How to write sports club trans inclusion policy?

[horseymum]

I'm the welfare Officer for my kids sports club and we have been asked to discuss trans inclusion and how we write a policy. Our governing body has some material but when I last looked it had been taken down for revision. My first thought was ' I'll resign if I have collude with women and girls being erased in our sport' but my second one was I need to work with people to help them understand the issues. There are no trans people in the club so far. It's triathlon so pretty easy to see what sex everyone is! Any tips on how to tackle this sensitively? I'm going to ask the governing body for their guidance.

Biological males on the male teams; biological females on the female teams.

Anyone who is trans is welcome to join. They should compete according to their sex. They should use the changing facilities appropriate for their sex or request a private space if that would suit them better.

The exceptions for single-sex space and single-sex sports should refer to the appropriate parts of the Equality Act 2010.

Female and open covers everyone

Sport england did a good report on the issue recently so might be worth looking at that? They’ve definitely towed back from their “TWAW you bigots” position.

it could be a great opportunity to write something truly inclusive OP & make points about how club members should accept that people can present in all sorts of ways but that doesn’t make them any less male or female.

The guidance linked in this article might be useful - www.bbc.com/sport/58732146

It comes down to, that in many sports, the choice is between inclusion or safety

Definitely use the equality act: it’s important that trans people should be able to be included and not discriminated against. But equally important that women’s sport and privacy is protected.

I've read some of the sport england reports. Yes, I will be pointing out that everyone is welcome, but they need to record their sex accurately. Unfortunately, the ease of getting a GRC in Scotland will soon make a mockery of that as birth certificates can be changed.
We have mixed changing at our current public pool venue but have previously used separate ones at a school, good point which I need to remember. We run a competition in normal times once a year which we will need to consider. I don't know if they will consider female and open categories, it's worth bringing up. I'm a bit nervous about this as it's the first time discussing this with people whose opinions on the matter I don't know or can't guage before.
I also want us to put more energy into making the club more accessible to disabled people as they are actually properly under represented and the energy put in to trans discussion could actually be redirected to help people really in need.

These are children then? So - it’s either mixed sex (like kiddy rounder) or single sex (gymnastics).

Changing rooms must remain single sex. The dignity and privacy of kids must be maintained.

These are children then? So - it’s either mixed sex (like kiddy rounder) or single sex (gymnastics).

The thing to always keep in mind is that "single gender" cannot be justified. There is no logical or ethical reason for it. Gender is not relevant to sport. It makes as much sense as "single race" or "single religion" sports.

If challenged, don't just defend your policy, challenge their proposed policy. You don't have to prove your policy is perfect, you just need to show it's better than theirs.

(No policy can be perfect because any rule, or lack or rule, will always make some people sad. Some people being sad is not sufficient to rule out an option. You need to maximise benefit and minimise harm.)

The changing rooms at the public pool are all cubicles, but the whole area is available to anyone at that session. This is normal for a swimming pool. The kids session finishes, they all come out, then the adults go in. Only club members at either kids or adult session. I'm fine with this set up, it's more thinking about events and camps etc.
I also want people to be clear on language ue gender and sex and will definitely use the equality act.

I'm not sure how normal fully mixed sex changing villages are at swimming pools.
Although I understand they are quite common, there are plenty of swimming pools round us where there are changing villages, but they are nonetheless zoned as male, female or family changing.

Can you embed trans-inclusiveness within the single sex policy by specifically permitting trans-identifying people to participate within the correct single sex group while presenting as their preferred gender? Also specifying that abusive language or behaviour will not be permitted.

Not sure of the wording, but what I'm trying to get at is that if, say, Lia Thomas wanted to participate, they would have to participate in the men's section, but would be allowed to wear feminine kit and mocking them would be unacceptable.

But then, of course, you get to the issue of pronouns.

I think if you wanted to be sure to cover your basis, you might want to talk about emphasizing that trans competitors would be welcomed within their appropriate sex divisions and bullying etc will not be tolerated.

It's also possible you might be asked about how to manage situations where a competitor is on hormone therapy, in which case if male might not be able to compete evenly with other males, or if female would have an unfair advantage. There are different ways you might deal with that but I can see it being a likely question.

Given the sport, I assume that male and female train together anyway? Swimming lanes allotted to ability? Cycling and running are non contact and so again will be on ability. Or is it an all female club? I’m also assuming it’s an amateur club?

Your hands will be tied by GB Triathlon /ITU in respect of race licences and which category they allot an athlete to. The only real practical issue as a club is changing rooms which in the case of your club sounds like that issue can be avoided?

Our local club simply stated that all training was mixed sex segregated into groups on ability - which is a practical reality - not sure I could swim in a lane with Katie Ledecky! In respect of races it was bound by ITU rules. In respect of changing rooms it states that they were bound by the rules of the facilities that it hired. This is all prefaced by it’s a club welcoming to all.

Maybe that’s a very practical solution?

I believe that they have had one enquiry from a trans person who wanted to join until they realised that there isn’t all female training sessions and all session are mixed sex.

Triathlon is one of the few sports where Men and Women amateurs compete side by side in the same race but are divided for the purposes of prizes on age and sex. One of the few sports with mandated equal prize money although not a proportionate number of spots at the world championships.

I believe that they have had one enquiry from a trans person who wanted to join until they realised that there isn’t all female training sessions and all session are mixed sex. that’s interesting isn’t it?

Since people use their bodies to do sport, not their 'gender identities', inclusion in activities divided by sex should be judged on biological sex, not gender as should access to facilities. Gender is totally irrelevant to sport. And indeed to most things.

If it helps, Stonewall's definition of gender is below, and emphasises the "masculinity/ femininity" aspect, which are largely irrelevant to sports compared with physical sex which is hugely relevant. Important to watch out for any conflation of sex and gender and nip it in the bud.

Gender

Often expressed in terms of masculinity and femininity, gender is largely culturally determined and is assumed from the sex assigned at birth.

The club is fully trans inclusive. All activities are open to people of any gender, or none.

Competition and sleeping areas are separated by sex, as per the equality act 2010.

@KittenKong I thought it was interesting too.

Apparently the same individual approached the swimming club at the same location and was made feel very welcome but was advised that all training is mixed sex so there wouldn’t be any issue. I’m not aware of whether they ever joined but don’t believe they did….. I think a number of the water based clubs were approached but because of limitations on pool time it so happens all the clubs have mixed sex training.

I know when they queried the Tri club about why there weren’t separate training sessions and how unfair that was (with a certain amount of hurumphing on their part as if it was the club’s fault) they were told its a reflection of the underfunding of women’s sport that the club can’t financially support women only dedicated training sessions. It was a problem that all local clubs had….. but that they were most welcome at the sessions that were offered and given contact details of the appropriate person at the governing body to speak to about their racing licence if they wanted to race but if they just wanted to train at this stage they could come to a few sessions to try it and see if they liked it without commitment - all very reasonable to me.

Knowing the individuals concerned they would have been very respectful and genuinely welcoming to the prospective new member and quite sympathetic to them - not a horrid terfy dinosaur. I only know about it because the behaviour of the person made the clubs wonder was it a ‘set up’ for a discrimination claim.

If this is for children then say that trans children can compete in the sex that is specified on their birth or gender recognition certificate. And because you have to be 18 or over for a GRC, that means birth certificate for children.

@BootsAndRoots

If this is for children then say that trans children can compete in the sex that is specified on their birth or gender recognition certificate. And because you have to be 18 or over for a GRC, that means birth certificate for children.

Why just children? All participants should participate according to the sex recorded on their birth certificate, with the EA single sex exemption applied for safeguarding and fairness.

It's great that you and your club are thinking ahead and looking to develop guidance. It will be much easier to develop a clear policy before you have to deal with a specific case. Once you have an individual case things get very emotional, and very personal. People don't like to say 'no' to an individual, even when they know it's the right thing to do. So a clear sex-based policy developed without the heat and emotion, and with clear guidance on how trans athletes can be safely and appropriately included in your club activities, could save you and the club a lot of pain and conflict down the line.

I think I heard Coach Linda Blade talking about how they have a sex-based inclusion policy at Athletics Alberta, in Canada, so it might be worth looking up how they present it.

@JellySaurus Why just children? Because this is a children's sports club.

And adults accompanying the children?