Trans footballer who broke a woman's knee quits team and threatens lawsuit over female players refusing to play against them

I think it’s more of a ‘I’ll ask because it’s expected but I’m going to do whatever the hell I want because my gender identity is secondary to my sex - which as a male means I will take what I want, when I want’. The idea that these men think they can simply identify as women falls at the first hurdle when they demonstrate the power of the male over and over and over - it’s so engrained they don’t even know they’re doing it.

A woman's 'No' is seen as the start of negotiations to get her to say 'Yes'.

The realisation that 'being kind' was actually a euphemism for 'nobody ever FUCKING ASKED US'.

Even when we are asked and refuse, the inevitable follow-up of, "I asked nicely" with ill-concealed undercurrent of menace signals that we were all supposed to know that our consent was a foregone conclusion. Being asked is just a social fiction.

The implication from the article is its for her expenses as she can't work

https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/news/people/discrimination-sees-doncaster-transgender-player-quit-womens-football-league-club-after-rivals-knee-break-4418843

I love those women (tip: Women of Steel by Michelle Rawlings tells the story of these women)

I am so angry about this. Women's football finally breaking through to the mainstream. And blokes just can't accept it.

For anyone interested, this is the memorial she refers to

Jean Hatchett has written about it in the Critic. When I started reading I thought it was just going to be a rehash of previous articles and the discussions we've had on the threads. But it's a bit more than that

https://thecritic.co.uk/women-of-steel-wont-bend-easily/

She says the Crowdfunder, I'm assuming the one for the woman whose leg was broken by this man, has been paused.

Is the gofundme for the injured player for legal expenses to sue England Football (or whatever it's called)?

That quote is one of fuckwittery.

It has now been reported in the local newspaper.

Direct quote from the club... the accident was caused by "passion and commitment from a very talented player"

There is also a GoFundMe for the injured player.

Saw this today and thought it was apt. It's the last frame of the AHF film which was finally able to be shown last night at the University of Edinburgh. 'Protesters' were not only shouting at attendees of the event but also just random women walking in the general vicinity.

Because how dare women say 'no. Your 'be kind' is bullshit'.

This was a real lightbulb moment for me.

The realisation that 'being kind' was actually a euphemism for 'nobody ever FUCKING ASKED US'.

Didn't even occur to them to do so. The idea that the support humans might have a point, or the right to refuse, didn't even make it on to the radar.

I've peaked a few women with that.

’the issue is binary’ nailed it! Great article.

Best comment on MN

Sorry,

compare a woman getting changed in a female changing room with a male who has accessed the female changing room in any guise

Should be

compare a woman who is a lesbian getting changed in a female changing room with a male who has accessed the female changing room in any guise

In terms of changing rooms, one of my other teammates made the point that we had plenty of gay women in our team and were comfortable changing in front of them.

This is a false equivalence. And frankly, if someone told a traumatised woman this, I would be horrified that they did. It is also rather homophobic to compare a woman getting changed in a female changing room with a male who has accessed the female changing room in any guise.

However, I also understand that women will do many things to overcome their discomfort when they feel powerless. Even tell themselves these falsities.

I do hope though that people do not use this argument now. It would show them to be both homophobic and misogynistic.

@Brefugee no one was going to do that nearly 20 years ago especially when you bear in mind you could walk into another team with similar issues.

That is the point - having to change elsewhere than the changing room - when I'd have said "nope" and possibly found a new team

@chutneysauce

In terms of changing rooms, one of my other teammates made the point that we had plenty of gay women in our team and were comfortable changing in front of them.

This argument is perfectly simple to dismiss. Ask the women -

Have any of you been sexually assaulted (from groping to rape), flashed at, leered at, suffered verbal sexual harassment, or been followed down the street, by gay women? My money is on no-one.

Have any of you been sexually assaulted (from groping to rape), flashed at, leered at, suffered verbal sexual harassment, or been followed down the street, by men? My money is on everyone.

Have these men tried, y'know, not being filthy fucking creeps all the live long day!? 🤨

That "review" is so disgusting

Men's football is DECADES behind the rest of society: how many openly gay male football players are there? If you can't say that you're gay in a football club, what hope is there for men to embrace gender non-conforming men? Men need to bloody step up and accept diversity and not just palm off anyone different as "femme/women"! This is not women's responsibility to budge up and be kind.

the women’s league was seen as a dumping ground for weird men who made other men feel uncomfortable. Bit like the way it played out in the rest of society tbh

Ain't that the truth.

Your theory could very well have something to it - perhaps because of the women’s league being so much more 'diverse' than the men’s it made the FA see it as a place that would be accepting of TIPs but mostly I think the women’s league was seen as a dumping ground for weird men who made other men feel uncomfortable. Bit like the way it played out in the rest of society tbh 🤷‍♀️

Great article, the only part I take issue with is that there cannot be fairness and inclusion.

There absolutely can. Inclusion means that male players should be welcome in male teams regardless of how they choose to dress/present themselves, or their preferences & characteristics. This is a male problem, it’s not up to women to solve it. Transmen (not taking testosterone) should, of course, be welcome in women’s teams.