Part of the flyer handed out at the women’s football match
The Women’s FA Cup Final was held on Saturday, 5 May. At the event, trans-exclusionary feminist group MAYDAY 4 WOMEN handed out over 400 flyers about ‘protecting women’s sports from men.’
Today we went to the Women’s FA Cup Final and gave out 400+ flyers before the match about protecting women’s sport from men. pic.twitter.com/rbXpsDFax6
— MAYDAY 4 WOMEN (@mayday4women) May 5, 2018
‘Sportswomen shouldn’t have to compete against men,’ the flyer reads.
‘Girls can play football! Gender non-conforming kids need feminism not hormones or surgery!’
‘Changing rooms should be sex segregated.’
‘A man can never be a woman. Keep men out of our sports!’
Why the outrage?
Back in 2014, the FA announced its decision to allow transgender people to play as their affirmed gender.
‘This is a pioneering move for football and one which is designed to help give visibility to the trans community,’ said Funke Awoderu, The FA’s equality manager. ‘It is something true to The FA’s mantra that football really is for everyone and I’m pleased this provision has been made to trans people wanting to get involved in our national game.’
MAYDAY 4 WOMEN’s argument is based on biological essentialism, or the belief that there are innate differences in males and females that extend to things such as strength, intelligence, and creativity. This viewpoint erases the existence of trans and intersex people, as well as ignores the role society and culture play in our ideas of gender.
The feedback
Transgender advocates argued with MAYDAY 4 WOMEN on Twitter, only to be dismissed.
‘It doesn’t matter. It’s not possible to change sex – socially or physically,’ they said in response to someone’s comment about hormones.
‘Ah but it is,’ they replied. ‘Socially, psychologically, hormonally, physically, and physiologically. Although I would argue that we were part way there to start with. Let’s agree to disagree and live and let live.’
But MAYDAY 4 WOMEN wasn’t interested in agreeing to disagree.
‘The problem is Charlie, pretending you’re not a woman harms other women. The ideology that fooled you isn’t let women live. Women’s erasure, medical violence to women’s bodies, removal of rights, telling lesbians they can’t not fuck men, too much at stake for a liberal attitude.’
‘That’s all well and good, but I look forward to seeing your reaction when trans men (or, as you no doubt call them, “women”) start using female changing facilities,’ another Twitter user chimed in.
‘“Transmen” are female so it’d be entirely appropriate,’ MAYDAY 4 WOMEN replied matter-of-factly.
Other people were very confused by these flyers.
‘What exactly is the message here. Girls can play football and trans is wrong? I’m confused!’ another person said.
Hormones aren’t gender
Additionally, some brought up the phenomenon of cisgender women with naturally high testosterone levels and wondered how they would play into this exclusionary argument.
Can you clarify something? Caster Semenya is female but penalised for high testosterone. If she was a “trans woman” would her hyperandrogenism be accepted?
Right now they are forcing her to take drugs to slow down 😕— Nicole Johnston (@NicoleJohnston) May 6, 2018
She’d have to take testosterone suppression, as they’re asking her to do anyway (which is disgusting btw, she’s a woman and asking women to modify their bodies to compete is awful). This is also untrue, the FAs acceptable T level is half the female range, very low indeed
— Natalie (@Transsomething) May 6, 2018
Damned Lies
More pro-LGBTI advocates chimed in to point out the lies MAYDAY 4 WOMEN was spreading.
I’m glad most of these ended up on the floor with the other trash. Are you hoping the FA change their policy after they spent 18 months on a review .Deluded
— Claire Green (@clairegreen66) May 6, 2018
Hi, I’m a cis woman, and trans women aren’t men pretending to be women, they ARE women. You on the other hand are a sorry excuse for a woman since you don’t even stand up for all women, instead you are actively working to harm women. You should be ashamed.
— Emily Rose 🍃 (@sparkoftheatoms) May 6, 2018
How many lies can you fit on two sides of A4 paper? Quite a few, apparently.
— centrism with sjw characteristics (@globalist_chill) May 6, 2018
You would have been better off just putting them straight in the bin, nobody wants your hateful lies.
— 🏳️🌈Gloria – Trans Giant🏳️🌈 (@TheTransGiant) May 6, 2018
In the same week that @NevilleSouthall hands over his Twitter account to educate people about transgender acceptance, these nasty anti-trans lies are promoted at the Women’s FA Cup Final! 😕
There is NO PLACE in football for transphobia! https://t.co/ru7IpU5UMu
— Helen🧜🏻♀️ (@mimmymum) May 6, 2018
i didn’t transition to get ahead of cis women. i transitioned because i am a woman. calling trans women men puts real women at risk & that is not feminism.
i take hrt to ameliorate transition and improve my outcome of surviving. i’m a biological woman, not your target of hate.
— AnarchoTransMermaid (@mygirlmargaux) May 6, 2018
This really uninformed transphobic garbage 🚮
— Ittai 🐢 אתי (@ittaiw) May 6, 2018
This is so disgusting
— Steph XX (@StephXX10) May 6, 2018
shame on you! absolutely disgusting message you’re trying to spread 😡
— effy haavik nygård (@traveleff) May 6, 2018
GSN has reached out to MAYDAY 4 WOMEN requesting comment.
