Author: Sorcha Ní Fhaoláin
This afternoon (March 28th) Sport Ireland published a new guidance on the inclusion of transgender and non-binary people in sport.
The relatively useless document was delivered by a person I know fairly well, Dr Úna May, CEO of Sport Ireland.
Sport Ireland said the document Followed a six-month consultation period.
However, from my personal experience, it was low key and involved very leading questions that played into the misogynistic narrative that Trans women are to be feared, and Cis Women need to be protected.
While the study claims to have included the LGBTI+ community (Intersex Ireland were not consulted) as well as women’s groups (ROSA were not included), it also bizarrely included faith groups.
The document also showed a graph showing the developmental differences between the ‘two sexes’, in the latest attempt to define the limitations of a woman, and to erase intersex people from sporting achievements.
Even ignoring the outrageous claim that ‘at every level of competition and at all ages, on average, males outperform females’ – not only does it do a disservice to Women and girls – Trans Men and Non-Binary people are, as usual in a sporting context, rarely mentioned or discussed in promotion of the policy.
Our own Recent studies have shown that almost 60% of Irish people believe that inclusion of trans people in society is better for our society.
Sport Ireland have claimed that it is keen to make sure there is a place for everyone in sport. However, they support NGBs banning Trans athletes. They also support NGBs that ban Trans athletes that have transitioned after puberty.
Over 52% of Irish people are against children transitioning. Are we also banning them from any future sporting life?
Perhaps, because almost 39% of Irish people are not in favour of Trans Girls competing in School Sports..
There will be no track and field transgender female competitors at the Paris Olympics this year.
There is a long history of excluding people from sports because they’re different and because they would “spoil” sports.
70 years ago Black people were excluded from sports for that same reason.
Excluding women who are trans hurts all women. It invites gender policing that could subject any woman to invasive tests or accusations of being “too masculine” or “too good” to be a “real” woman.
Trans women’s rights are women’s rights. We need to treat them just like every other girl and woman, and that includes in sports.
The growing trend of drawing a line in the sand based on sex and binary expectations is not only racist in its origins, but it stands to exacerbate the hurt and exclusion already experienced by Trans adults and children, while also hurting many of the cisgender women and girls it purports to protect.
Sorcha Ní Fhaoláin.
ROSA Socialist Feminist Movement.
Intersex Ireland.