www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/sep/29/new-guidelines-for-transgender-participation-unveiled-by-uk-sports-councils
This might help?
Legally the equality act single sex exemptions should apply to showers/changing rooms. But it’s up to the club to apply them, legally they should be able think the only recourse is civil suits if showing them the single sex exemptions doesn’t work. I’m not the expert though. Single sex exemptions apply to transwomen with a grc as well though.
Re: sports I don’t think there is a law that applies directly to sport. But I could be wrong. However the above article might help.
There are over 6000 differences between a male and female body. No amount of hormones and surgery can change the massive physical advantage they have over women, including over very fit and strong women.
An understanding of safeguarding and how to argue it might help. Safeguarding works from the point of view of ‘what’s the worse case scenario’ and working back from there to prevent harm.
So if something goes wrong and could have easily been predicted (tw retain same rates of violence as males, tw are much much stronger no matter the transition-and 90-95% retain their penis) the club would be legally responsible for showing they took every reasonable action to prevent that harm. If you prevent them with all the facts (and look up the research on the above, it’s easy to find here) and they do nothing and tw harm someone on the pitch or off the club would be responsible.
It’s not about how lovely these tw might seem, the stats show tw commit violence at the same rates as males. So there is always that risk. And a risk assessment, the club’s responsibility, should take that into account and take into account the physical differences on the pitch. You don’t need to know these tw would pose a risk, but because they are male you can’t know they won’t. And that’s what matters in safeguarding. (And don’t let them women-do -that-too you either, stats don’t show that). If you raise it you can do so from the point of view of trying to avoid the club facing legal action if something goes wrong. You might want to check through the below site, there’s an article about how organisations following stonewall legal advice may have policies that are illegal themselves.
legalfeminist.org.uk/
You are in a lousy place @TraumatisedinTwickenham. If you raise it you likely will face bigot accusations, which is why it matters to be very prepared and to know the facts. Maya’s Forstarter’s case established legal president as the high court judge said belief in the material reality of biological sex is a protected characteristic under philosophical belief under the equality act. So if you address this keep that in mind and quote it to them if you need to. It’s understandable to not address it given the current climate, but if you don’t then you could well be faced with the same reality at many games. Which, as you say changes, the experience of playing hockey and leaves yourself and others at risk both on the pitch and in changing rooms.
So it has to be the decision you feel most comfortable with. But worth keeping in mind women are now challenging this all over, and the veil is falling publicly. Read the threads here about the Nolan podcast, bbc article about lesbians raped by tw, the eb interview with nk on wh & the articles posted in MSM since this. There’s a lot more public recognition of the material reality of this ‘inclusion’ and it’s becoming understood that it means exclusion for 51% of the population in many circumstances. So it’s unlikely you are the only woman playing there who will feel this way, even if others are scared of raising it.
Good luck.