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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

NEWS ARTICLE: "Give biological men legal right to compete in women’s sport, say Greens"

57 replies

singthing · 31/08/2026 13:49

I suppose you could at least praise them for their staying power at the looney-bar. They've come right out with it now though, no mincing about the edges of vague #BeKind nice-speak.

(Interesting to note they STILL don't get the EHRC guidance only serves the ACTUAL LAW though, withdrawn, live or written in Swahili)

+++++++++++

Give biological men legal right to compete in women’s sport, say Greens
Motion for conference claims current rules rooted in ‘historical colonial and Eurocentric attitudes’ and ‘transmisogyny’

The Green Party would give biological men a legal right to compete in women’s sports under proposals drawn up by its members.

The plans, which could become party policy within weeks, would “extend trans people’s rights” so they can compete in the categories “they feel most comfortable in”.

The proposals have been submitted for debate at the Green Party conference in October, as an amendment to another motion calling for an end to “gender-based blanket bans” in sport.

Under new government guidance published this year, public bodies must ensure sports teams are segregated based on biological sex, not gender identity.

Several sporting bodies – which set the official rules for UK competitions – have also updated their policies after the Supreme Court ruled last April that the words “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex.

Proponents say the changes are necessary to protect the integrity of women’s sports and keep female athletes safe.

However, the Green Party motion warns that sporting bans at “any level” have “serious consequences” for the physical and mental health of trans people. It also suggests that rules against biological men competing in female categories are rooted in “historical colonial and Eurocentric attitudes”, as well as “transmisogyny”.

The motion ‘Oppose Gender-Based Blanket Bans in Sport’ was submitted by Melissa Harker, the Greens’ first openly transgender councillor in the North East
In the long term, the amended motion urges the party to “legislate to protect and extend trans people’s rights to participate in sports in the gender categories they feel most comfortable in”.

In the short term, it calls for the Greens to campaign against “the complete or near-complete exclusion” of trans people from competing “in line with their lived gender” in any professional sport.

The original version of the motion – titled “Oppose Gender-Based Blanket Bans in Sport” – has been approved for debate at the Green Party conference in October. However, the likelihood of it being heard depends on where it falls on the final agenda.

It was submitted by Melissa Harker, the Greens’ first openly transgender councillor in the North East, and was backed by 48 members. The amendment, which was proposed by Anna Di Bona, has 11 supporters – including Harker.

The synopsis states: “Sport allows people to stay physically and mentally healthy. Sporting bans at any level, especially attacking trans people, have serious consequences for gender diverse and global majority peoples’ mental and physical health. We need to stop blanket bans, and hold sporting bodies accountable.”

The motion calls for all sporting bodies that have introduced bans against trans athletes – either directly or indirectly – to “publicly disclose all scientific evidence they based this decision on”.

It also demands an independent inquiry into the development of recent blanket bans “to ensure transparency and compliance with equalities obligations”.

The Green Party has already called for the withdrawal of the official guidance on single-sex sports teams, which was issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) earlier this year.

Claire Coutinho, the shadow equalities minister, said: “The Green Party’s refusal to accept that there are biological differences between men and women will only serve to erase women’s spaces and women’s sports.

“Women shouldn’t be forced to compete against anyone who has a sex-based advantage in sport. It undermines fairness in sports and puts women’s safety at risk. We must have boundaries that protect women and girls from harm.”

A Green Party spokesman said: “The Green Party believes that the EHRC guidance should be withdrawn, and that trans women are women, trans men are men and that non-binary identities exist and are valid.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/08/31/green-party-biological-men-compete-women-sport-conference/

OP posts:
akkakk · Today 12:40

the deep irony is that what ever they decide, it can't happen...

if you have women's sport and let men in (e.g. 'trans women') then it automatically becomes mixed sport...

so there is zero possibility of men ever being able to take part in women's sport because a man can not become a woman. All the other unfair bits remain - it takes women's sport away from women as they are then forced to participate in mixed sport etc. so you end up with men's and mixed.

but however much they try they can not get men into women's sport as it simply stops being that.

YourWatermelonship · Today 12:56

Have we had cases of transwomen competing against other transwomen, in the women's category? I wonder if TW are okay with that

spannasaurus · Today 13:41

YourWatermelonship · Today 12:56

Have we had cases of transwomen competing against other transwomen, in the women's category? I wonder if TW are okay with that

Anne Andres, a man who competes in womans powerlifting, wasn't happy when he was beaten by Avi Silverberg. Avi is a male coach who competed in the womens powerlifting as a protest against men in the women's events.

CompleteGinasaur · Today 13:48

Wasn't there also a billiards or pool final contested by two men after a principled female player (Lynne Pinches?) forfeited her semi final in protest at being forced to participate in the rigged contest?

spannasaurus · Today 13:51

CompleteGinasaur · Today 13:48

Wasn't there also a billiards or pool final contested by two men after a principled female player (Lynne Pinches?) forfeited her semi final in protest at being forced to participate in the rigged contest?

Yes, Harriet Haynes and Lucy Smith (both men) in Ultimate Pool Women's Pro Series Event 2

YourWatermelonship · Today 14:15

spannasaurus · Today 13:41

Anne Andres, a man who competes in womans powerlifting, wasn't happy when he was beaten by Avi Silverberg. Avi is a male coach who competed in the womens powerlifting as a protest against men in the women's events.

He wasn't happy, was he? Why am I not surprised?

Wishesandhorses · Today 15:09

spannasaurus · Today 13:51

Yes, Harriet Haynes and Lucy Smith (both men) in Ultimate Pool Women's Pro Series Event 2

Turned out to be pretty much the Ultimate Irony.

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