Natalie Washington is a transgender woman and the FACE campaigner for Football v Transphobia. She expressed her outrage over the Football Association’s decision to ban transgender women from competing in women’s soccer in England beginning June 1. The UK Supreme Court later ruled to the effect that only biological women are considered female under equality legislation. Ultimately, this decision became possible.
Washington, who transitioned from a men’s league to a women’s league in 2017, shared what a huge difference this ban could make. She said she was particularly concerned with how it might impact transgender athletes. She highlighted how far most people, including herself, have arrived and found themselves in women’s football. They’d face tremendous odds against them if they attempt to switch back to the men’s game.
Policy Change Shocks Trans Community
In a phone interview Thursday, Washington called the FA’s shift in policy “earth-shattering.” She pointed out that the ban would increase barriers to participation. It might lead to most transgender women being effectively banned from the sport altogether.
“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,” – Natalie Washington
Washington emphasized that returning to men’s football would likely be unsafe and mentally challenging for her and others in similar situations. She remembered her own fight during her transition, saying,
“I didn’t feel it was a safe place to transition.”
This sentiment points to the larger fears transgender athletes have about feeling safe and accepted in competitive spaces.
FA’s Response to Ruling
The FA is currently reaching out to registered transgender women playing in England to explain the implications of the new policy. Washington, one of an estimated 28 trans women legally registered to play amateur football in England, is deeply pained by the ban’s effects. She thinks it’s going to drive lots of transgender people out of sport permanently.
David Triesman, former chair of Football Association, influential figure in football governance told Reuters on supporting FA’s decision. He stated,
“The FA has finally seen sense. It would have been the utmost foolishness to disregard the Supreme Court,” – David Triesman
He suggested that there should be consequences for senior Football Association officials if they pursued this policy reversal.
The Future of Transgender Women in Football
Then the new changes, coming in just a few weeks, open a new can of worms regarding inclusion and fairness in sports. Washington’s fears may seem self-serving, but they illuminate the more troubling impacts of these policies. They undermine both the fairness of participation rates and the social and mental health of transgender athletes.
Debates over issues related to gender identity and sports are very much ongoing. The FA’s decision is a huge step in the right direction towards fostering a more inclusive environment within football. The future of TWF athletes remains very much up in the air as they continue to adapt to these recently imposed policies.
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