Latest news with #NatalieWashington
The Hindu
02-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Trans women could face challenges in men's game: British trans woman player Natalie Washington
Natalie Washington, a British transgender woman who plays women's football, said the Football Association's move to ban trans women from the sport could force many transgender women out of football completely. Washington, who is also the campaign lead for the group Football v Transphobia, said returning to men's football would be potentially unsafe and mentally challenging. Transgender women will be banned from playing in women's football in England from June 1 after the FA changed its policy following a UK Supreme Court ruling that only biological women met the legal definition of a woman under equality laws. The governing body said they were in the process of contacting registered transgender women currently playing in England to explain the changes and how they can continue to stay involved in the game. The Scottish Football Association has also banned transgender women from women's football. Washington, one of around 28 trans women registered to play amateur football in England, told the BBC the policy change was shocking. ALSO READ: England to host Andorra in FIFA World Cup Qualifier at Villa Park 'It is a de facto ban for transgender women from football more generally, realistically, particularly people who have been playing in women's football for decades,' the 41-year-old said in an interview on Thursday. 'It's going to be very mentally challenging and potentially physically dangerous for those people to go back and play in the men's game - if they ever even did play in the men's game. 'So, really, this is pushing those people out of football altogether.' Washington, who has undergone genital reconstruction surgery, previously played in a men's league but joined a women's team in 2017, the BBC said. 'I didn't feel it was a safe place to transition,' she said of men's football. 'The effect that hormones have had means when I do play an occasional five-a-side kickabout with men, I don't feel like I can compete with men my sort of age and with similar physical characteristics.' The FA had allowed transgender women to play in the women's game as long as they kept their testosterone levels below 5 nanomoles per litre (n/mol) for at least 12 months. Former chairman of the FA, David Triesman, told local media there should be 'consequences for the most senior FA officers' who took the decision to previously allow transgender women in women's football. 'The FA has finally seen sense. It would have been the utmost foolishness to disregard the Supreme Court,' he said. Related Topics FA
Reuters
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Trans women could face challenges in men's game, says British trans woman player
May 2 (Reuters) - Natalie Washington, a British transgender woman who plays women's football, said the Football Association's move to ban trans women from the sport could force many transgender women out of football completely. Washington, who is also the campaign lead for the group Football v Transphobia, said returning to men's football would be potentially unsafe and mentally challenging. The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here. Transgender women will be banned from playing in women's soccer in England from June 1 after the FA changed its policy following a UK Supreme Court ruling that only biological women met the legal definition of a woman under equality laws. The governing body said they were in the process of contacting registered transgender women currently playing in England to explain the changes and how they can continue to stay involved in the game. The Scottish FA has also banned transgender women from women's football. Washington, one of around 28 trans women registered to play amateur football in England, told the BBC the policy change was shocking. "It is a de facto ban for transgender women from football more generally, realistically, particularly people who have been playing in women's football for decades," the 41-year-old said in an interview on Thursday. "It's going to be very mentally challenging and actually potentially physically dangerous for those people to go back and play in the men's game - if they ever even did play in the men's game. "So really this is pushing those people out of football altogether." Washington, who has undergone genital reconstruction surgery, previously played in a men's league but joined a women's team in 2017, the BBC said. "I didn't feel it was a safe place to transition," she said of men's football. "The effect that hormones have had means when I do play an occasional five-a-side kickabout with men, I don't feel like I can compete with men my sort of age and with similar physical characteristics." The FA had allowed transgender women to play in the women's game as long as they kept their testosterone levels below 5 nanomoles per litre (n/mol) for at least 12 months. Former chairman of the FA David Triesman, told local media there should be "consequences for the most senior FA officers" who took the decision to previously allow transgender women in women's soccer. "The FA has finally seen sense. It would have been the utmost foolishness to disregard the Supreme Court," he said. Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Kate Mayberry Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
CNA
02-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Trans women could face challenges in men's game, says British trans woman player
Natalie Washington, a British transgender woman who plays women's football, said the Football Association's move to ban trans women from the sport could force many transgender women out of football completely. Washington, who is also the campaign lead for the group Football v Transphobia, said returning to men's football would be potentially unsafe and mentally challenging. Transgender women will be banned from playing in women's soccer in England from June 1 after the FA changed its policy following a UK Supreme Court ruling that only biological women met the legal definition of a woman under equality laws. The governing body said they were in the process of contacting registered transgender women currently playing in England to explain the changes and how they can continue to stay involved in the game. The Scottish FA has also banned transgender women from women's football. Washington, one of around 28 trans women registered to play amateur football in England, told the BBC the policy change was shocking. "It is a de facto ban for transgender women from football more generally, realistically, particularly people who have been playing in women's football for decades," the 41-year-old said in an interview on Thursday. "It's going to be very mentally challenging and actually potentially physically dangerous for those people to go back and play in the men's game - if they ever even did play in the men's game. "So really this is pushing those people out of football altogether." Washington, who has undergone genital reconstruction surgery, previously played in a men's league but joined a women's team in 2017, the BBC said. "I didn't feel it was a safe place to transition," she said of men's football. "The effect that hormones have had means when I do play an occasional five-a-side kickabout with men, I don't feel like I can compete with men my sort of age and with similar physical characteristics." The FA had allowed transgender women to play in the women's game as long as they kept their testosterone levels below 5 nanomoles per litre (n/mol) for at least 12 months. Former chairman of the FA David Triesman, told local media there should be "consequences for the most senior FA officers" who took the decision to previously allow transgender women in women's soccer.
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.
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Victory for campaigners as trans women are banned from football, cricket and netball
Trans women are to be banned from female football, netball and cricket as a result of last month's landmark Supreme Court ruling that sex is based on biology. Women's rights campaigners celebrated a hat-trick of victories for fairness and safety last night after the leading sports governing bodies abandoned their 'inclusive' policies. In a major shift that means those born male will no longer be allowed to play in the women's game, the Football Association said it was changing its policy next month. Just last month, the FA said transgender women, of whom about 30 are registered as players in England – could play the women's game subject to a limit on their testosterone levels. Shortly afterwards, England Netball – which had let trans women play in friendlies against female opponents – said it would introduce three distinct categories, with women's teams reserved 'for players born female'. From September, a mixed category will allow players 'to compete under the gender with which they identify'. Today, the England and Wales Cricket Board, which lets trans women compete in grassroots female teams but not at elite level, is expected to follow suit after taking legal advice. Campaigners welcomed the changes but said it should not have taken the case heard in Britain's highest court to make sporting bodies see sense. Rugby, swimming, athletics, cycling and hockey banned trans women from female teams and events long before the Supreme Court ruling. The pressure group Fair Play For Women said: 'They think it's all over. It is now! Today the trans stranglehold on women's sport ended.' Its director Nicola Williams said: 'We scored a hat-trick today, but it's pretty clear we have two kinds of sport – brave sports like rugby and swimming choosing fairness for women early on... or sports forced to change. Today ends a shameful period in sport.' But Natalie Washington, of the pro-trans group Football Vs Transphobia, said trans women were likely to give up football. Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies said: 'This is great news for the safety and fairness of all our girls and women in football. Every sport must follow suit.' Fiona McAnena, of the charity Sex Matters said the FA's decision was 'long overdue', adding: '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.' No 10 said: 'It's up to each sport to set policies... in line with the law. The Supreme Court judgment brought welcome clarity.' Last week, Ultimate Pool Group, which governs 8-ball pool, banned trans women from its female category after two male-born players got to a final. Parkrun still lets those in its weekly runs self-ID, with one trans woman said to have come first in 56 events in the female category in 18 months. The City of London Corporation, which runs women-only Hampstead Heath Ladies' Pond in north London, said it would not reverse its inclusive policy and ban trans women from swimming and changing rooms until it had guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
