Rugby - RFU seeking feedback on its transgender policy

DancelikeEmmaGoldman my ds isn't yet a teenager and is stick thin. I can just about hold him in an arm wrestle but it won't be long.

The concussion aspect is a real issue at present. Sky Sports News is often on in my house and I only ever half listen but they had a slot about concussion in the last few days. One was a figure skater I think, I couldn't find any information when I just tried to Google, but I did find this.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.skysports.com/amp/rugby-union/news/12321/12260872/concussion-in-rugby-eye-tracking-technology-to-be-trialled

A man, even of the same height and weight as a woman, will still be substantially stronger and more powerful. Anyone with experience of teenage boys will know that.

www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-51434749

I think this is the article you are wanting

Yes. It is absurd that knowing women are more prone to these injuries and dementia that Rugby union is ignoring the science here.

I dare say it needs to have lots of submissions with anecdotal evidence of issues and plenty of women pointing out they are concerned for their long term health and that refs are worried about it too.

I have heard/ read that men's skulls are weaker than men's. Or eggshell skulls, as some prefer to call it.

That whole idea is ?????

Being over 5'7 is not unusual for women and if you play rugby and are tall I imagine you could weigh that.

Where did they get these numbers from?
There is no way that they won't get a massive load of shit for that. They are using arbitrary numbers to do safety checks (or whatever it was) on (I think it said trans and non binary people) but what are the checks? Have they said?
And they run the risk/ are walking into the argument that women can be big and strong and men can be small and less strong so splitting on sex is silly. I mean they are literally asking for that argument.

Again there is the idea that if tw (and non binary males) can't play with the women then they can't play at all which is not true.

Trans men have to sign a waiver if they want to play with men but. Will they qualify. How are the men going to feel about that?

Height and weight are the two things always used by people arguing that mixed sex is fair because within the sexes some people are physically advantaged over others.

Do they say who helped them come up with this?

Men (however they identify) need to prove that what they are proposing is safe.

How did it ever happen that the boot was on the other foot? I will never understand this. Not rugby, not refuges, not changing rooms, not helplines for women. Why did so many people roll over?

Hopefully Fair Play for Women will be considering all the options for this travesty? Prioritising the wish for personal validation over the health and safety of women in unbelievable. How on earth have certain organisations been granted so much power to do so much harm?

I'm sure I read something about women being more likely to suffer concussion from impact than men. Probably on the BBC but I can't find it now.
As pp says, the sound of collisions in rugby can be terrifying and as well as dementia you have to wonder about MND.

Can we FOI insurance companies who specialise in sport on their policies?? I think not, as they are not public entities, even if the sport is played in public??? What about rugby clubs - a big letter writing campaign (again!!!! Like someone said upthread the writing is becoming a full time job!)

My closest friends are still training at local level and I 100% know that they will be incredibly uncomfortable being on a pitch with female players. On a more personal level, despite classing myself as a broad, strong, fairly fit and physical female and often 'bulkier' than my male friends, they can dump me rapidly on my arse when it comes to it - their muscle speed and physicality is just a different class.

Why the RFU can't/won't see this is frightening.

Who'd have thought the RFU of all places would be captured.

It's crazy, my dd plays and I'm really worried she could be hurt

Seeing as how much is being done and the risks now known from rugby regarding concussion etc this seems ludicrous to even consider

thanks OP, I will look out for that. 14 st 2 is a pretty hefty bloke at 5'7".

I honestly can't imagine what they are thinking. How did they come up with this weight/height threshold and how are they going to 'assess' safety of anyone over this limit?

They are obviously not saying that anyone over the height/weight limit cannot play, they just have to pass whatever assessment is deemed suitable.

I know many sports insurers appear to be captured as well but are they that willing to put their money where their mouth is? Given the known risks established by World Rugby?

Weight checks sound like a terrible idea anyway, that's the sort of policy that leads to eating disorders among athletes trying to keep themselves on the team. Not in the best interests of transwomen.

Clearly playing with birth sex is the appropriate choice.

Thank you OP and I will respond to the consultation.

I hope the referees will put a stop to this lunacy, by refusing to oversee matches where men are playing against women.
The ref is liable for the safety of the players, and I bet they won’t fancy being sued by all the injured women.

And will trans men be included onto men's teams? Again, inclusion only working one way...

there's the fact that a mediocre male rugby player can take a woman's place on a team due to his biological advantages

Excellent point, but it’s not can, it’s will.

Thanks for flagging this OP, I’ve been waiting for this to come since October - see thread linked in my OP here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4188331-Time-to-see-if-the-RFU-are-any-further-forward

May be some useful resources on these threads. See also the British Cycling thread.

Its a fucking part time job filling in all these consultations

So a coach would assess any transwoman over height and weight measures? No pressure there to "be kind" when making a decision.

And transmen competing in mens rugby to sign a waiver to say they accept the risk to themselves. Will women be given waivers to sign accepting any increased risk arising from competing against a transwoman? Will they even be told if they are facing an opponent who has the advantage of having undergone male puberty?

Not daft. Dangerous.