Trans footballers are rallying against the FA’s ban on trans women playing in affiliated leagues.
Goal Diggers Football Club – a non-ability womxn and non-binary football club in London – hosted its “Let the Dolls Play” match in support of trans footballers on Sunday (1 June).
Following last month’s Supreme Court ruling, when the UK’s top judges ruled that the protected characteristic of “sex”, under the terms of the 2010 Equality Act referred to “biological” women and not transgender women, organisations have begun aligning their policies with the ruling.
In line with the ruling, the FA said it will implement an outright ban on trans footballers from 1 June – the first day of Pride month, no less.
Prior to this change, the FA allowed trans women to play in women’s football if they met specific medical criteria. These included mining testosterone levels below a prescribed threshold for at least 12 months, providing medical records of hormone therapy, and undergoing an annual review. Additionally a match observation by an FA official was required to assess eligibility on a case-by-case basis.
‘Trans women are welcome’
Speaking to PinkNews, Billie Sky, a trans footballer who is a member of Goal Diggers FC, said: “I knew I was trans for 20 years before I came out. A few years later, I started playing football. I loved it, and then all of a sudden that passion when I was in the right place in my life was snatched away from me and it broke me.”
Founder of Goal Diggers, Fleur Cousens, who wore a T-Shirt with the text “Let the Dolls Play” on, said the tournament, which occurred on the same date as the FA’s ban, marked the teams resistance against the ban.
“We’re not going to accept this ban and we’re going to show through the unity of our grassroots community that trans women are welcome and are central to football,” she said.
‘We won’t listen’
Cousens described the FA’s message to the trans community as “dangerous because it’s saying you don’t belong in sport,” but “it’s a message we won’t listen to and we won’t hear because we are so confident in the fact football brings joy and that’s what we’re going to keep doing,” she concluded.
Sky added that the ban means she can’t play in “official FA affiliated leagues”, which leaves a few mini leagues she can play in, “but overall” means she can’t “achieve my dream of playing for the club that I’ve always wanted to play for that I support”.
The footballer said the impact of the ban is “already starting to be seen”.
“I’ve really struggled to leave the house over the last week. Someone shouted at me when I was walking down the road the other day so that was extremely upsetting”.
‘We play for the love of the game’
Trans footballer Paula Griffin, also a member of Goal Diggers, said: “When I got news of the ban, I was in tears. As it sunk in I was in tears again, but tears of joy.
“We play for the love of the game and are determined to go on.”
At the time of the FA’s ban announcement, fewer than 30 trans women were registered among millions of amateur players in England, with non in the professional game across the Home Nations.
The FA has acknowledged the emotional impact of the policy change and has offered affected players free, confidential online therapy through the charity Sporting Chance. It has also communicated with registered trans players to explain the changes and discuss ways in which they can remain involved in the sport.
LGBTQ+ organisations have criticised the move as exclusionary and detrimental to trans athletes’ mental health and well-being.
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