I’m the girl banned for asking a transgender opponent: Are you a man?

[IDareSay]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/9eac5e4f059c1924

Very brave young woman. Excellent article from Ben Rumsby.

"She has been banned from playing football for asking a transgender opponent: “Are you a man?” She has been discussed and debated on television, online and in parliament. She has become a symbol in the fight against those born male playing in women’s sport. And almost nobody knows who she is.
Until now."

Cerys has been brave and direct and honest. The contrast with the FA's mealy-mouthed attitude couldn't be sharper. The increasing interest in sport these days by girls seems a rare bit of positivity these days. I've just been watching Wigan Women rugby league on the BBC. The club, and, to be fair, the RFL, despite their manifold failings in other areas, have done a lot to encourage women and children of all ages to get involved. And yet the biggest sport in the country by far is dragging its heels.

For the avoidance of doubt, obviously I am not Cerys!
I just copied and pasted the title of the article and, with hindsight, should have added quotation marks. In my defence I had only had one coffee...

IDareSay · Today 13:11

For the avoidance of doubt, obviously I am not Cerys!

Fear not! The thread's Reality Based Community knew that.

I wonder this too. My teen DD is very eye rolly about it. I'd glad it hasn't gone the other way.

Sympathy for the women who have spoken out is a start but no sympathy for all the other women it impacted? Those who have self excluded, those who felt really uncomfortable having a man in the changing room with them but didn't want to be the one that lost their friends and their place on the team when they spoke out, those who faced the increased risk of injury because they feared the impacted speaking out would have on them e.g. if they work in a captured industry. Women and girls are the victims of men being allowed into women's sport but they are still expected to feel sorry for the perpetrators.

Why is it always big fully grown men who seem to want to join young women’s sports?! I’ve never seen/ heard this happen in men’s sports with transgender men complaining that they aren’t included.

Also I hate how they are celebrated and encouraged.

Good on her for standing up and speaking truthfully.

@TwoLoonsAndASprout

As a mum to a teen autistic boy, I can only say that he hates lies, is very logical and everything in his world is black or white.

In his words, the whole “being able to change your sex” idea, just doesn’t make sense.

Also, I whisper terfy words in his ear while he sleeps 😏

Damn, that’s where I went wrong! Forgot the terfy words 🤣

I am also not Cerys but I am her Mum. We are very, very proud of her for speaking up. Thank you to everyone here on FWR for the support they have shown her, it has really helped her

Congratulations on raising such a wonderful young woman @BeReet . Hers is the generation who have had so much taken from them - not just in sport but also in terms of boundaries and having their reality challenged.

We're all proud of her (but not as much as you evidently)

Excellent, Onwards and upwards for Cerys.

Women’s sports should be for biological women. It feels that in everything now being ‘inclusive’ anctually means excluding and taking away the opportunities and safety for women. Why can’t there be an option for mixed teams, so men’s, women’s and mixed? Why is that such a problem and anyone who suggests it is transphobic? Very rarely do we hear about transmen getting involved in biological male sports… I wonder why! Madness.

and just to add, what a brave young woman Cerys is! 🩷

And weightlifter Sarah Robles' "No thank you"!

👏 I’m giving you a round of applause for that The Stuff reference 👏

Oh wow... how lovely to 'meet' you. Your daughter is amazing - thank you and thank her. You were very strong to stand up the FA and not just slink away and lick your wounds. You are both role models!! Good luck to Cerys in her exams and whatever she wants to do next!!

Well done to her, she’s fantastic. And you for raising a confident dd

Brava Cerys! Well done for speaking out against the madness. Your Mum and Dad have done a great job raising you to have the courage to stand up and be counted.

Please pass on my appreciation for what your daughter has done. I hope she is able to continue to enjoy the game for many years to come. I used to manage a women's team and spoke up about my concerns for safety and fairness when the league decided to permit self-IDing males to play. Unfortunately the whole team was then banned from playing. I hope those days will soon be behind us.

This person is the one with the beard aka the guy.

Ignore please, I thought this was quoting a previous post.

Congratulations, what a couragous woman you've raised. 💐

Oh my goodness! what a wonderful daughter (& you can be such a proud mum!). Wonderful that Cerys has been brave to speak up. She will do wonders for other women and girls. It is so important that individual stories come out - and show how awful things have been for so many women. If you decide to take action on the FA, I'd be delighted to contribute to the gardening fund. lots of love and I hope she is back on the pitch (if not now then very soon) xxx

Good for her for being direct, honest and not leaving space to have her words twisted!!

The FA rules are nonsensical.

Mixed teams are allowed - but to avoid injury to the females, mixed teams are not allowed after 17-18 years old (?). Previously was 16 which is a more sensible limit IMO as many teen boys are "built" by then.

Meantwhile the FA this it is OK for an adult male (with beard) to play with girls (under 18s) on the women's team. Just not on the mixed... WTF?

The BBC article about "Jessica" mentioned on another thread was actually quite useful - the coach called Steve listed off a lot of different possible options for inclusive training and matches. Also that mens teams need to do the work of being more inclusive too. Hopefully things like that will be the norm instead of women being bullied and injured.

We dont feel sorry for this man, just like we wouldn’t feel sorry for someone who pretended to have a disability in order to compete in the paralympics.