Rugby club guidance

[Lightisnotwhite]

Just had this emailed over.
s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.pitchero.com%2Fclubs%2F82236%2FMUshZjtXReGOKa6HyU9J_RAG63+-+Transgender+inclusion++policy.docx.pdf

Our club has several girls teams starting at U11’s. U13’s U15, and U18’s.
Maybe I’m mis reading but doesn’t this imply that boys are welcome to join?
For context it’s taken many years to get “ just” enough girls on board whilst the men’s and boys teams have A and B sides at all ages.

Our smelly facilities are no spa thats for sure .There’s a tradition of earthy behaviour in rugby so I’m interested to know what would be considered “inappropriate” behaviour in a changing room, shower or toilet.

There is absolutely no mention of any impact assessment on the girl rugby players. I can’t imagine many teenage girls would be happy to be naked in a changing room or communal shower with a penis wielding transperson?
If you can’t nip this in the bud, OP, you may possibly lose your entire female team the first time it happens.

And that also doesn’t address the risk of serious injury to girls tackled on the pitch by a male body.

I can’t understand how someone can issue a policy that says “We understand that if you are non-binary or gender-fluid you may wish to use a mix of both facilities in a day” and not be ashamed.
So the person might dress as male and use the male facilities then use the female ones. And don’t have to disclose that transgender.

I'd send this over to Fair Play for Woman OP. The wonderful Nic Williams has seen countless batshit policies like this and no doubt will have some very pertinent advice - especially about safety, safeguarding and the law:
fairplayforwomen.com/

I think for the U 11’s and U13’s male bodies on pitch aren’t such as issue. Girls are tall and can be fairly solid whilst the boys haven’t hit their growth spurt. However gurls are just starting to get used to uncomfortable and inconvenient truths about female bodies and sport. Not sure a boy with their own issues is in any way helpful.
Definitely in the older girl's groups a 16/17 boy would be a worry physically.
T
he thing that annoys me us that women’s rugby is on the back foot because it’s a male sex dominated sport. It’s needs actual girls and women to make it work not gender fluid or trans. Women’s rugby shouldn’t be their battle.

MrsOvertonsWindow Thank you. I will.

I used to play in Hampshire (and on one occasion FOR Hampshire). I've written to the safeguarding lead...

I would like to bet that they haven't run this past the RFU insurers. I'd like to see how they can justify this following the World Rugby guidance and the Sport England research.

The RFU states that Mini rugby needs to be single sex at U12 so this document is inconsistent with that.

I thought the rugby union had said transwomen shouldn’t play on girls trans because of the physical danger to girls?

Even if boys haven’t yet had a hrowth spirt - which many have - they’re faster and stronger and much more likely to injure a girl than is another girl.

IIRC the performance gap starts to widen at age 8 or 9? So plenty earlier than this.

I am totally and utterly horrified on so many levels, I don't know where to start! Is there a corresponding guidance document for girls/women who don't want to play against/be battered by/change and shower in the presence of boys/men? No? I thought not! I guess they just....shut up or leave the sport.

Word rugby have issued guidence that means trans women can't play womens rugby, but that's for international sport. The RFU issued guidence that allowed tw in women's rugby, but ran a consultation on the policy. I don't know if they have responded to it, or if the policy currently stands. Sport England have issued some guidence for sport governing bodies which would (imo) make it difficult for English rugby to continue with these daft policies which dont consider safety for women. Definitely worth speaking to fpfw.

My son plays rugby and they have girls teams at his club. If I get sent something like this I will be going straight to the top of the club. I have spoken to my son about this and he is horrified.

OP, if you think U13 male bodies on the pitch are ok, you need to go and watch some U13s teams.

Yeah 13 year boys playing against girls. That will go well

And as for them going in and out of different changing rooms. Depending on how they feel

Safeguarding issue. With big red flags on it

Don’t they know anything about rugby clubs at all

Un fucking believable

You might find this interesting when thinking about sporting deferential between teenage boys and women/gurls

It doesn't mention who plays who at all.

It mentions toilets/ facilities and says they aim to have 'gender neutral' wherever possible.

That's pretty disingenuous. I imagine loads have communal changing etc? The policy means you can choose where to go. If fluid you can use either.

That's a pretty big point that they've tried to gloss over. Very very naughty and deliberately so.

Bollocks to that. It talks about changing rooms but doesn't even mention what team you play on. Do they think no-one will notice??
My son is 12 and does sport competitively (not rugby). Male v female speed and strength already very apparent.
I'd ask about World Rugby guidelines and how the hell they think this is appropriate

If I were in that area and in that club etc.

Assuming there are some facilities with communal.

I'd ask very specifically. One question. V clear.

Hello seen doc.

I/ my DC /DH are at X club. There are currently communal male/ female changing /showers.

Please can you confirm how this policy will be applied at X club.

No more no less. No wriggle room.

See what they say.

If it's up to individual places to sort.

Say no not good enough. Need you to confirm.

I've seen a few sports things like this, i.e. sports guidance written with the assistance of Gendered Intelligence. It seems that GI are conducting their own version of "Stonewall Law" and advising sports bodies to implement policies like this.

In this case, this looks like guidance from the county rugby board rather than specific club advice that they now have TW players. That said, guidance likes this pushes individual clubs into thinking this is the blessed route, when it very much is not.

I (as a rugby player) would want to know:

• how this policy was consulted on and which groups were involved
• the risk assessment
• that their insurers have blessed this

I would also be inclined to share this with Hampshire RFC: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-real-science-of-sport-podcast/id1461719225?i=1000497073938

In the first instance, yes, contact Nic at Fair Play for Women. She is very involved with this matter wrt rugby and is in conversations with many female rugby players (myself included).

Hi @lightisnotwhite @ladychappers and all. FPFW are aiming to speak to the RFU. Any updates on policy or practice in rugby? Any examples of females missing out or self-excluding because of policies that leave them feeling uncertain or unsafe? pls email Nicola or admins@
Thank you!

@DerryWitch

Hi *@lightisnotwhite* *@ladychappers* and all. FPFW are aiming to speak to the RFU. Any updates on policy or practice in rugby? Any examples of females missing out or self-excluding because of policies that leave them feeling uncertain or unsafe? pls email Nicola or admins@ Thank you!

Hi - my daughter was always going to play rugby "like Mummy", but this is now on hold until we get clarity on the RFU's position on mixed sex rugby. We can't have her falling in love with the game and then being put at risk by playing against someone who has gone through male puberty. She's doing football and netball instead, and we will wait until the policy is clarified.

I’m in the same position as LadyChappers. My daughter wants to play but I’m steered g her to others sports until the position is clarified. Why should she support a sport that doesn’t care about her safety? My son plays rugby and the care taken around potential head injuries and rules on playing up a year are taken really seriously because of the potential risks. Yet England Rugby doesn’t follow the science and recommendations from World Rugby - inclusion for male bodied players is put above inclusion and safety of women. Good luck with this FPFW.

I'm glad my daughter's U15 rugby team is heading further North for their tour OP. That's disgraceful.

OP, if you think U13 male bodies on the pitch are ok, you need to go and watch some U13s teams

Exactly, my own son was almost 6 foot with size 11 feet when he first went to secondary school and he was not the only boy that height.