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EAST LONDON RFC PROUD TO SUPPORT TRANSGENDER PLAYERS
Gary Bird22 Nov 2020 - 17:59
Difference must be celebrated, not just tolerated
East London RFC is proud to be able to mark LGBT+ History Month by reaffirming its support for the participation of transgender players in the sport of rugby.
The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community is an important and integral part of the East London rugby family and we continue to support International Gay Rugby in their campaign against proposals by World Rugby to ban transgender players from sections of women’s rugby because of safety concerns.
East London fully supports fairness, acceptance, respect and equality in rugby. We welcome all players regardless of gender or background. Everyone is accepted, supported and valued as individuals – players such as Alix Fitzgerald from our Vixens ladies’ team. Alix was the Vixens most improved player in the 2018/19 season.
February is LGBT+ History Month, which celebrates and remembers lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history as well as addressing issues members of the LGBT community face. To mark the occasion Alix has allowed us to again share comments she made publicly when the World Rugby proposals to ban transgender players were first unveiled. Here is Alix’s story:
“When World Rugby leaked their consultation document proposing to brand me a danger and ban me from a space and a sport that brings me joy and companionship and challenge, I died a little inside.
“It has taken me a long time to gather my thoughts and emotions, find a place to start to express my emotions. Let me start with these words: ‘Difference is the essence of humanity. Difference is an accident of birth and it should therefore never be the source of hatred or conflict. There lies a most fundamental principle of peace – respect for diversity.’
“Yes, they are someone else’s words, but they capture the essence of things nicely. I am different. Not too many 52-year old, red-haired, trans-Irish women play rugby. I came early and late to rugby. South County Dublin was where I grew up and tried chasing a funny-shaped ball around a field whilst still in primary school. But I was different, and it didn’t feel I belonged.
“Roll the years forward and I am still different. I have all the trappings of privilege – money, house and a stable relationship and colour privilege. But I am still an outsider. I am still other. I am trans and afraid of the reaction of people who don’t know me; afraid that when I go into a changing room someone will scream ‘rapist’. I am afraid of the people who hurl abuse from cars. And then came rugby.
“For some reason I decided to re-join life, to accept myself, to be seen in a way that brings me joy and to try and bring a bit of joy to other people. I tattooed my shoulder to be out, to claim my ‘status’ with joy to be unequivocal about who I am. The gym floor I carved into a refuge, but it was a solitary experience I shared with no-one. But the draw of rugby was too much.
“The concept of the team is new for me – the sense of belonging. The arm around the shoulder when I couldn’t get near selection for the team. The words of wisdom from the ex-international player. Being knocked what like felt yards backwards by another ex-international. The joy of success and the joy of failure. The challenge of being physical and present in my world in a way I have never been before. The joy of being. Rugby is like life. But I am different and much as the words of John Hume (Northern Ireland politician and Nobel Peace Prize recipient) resonate, they are a cry for what should be, not what is. The sport I loved as a child, the players I idolised as a child (Fergus Slattery, Ciaran Fitzgerald, Keith Wood, an uncle who represented his country,) – the list is long. I am now part of that and I am happy. The question that springs to mind is why?
“Why is the sport I love seeing only my difference? Why does it hate me? Why is it screaming abuse at me from the car window? Why are they saying that I am a danger to other players when science does not say that? Why do they not listen to my team who accepts me? Why are they making things up?
“Am I a pawn in someone else game? Why does one of the great names from my memory want me out of a sport I love and can only barely play? Why am I more dangerous than women who are stronger, faster and bigger than me?
“I can only hope that this is just an aberration, that the sport I love is not exactly like life. It is not screaming abuse at me in a changing room or out of a car window. That the hatred based on my difference has not infected it like it infects so much of my surroundings in the UK.
“To all my team mates who stand with me – thank you. To my friends who stand with me – thank you. To my wife who stands with me – thank you. To rugby – thank you to those who campaign for me.
“But to those who see fit to discriminate against me for my perceived difference, I hope you never find yourselves judged like this irrationally and hated for your difference. But if decisions go against me and others like me, I thank my team for the memories and I will walk away from the fond memories of childhood, from meeting a hero, and live my life to the full but with a heavy, heavy heart.”
On 9 October 2020, World Rugby banned transgender women from competing in elite global competitions like the Olympic Games and Rugby World Cup. Each country however can determine whether to continue to permit transgender women to participate in domestic rugby competitions.
The Rugby Football Union will allow transgender women to continue playing women’s rugby. It does not currently plan to adopt the World Rugby transgender guidelines as it believes further scientific evidence is required. It will assess the current evidence alongside safety concerns that have been raised. The RFU will also undertake further consultation with players in the women’s game to understand their views.
East London RFC chair Simon Crick said: “We mark LGBT+ History Month by once again calling on the RFU to celebrate difference, not just tolerate it. We hope they to continue to fight for equalities and tackle transphobia, homophobia, and all forms of hatred and bigotry. We hope they join International Gay Rugby in challenging World Rugby to create a pathway for everyone to play the game.”
Vixens player Kat Salthouse, a member of East London’s management committee, said: “Alix is an integral part of our team. We embraced and nurtured her like every other player that becomes part of our rugby family. I am proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with her on and off the pitch as we all represent the East London badge with pride.”
The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community is an important and integral part of the East London rugby family and we continue to support International Gay Rugby in their campaign against proposals by World Rugby to ban transgender players from sections of women’s rugby because of safety concerns.
East London fully supports fairness, acceptance, respect and equality in rugby. We welcome all players regardless of gender or background. Everyone is accepted, supported and valued as individuals – players such as Alix Fitzgerald from our Vixens ladies’ team. Alix was the Vixens most improved player in the 2018/19 season.
February is LGBT+ History Month, which celebrates and remembers lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history as well as addressing issues members of the LGBT community face. To mark the occasion Alix has allowed us to again share comments she made publicly when the World Rugby proposals to ban transgender players were first unveiled. Here is Alix’s story:
“When World Rugby leaked their consultation document proposing to brand me a danger and ban me from a space and a sport that brings me joy and companionship and challenge, I died a little inside.
“It has taken me a long time to gather my thoughts and emotions, find a place to start to express my emotions. Let me start with these words: ‘Difference is the essence of humanity. Difference is an accident of birth and it should therefore never be the source of hatred or conflict. There lies a most fundamental principle of peace – respect for diversity.’
“Yes, they are someone else’s words, but they capture the essence of things nicely. I am different. Not too many 52-year old, red-haired, trans-Irish women play rugby. I came early and late to rugby. South County Dublin was where I grew up and tried chasing a funny-shaped ball around a field whilst still in primary school. But I was different, and it didn’t feel I belonged.
“Roll the years forward and I am still different. I have all the trappings of privilege – money, house and a stable relationship and colour privilege. But I am still an outsider. I am still other. I am trans and afraid of the reaction of people who don’t know me; afraid that when I go into a changing room someone will scream ‘rapist’. I am afraid of the people who hurl abuse from cars. And then came rugby.
“For some reason I decided to re-join life, to accept myself, to be seen in a way that brings me joy and to try and bring a bit of joy to other people. I tattooed my shoulder to be out, to claim my ‘status’ with joy to be unequivocal about who I am. The gym floor I carved into a refuge, but it was a solitary experience I shared with no-one. But the draw of rugby was too much.
“The concept of the team is new for me – the sense of belonging. The arm around the shoulder when I couldn’t get near selection for the team. The words of wisdom from the ex-international player. Being knocked what like felt yards backwards by another ex-international. The joy of success and the joy of failure. The challenge of being physical and present in my world in a way I have never been before. The joy of being. Rugby is like life. But I am different and much as the words of John Hume (Northern Ireland politician and Nobel Peace Prize recipient) resonate, they are a cry for what should be, not what is. The sport I loved as a child, the players I idolised as a child (Fergus Slattery, Ciaran Fitzgerald, Keith Wood, an uncle who represented his country,) – the list is long. I am now part of that and I am happy. The question that springs to mind is why?
“Why is the sport I love seeing only my difference? Why does it hate me? Why is it screaming abuse at me from the car window? Why are they saying that I am a danger to other players when science does not say that? Why do they not listen to my team who accepts me? Why are they making things up?
“Am I a pawn in someone else game? Why does one of the great names from my memory want me out of a sport I love and can only barely play? Why am I more dangerous than women who are stronger, faster and bigger than me?
“I can only hope that this is just an aberration, that the sport I love is not exactly like life. It is not screaming abuse at me in a changing room or out of a car window. That the hatred based on my difference has not infected it like it infects so much of my surroundings in the UK.
“To all my team mates who stand with me – thank you. To my friends who stand with me – thank you. To my wife who stands with me – thank you. To rugby – thank you to those who campaign for me.
“But to those who see fit to discriminate against me for my perceived difference, I hope you never find yourselves judged like this irrationally and hated for your difference. But if decisions go against me and others like me, I thank my team for the memories and I will walk away from the fond memories of childhood, from meeting a hero, and live my life to the full but with a heavy, heavy heart.”
On 9 October 2020, World Rugby banned transgender women from competing in elite global competitions like the Olympic Games and Rugby World Cup. Each country however can determine whether to continue to permit transgender women to participate in domestic rugby competitions.
The Rugby Football Union will allow transgender women to continue playing women’s rugby. It does not currently plan to adopt the World Rugby transgender guidelines as it believes further scientific evidence is required. It will assess the current evidence alongside safety concerns that have been raised. The RFU will also undertake further consultation with players in the women’s game to understand their views.
East London RFC chair Simon Crick said: “We mark LGBT+ History Month by once again calling on the RFU to celebrate difference, not just tolerate it. We hope they to continue to fight for equalities and tackle transphobia, homophobia, and all forms of hatred and bigotry. We hope they join International Gay Rugby in challenging World Rugby to create a pathway for everyone to play the game.”
Vixens player Kat Salthouse, a member of East London’s management committee, said: “Alix is an integral part of our team. We embraced and nurtured her like every other player that becomes part of our rugby family. I am proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with her on and off the pitch as we all represent the East London badge with pride.”
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