Rugby - RFU seeking feedback on its transgender policy

It seems deliberate to me, all smoke and mirrors to make out that the only difference is testosterone levels - and behold! These males have lower levels so can now play in women’s rugby too. It’s such a dick move, pretending that the differences are negligible. When organisations trot out this rubbish it just makes them look like idiots. It’s astonishing how many organisations are willing to sacrifice their credibility and reputation in this way, ONS being another case in point. What insulting sexist claptrap!

It’s like they’ve been taking direction from the Green Party. Men and non-men.

Arseholes.

Why not define men as a people who do not produce female levels of oestrogen at puberty? Oh that's right, 'male' has to be the default in fucking everything!

See attached for their excellent glossary

Fuck off.

So apparently this is England Rugby’s definition of male and female 🙄

"Male: refers to a person who produces testosterone at puberty and adolescence.

Female: refers to a person who does not produce male levels of testosterone at puberty
and adolescence."

The rugby issue is peaking a lot of the men in my life - DH, friends and colleagues who, up til recently have done a bit of an eyeball roll and seen the whole sex-based rights thing as a non issue.

Many men I know are sitting up and paying attention to this.

Just banging my head on the table knowing why women can't object. Men always wonder why the women aren't saying no when we are but they aren't listening.

I know this thread has pretty much stopped but I've just read comments on an article on FB. Predictably there are "Why don't the women say no, we're not having it?"

I agree it’s a shit solution for everyone.
Female rugby players, of any size are disadvantaged and larger trans women who are probably going to struggle the most with dysphoria and prejudice as gender says feminine women are small & petite are being excluded.

You’ll need to ask the RFU that. A nice round number at the upper end I imagine.

Yes, I wasn’t clear on that point either, jellyfrizz, but they are arbitrary in the sense that as far as I’m aware, the performance gap between men and women doesn’t have a direct correlation to height/weight.

I’m outside the height cutoff by quite a long way, and Depending on how hard I’ve hit the gym and what my pie consumption is like, I hover in and out of the weight cutoff. I don’t get why women are taking offence at it- I don’t think it makes me a man, or masculine, why would it I’m a tall, strong woman who could still get the shit kicked out of her on the pitch by a man she towers over.

FWIW, I totally agree with the first part of point two. They are arbitrary numbers.

The policy says that the height and weight figures were picked as they are the 90th centile for females (can’t remember if it said female rugby players or females in general).

TRAs are encouraging people to feedback on that survey so despite its limitations it’s important that women do it as well.

Exactly, leafstamp- there are a lot of points of agreement here! the numbers are arbitrary, we’ve no idea the basis on which the panel would make decisions, this is sexist af, and no of course it would never happen in men’s rugby (please, my trans ally friend, ask yourself why that is for goodness sake, you are so, so close to the answer).

But come on, what does “first, gross” even mean? You’ve put it as the first point, so it’s the most important part, so please tell me, what is gross about trying to keep rugby safe?

Cis women - don't exist! They mean women, and however tall, broad, strong a specific woman is is natural to women. We aren't all cookie cutter cute!

And discriminatory means denying someone their rights. Men have no rights to play in womens rugby!

Oh they do love to use the words of women don't they?

Sadly many don't realise what has been coopted and will agree!

Very interesting Sophocles! Thanks for posting.

Let’s hope RFU get their arse handed to them from all sides then.

FWIW, I totally agree with the first part of point two. They are arbitrary numbers.

Also agree with point 3, and can’t really disagree with point 4 at this stage.

I can’t get the other photos to post.

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thirdly, what kind of training would coaches undergo to make them “qualified” to make these kinds of judgement calls? Four, would this ever be proposed for men’s rugby? Women do not need your “protection”, especially strong, rugby women. This is sexist af. Five, STOP POLICING WOMENS BODIES.

Rugby For All