Thursday, February 13, 2025

Leading LGBTQ+ club implore England Hockey to withdraw transgender policy

Transgender women players are set to be banned from competing in the women’s game for the 2025/26 season, England Hockey has announced, in a move which has been labelled “deeply concerning” by one of the leading LGBTQ+ clubs who has urged the national governing to withdraw the policy.

The governing body said that protection of “fair competition” was behind the decision that will see the introduction of separate female and open categories, thus it will end trans participation in the women’s game.

The decision follows a review carried out in consultation with guidance issued by the Sports Council Equality Group and rests on the assumption that “hockey requires the physical capabilities of strength, endurance, speed and acceleration as key factors for success”, and is thus a “gender-affected sport”.

“We are deeply concerned by England Hockey’s 2025 Trans and Non-binary Participation policy. We strongly feel that this policy is exclusionary and divisive,” the London Royals Hockey Club said in a statement.

“As the UK’s only LGBTQ+ Hockey Club, England Hockey approached us as part of the policy review and we made our stance incredibly clear: trans and non-binary players should be able to play for the team with which they identify, or where they feel most comfortable. Our feedback and the feedback of trans and non-binary hockey players and LGBTQ+ organisations has clearly been disregarded in the creation of this policy.”

The London Royals are calling on its supporters, club members and hockey family to take action to support the trans and non-binary community by “amplifying our message, and letting England Hockey know your views on their new policy.”

The club added: “By splitting the sport into a Female category (only for people assigned female at birth, who are not taking, or have ever taken, testosterone) and an Open category, England Hockey are sending the strong message that trans women are not women, and they do not belong in the sport. The reality is that the Open team will almost entirely be made up of men, and therefore any trans woman wishing to play hockey would need to out herself in order to play.

“The policy and the proposed implementation is abhorrent, illogical and promotes a culture of policing who is and isn’t a woman, exacerbating an already toxic environment for trans people to simply exist in. The negative impact this policy will have on the mental health of trans and non-binary hockey players far outweighs any perceived competitive advantage England Hockey believes trans women have in the sport.

“This policy goes against what we The London Royals believe our sport is about – we believe everyone should be able to play and enjoy the sport we love. England Hockey, we implore you to withdraw this new policy.”

“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,” an England Hockey spokesperson said following the consultation period. “We are committed to supporting all affected players to ensure they find the right path to continue to participate in hockey.”

The changes will come into effect on Sep 1 in time for the start of next season, until which time transgender athletes can continue competing in the female category. 

This follows action taken by other sports bodies including the Lawn Tennis Association, LGPA Golf Tour and the England and Wales Cricket Board.

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