Starting 2025 with more trans hatred.
England Hockey announced that starting this September, a new policy will be in place to bar transgender women from competing in the female category. Specifically, to be selected for an England or Great Britain women’s international team, only participants recorded female at birth and eligible for the female category will be considered.
England Hockey did not even consider the plight of intersex people, who may be erroneously assigned at birth with a sex not befitting their eventual identity.
The governing body has, instead, established two competition categories: female and open, with the latter category open to all including transgender and non-binary participants.
England Hockey started to review its policies on transgender participation in July 2023, incorporating inputs from the Sports Councils’ Equality Group. “Whilst specific hockey-based evidence is still somewhat limited, based on the existing research available, competitive hockey requires the physical capabilities of strength, endurance, speed and acceleration as key factors for success.” As such, hockey is considered a “gender-affected sport”, and “based on this evidence, we have determined that the Trans and Non-Binary Participation Policy should restrict trans participation in order to secure fair competition.”
Similar to other sports bodies that implemented anti-transgender policies, England Hockey tried to explain this move by stating that it is “committed to supporting all affected players to ensure they find the right path for them to continue to participate in hockey.”
As FYI: The new policy does not apply to “anyone aged 11 or under, who does not reach their 12th birthday in the current season. Therefore, they should be 10 or under on 31 August of the preceding season.”
Other sports bodies that restrict transgender women’s participation in women’s events include: Lawn Tennis Association, and LPGA Golf Tour.
