioritising a few men's identity claims over fairness for all women.' The ECB declined to comment. — The FA (@FA) May 1, 2025 In confirming that trans women would no longer be able to play in women's football in England from June 1, the English FA said: 'We understand that this will be difficult for people who simply want to play the game they love in the gender by which they identify and we are contacting the registered transgender women currently playing to explain the changes and how they can continue to stay involved in the game.' PA understands one avenue that may be explored is an expansion of mixed inclusive football, where the FA is currently running a pilot scheme, but that too will not be without its challenges. A Supreme Court ruling handed down on April 16 clarified some of the terms used in the Equality Act. Within that, the court ruled that Section 195 of the Act, which allows the lawful exclusion of athletes from gender-affected sports based on sex, was 'plainly predicated on biological sex' rather than certificated sex. Only a small number of transgender women – around 20 – have been able to play in the English grassroots game this season. Natalie Washington, a campaigner with Football v Transphobia, is concerned trans women could now turn their back on the game. She told PA: 'The people I know that are talking about this are saying, 'Well, that's it for football for me'. 'Most people clearly don't feel that they can go and play in the men's game for reasons of safety, for reasons of comfort. 'I know the FA have made some sort of overtures to say that there are routes for people to stay in the game. But I don't see that too many of those are terribly practicable for most people.' FIFA's transgender inclusion policy has been under review for a number of years. The sport's global governing body has been contacted for comment following Thursday's announcements from the English and Scottish FAs. England Netball also announced on Thursday that its female category will be exclusively for players born female irrespective of their gender identity, although the governing body stressed its policy change was not linked to the Supreme Court ruling. England Netball will recognise three distinct gender participation categories – female netball, male netball and mixed netball. The mixed category will allow players to compete under the gender with which they identify. The policy changes in netball come into effect from September and will apply to all players aged 12 and over. Pool updated its transgender policy last month after a legal challenge in that sport led to the commissioning of a report which found it was a gender-affected sport.
