A soccer club in Australia with five transgender players won a preseason women’s tournament, causing controversy on social media.
According to news.au.com, Flying Bats FC beat the Macquarie Dragons in the Beryl Ackroyd Cup final 4-0. They were also awarded a $1,000 prize. The club was undefeated throughout the four-week competition and won a match 10-0.
As seen in the club’s social media bio, it is a proud supporter of the LGBTQIA+ Community.
“Sydney’s premier LGBTQIA+ soccer (football) club for non-binary women and women. Est 1985. “Fun, friendly, inclusive,” reads its X-profile.
Some Australians, however, did not celebrate the victory. They spoke out to The Daily Telegraph.
“Our girls came here to have fun and to compete in the women’s competition. “They did not sign up to compete in a mixed competition”, a senior club official told The Daily Telegraph. Some parents were so worried that they wouldn’t let their daughters participate.
It was disheartening to them that they could see the huge differences in their abilities – and they were killing it.
Kirralie, a spokesperson for Binary Australia, said that the North West Sydney League put players in danger. Binary Australia is a group of advocates who maintain that “sex is binary”, and that there are only 2 genders: male and female.
The outrage continues online
Are you angry yet? Sky Australia’s Katherine Deves Morgan contributed to X. Five blokes were on the winning women’s soccer team. Girls were fined if they forfeited. “What a joke.”
“I’ve been angry for years – the injustice is out of the charts. Keep women’s sports female. Martina Navratilova, tennis legend and former Olympic athlete added: “It is not the place for (failed male) athletes.”
Jen Peden, the president of Flying Bats FC, has reacted to criticism.
Peden, via news.au.com, said that trans women should compete in women’s events because they are women.
Flying Bats FC is a club that strongly supports inclusion. We are proud of our safe, fair, and respectful play, as well as the support we provide to LGBTQIA+ athletes, officials, and supporters.
“We value our cisgender as well as transgender members equally. We support the Australian Human Rights Commission guidelines on the inclusion of gender-diverse and transgender people in sports.
“Trans women are just as experienced and skilled as our cis female players, having played for the club at all levels from beginners to experts. Our players are placed into the appropriate team based on their ability and skill level. We look forward to an exciting, competitive 2024 season for all eight of our teams.
A spokesperson for Football NSW said that the organization was working within the guidelines of the Australian Human Rights Commission, which state “community players can participate in Football based on their gender identity.”
