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Rugby becomes first sport to make “ultimate statement in equality “

181 replies

BiologyIsReal · 22/08/2019 11:57

Can’t link but Daily Telegraph reports today that World Rugby is adopting gender-neutral naming for tournaments, dropping the word “women” from in front of the Women’s Rugby World Cup so men’s and women’s will simply both be known as the Rugby World Cup.

CEO Brett Gosper said it was “a landmark and a statement that we are treating the men’s and women’s games evenly and the potential in each is as powerful as the other”

Sir Bill Beaumont, World Rugby chairman said it showed unwavering commitment to advancing women on Rugby.

“Unintentional gender bias in sport is an ongoing issue. As a global sporting federation we need to be seen leading from the front.”

Good for them. Interesting that one of the most ‘macho’ sports is consistently taking the lead in equality e.g World Rugby is offering extra seats to unions on condition the are filled by women.

Let’s hope our friends, the TRAs, don’t try and hijack the change by claiming the tournaments don’t specify they are “women’s”!

OP posts:
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TransposersArePosers · 22/08/2019 12:09

I think it will be interesting to see how this plays out with the 'need to be validated' TW rugby players.

As long as the teams are either all biological females or all biological males, I think it's a good move

stucknoue · 22/08/2019 12:18

Interesting, my dd plays rugby at quite a high level now, the biggest issue is that the male teams have a professional coach, the women have a former male team member who got injured out ... football was a similar situation but worse (the girls had to pay for transport the boys didn't, it's why she stopped playing football)

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 22/08/2019 12:37

Don't know why they didn't add a "men's" instead so men's world cup and women's world cup so you can tell them apart...

fortheloveofPete · 22/08/2019 12:43

By not adding men to world cup, they are very cleverly avoiding a potential situation.

The world cup to them, is the world cup. The sex of the players isn't relevant, they want the talent recognised for what it is. Not because it's men's or women's.

Tra would be able to complain if there was a women's and men's, but they can't if it's just called The world cup.

AlwaysComingHome · 22/08/2019 12:45

Don't know why they didn't add a "men's" instead so men's world cup and women's world cup so you can tell them apart...

This. Because now we are going to have to ask which each time.

Just don’t make men’s sport the default.

CassianAndor · 22/08/2019 12:45

I'm not sure this is as great as it sounds. The point was surely that the default (ie, the one with no adjective) was the men's and the women's (with adjective) was an add-on.

It also means that you remove sex from who can play what.

Not sure this is a win at all. Adding 'Men's' would feel more of a win.

Anotherusefulname · 22/08/2019 12:53

I think adding Men's would have more made sense.
Although as they are not on at the same time you would know which was which and whether you wanted to watch.
I am not interested in men's rugby but I do enjoy women's, same as I prefer men's football and don't enjoy women's. Having all sex segregated sport labelled men's or women's would be the way to go if you ask me.

Juells · 22/08/2019 12:55

I have a very suspicious nature. If it's just 'rugby' then women are free to play in the men's game, and vice versa Hmm

RoyalCorgi · 22/08/2019 13:06

It's almost as if you lot are psychic:

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/49298550?

JustPurple · 22/08/2019 13:12

I've mentioned before that both trans men (after taking T - a banned substance) and trans women (2 years post transition) are allowed to play in the women's leagues.
Anybody who mentions they are scared of injury is told to pipe down and be more accepting.

The RFU do at least review each case rather than allow a free for all but (certainly in our leagues) teams do not disclose this before hand to allow you to make an informed decision on whether to play or not.

Juells · 22/08/2019 13:13

Holy shit! Broad shouldered and standing nearly six feet tall, the 33-year-old lorry driver cuts an intimidating figure amid the shouting of instructions and thud of tackle bags.

How is it fair to make women on other teams have to play against someone like that? Something tells me that the writer of the article isn't quite as woke as they're making out.

Juells · 22/08/2019 13:17

Brian Minty (man!) founded the Porth Ladies' team four years ago.

"I've always taken rugby as a totally inclusive sport and we're happy to welcome Kelly to the club," he says.

But he can't resist a joke: "She's going to be a good, good player for the next few years, as long as we can stop her injuring players in training.

Oh what a wag is Brian.

RoyalCorgi · 22/08/2019 13:21

That's what stood out for me too, Juells. Can someone explain to me what is so funny about this person injuring players from their own side in training? What's going to happen when this person is playing against a team of women?

Why is this being allowed to happen? Why is nobody stopping it? Why are we apparently the only people who can see the huge fucking risk here?

fortheloveofPete · 22/08/2019 13:21

I wonder how many of "her" teammates can honestly say they are happy to train and play after being injured by "her" male sized rugby playing frame.

Never mind the opposing team who she'll really be gunning for.

anyoldvic · 22/08/2019 13:23

I was pleased to note that cricket was billing this summer's tournament as the Men's World Cup.

TransposersArePosers · 22/08/2019 13:45

Crikey, that link is very telling

That said, Kelly, 33, accepts transgender women may have an advantage in terms of size and strength.
"I do feel guilty, but what can you do?" she says. "I don't go out to hurt anybody. I just want to play rugby."

How about playing on the men's team then, Kelly? That way you can play rugby without the guilt!

and

"She folded a girl like a deckchair during a game, which was quite funny, but they're still friends."

I bet the 'folded like a deckchair' girl found that hilarious.

FermatsTheorem · 22/08/2019 13:45

Argh! Words fail me.

Women are not artificially weakened men. And if it's not even safe for this person's own teammates to train beside them, how the fuck is it supposed to be fair for the opposing team.

And I want to take that daft lassie on the team and say to her "one day it won't be your opponents facing this person while you laugh smugly at what an advantage the situation gives you, one day you'll be facing a transwoman because of this change in the rules."

There are going to be women carried off the field on stretchers with life changing spinal injuries because of this.

niceberg · 22/08/2019 13:47

Juells that part had me raging too. He JOKED about injuring team mates in training?! Wtaf?

fortheloveofPete · 22/08/2019 13:51

We can pretty much kiss goodbye to women's sports more every day.

No woman in their right mind will play with it against men. No matter how much they love the sport

frazzled1 · 22/08/2019 14:43

We can pretty much kiss goodbye to women's sports more every day.

Here we go... Trans rugby player blazing a trail in Wales

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/rugby-union/49330380

frazzled1 · 22/08/2019 14:44

Ooops, cross post.

BrienneofTarthILoveYou · 22/08/2019 14:58

That comment re 'folding like a deck chair' should be enough for anyone sane to realise that this isn't right & is actually dangerous for all the women playing, not just the opposing team. Shocking!

RoyalCorgi · 22/08/2019 15:15

I hope other teams refuse to play against them. This is insane. Absolutely insane. Rugby is already a dangerous sport as it is, but the idea that women are being expected to play against a man is just breathtakingly stupid.

Popchyk · 22/08/2019 15:38

Dan Leo, former Samoan rugby player, is speaking out.

He had plenty to say about Laurel Hubbard success in the women's weightlifting competition over two female Samoan women.

twitter.com/danleo82/status/1164509276540456967

"A truly sad day for rugby and women’s sport

Less than 24 hours after @WorldRugby remove the “Women” from Women’s Rugby World Cup. Coincidence?😡

How is this supposed to encourage the growth of the game amongst girls? Forced to share showers and fields with naturally born men?"

stillathing · 22/08/2019 15:41

But coach Wayne Mansell notes: "I've seen Kelly struggling more than a lot of the girls with the demands our of training."

and yet the founder, Brian, says

"She's going to be a good, good player for the next few years, as long as we can stop her injuring players in training."

So, Kelly is not as fit/ skilled as the women on the team. And yet somehow they all know that Kelly has the potential to hurt them. It is almost as if they know exactly why that might be. Do they just not care? Or are they hard of thinking?

I naively thought sport was such an obvious issue that would bring trans ideology crashing down. The visuals, if nothing else. It is like the picture book version of what is going on, if you're having trouble with all the reading. Seems I was wrong!