England Rugby sees sense re women's rugby

[Fenlandia]

twitter.com/fairplaywomen/status/1550484623280553985

"BREAKING NEWS. Another sport says no to males in women’s teams. Two years after the World Rugby ruling, England Rugby Union now joins the growing list of sports reverting to sex categories."

Thank you FPFW for your tireless work on this. Why the RFU has taken so long to see the bleeding obvious (mixed sex adults rugby. What could possibly go wrong!) is another matter.

Indeed. Transpeople should definitely be encouraged to play sport. It is very beneficial for mental and physical health, will encourage friendships and bonding. Just they have to pay in their own sex categories.

Asked in a genuine, non-stirring way... Do transwomen really want to play women's rugby? Because, if it was me, and I injured someone severely, I would feel very guilty and responsible. And, as a result, I wouldn't want to play women's rugby.

Same goes for competitors like Lia Thomas. I wouldn't feel it's fair or sporting to change category for sport. It's great that we have the freedom in the U.K. to live as whatever gender we choose, but I can't understand why she'd choose to compete against professional female swimmers with her inherent advantage?

I’ll give you a clue about Liar. 498 In male competition. No1 in female competition. Hope that explains why. As to TW playing rugby, there are 6 in the UK who play on women’s teams. A PP has explained why even 6 is a problem.

I’ll give you a clue about Liar. 498 In male competition. No1 in female competition. Hope that explains why.

I suspected that was the case. I guess it will become indefensible if she ends up going back to living as a man after her swimming career has ended or being truncated.

Re the six rugby players, I read that post. Many of my friends are rugby mad and, while the rugby men are a little over-exuberant and feisty at times, I can't imagine any of them wanting to endanger women by switching to women's rugby.

*been

I’m sure Liar will discover Liar is not a woman as soon as Liar leaves college. It’s not like Lisr has done anything permanent to Liars body is it?

Let’s also not forget ‘players’ like Mouncey who flounces from handball because they were told the women found their behaviour creepy in the locker room.

And like MMA fighters who like breaking opponents orbital bones because they seem to hate … women.

There are many reasons for males to play contact sport in a female category.

Cheating is widespread in sport, that's why we have random drug testing.

Also, some male people do like to hurt women.

Let's see what the vote is today.

In the meantime, what is it about middle aged transitioned males who simply cannot understand that no woman is playing in women's rugby teams as a 50 plus woman and that the very fact that they are doing so, and remain either uninjured or can actually remain competitive enough to retain a place on the team is a sure sign of their 'advantage'.

twitter.com/SkySportsNews/status/1552672863429304323?s=20&t=Iymu63g9sjUG5DY1Pexjmw

yeah, Alix. You are older than some of their mothers.... that point is actually very pertinent yet you seem to not understand the significance.

Alix even admits they are one of the 'strongest' in the team. The complete lack of self awareness is startling.

She could still play rugby ... touch rugby or with the mens vet team !

Just not with the women.

naturally sky turned off the replies - I wonder why 🙄

Mermaids' arguments in this tweet! Is that the best they have? Using their logic, that people come in all shapes and sizes, we should just abandon sex segregated sport altogether. Or at least allow some males to play in female sport because we feel sorry for them.

twitter.com/mermaids_gender/status/1552939955734945792?s=21&t=zFLFjwMo47llS0qKHe7-7w

Ha. Alix's male advantage is blindingly, blindingly obvious - I suppose I interpret her saying, "...It’s part of my identity… I play rugby… there’s a pride in doing that because I didn’t think I could [play]…” as meaning that, even as a much younger man, she wasn't able to play competitive rugby [possibly as a result of being too small?], but it says everything that even aged 54 she can as a 'woman', and is even one of the physically strongest players in the team...

The club captain defends Alix... it might be hard to reliably find a full ladies' rugby XV at that kind of level, and I could imagine [especially with, presumably, no childcare etc responsibilities], given how much she seems to get out of it, that Alix will reliably show up every week no matter what... but that club [somewhere in Newham] is in a majority Asian area, surely that's a much bigger pool of untapped talent out there, which you presumably close off completely by picking a TW?

It is probably fair that, shortish and aged 54, Alix is no Hannah Mouncey, but, still, 'case by case' just doesn't work in a situation like this, it leaves really difficult decision making in completely the wrong hands. A blanket 'no', at any level, to TW's in any women's collision or contact sport is the only halfway sane policy. Never mind fairness, safety has to come before inclusiveness.

I'm almost beginning to enjoy this. They are being forced now into the most ridiculous TRA tactics. They can't get away with word salad.

So they are using suicide statistics, fake 'Stonewall law' discrimination threats, and the one that always cracks me up, you must allow men to dominate women's sport, because otherwise butch women might get accused of being men.

it will never cease to amaze me how this batshittery got so far.

The vote is in.

RFU have voted to protect women’s sports!

www.englandrugby.com/news/article/rfu-council-votes-in-favour-of-change-to-gender-participation-policy

yikes, only 33-26. pleasing but no room for complacency.

Finally. And 24 captured souls with no interest in women's safety? They need replacing with those committed to the rights of women to single sex sport and personal safety when playing rugby.

Relief for everyone who values women's sport, whether as a player, parent or spectator. Glad the case-by-case approach was ruled out - if you let in some transwomen, how can you justify discriminating against some other transwomen (eg too big and heavy, or not on hormones for whatever reason), and eventually how can you justify excluding any male?

I'm pleased with the decision but appalled at how close it was.

Excellent news. Not surprised at the close vote given even medical institutions have been captured and the push for equality and diversity and #be kind . Well done those committee members for doing what is right for women and girls not capitulating to a small minority of males

Maybe the 26 are more concerned about how their own male teams were going to deal with the new policy. The easy thing would be to keep things as they were. Let’s hope that those who struggle with femininity in male people can overcome their own prejudices.

I found how close the vote was very surprising. I recall that they delegate safety of every match to local referees, and if I was one of them I'd be resigning over safety concerns

Common sense has prevailed.

Transwomen competing against women is not about equality and inclusivity, whatever they might say, it's about validation. Equality and inclusivity come first and can be achieved by playing alongside your own biological sex. Validation can then be achieved by respecting preferred pronouns, separate changing rooms and zero tolerance of any abuse. I would love to see a transwoman beating all the men in the 100m sprint!