Transgender footballers in Germany can choose men's or women's team

[Jilly_in_VA]

German football is bucking the recent trend of banning transgender women from women’s competition by allowing transgender, intersex and non-binary players to decide whether to play in men’s or women’s teams.

The German football federation passed a regulation for gender-nonconforming players with the civil status “diverse” or “unspecified” on Thursday.

“It also applies to transgender players who can now switch at a self-determined time or remain initially in the team in which they’d been playing previously,” the DFB said. “As long as the sporting activity does not affect the health of the person while they are taking medication, the person can take part in the game, which is why the new regulation excludes doping relevance.”

The rules take effect in the coming season and will be incorporated into the DFB’s game regulations for youth, futsal and amateur football.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jun/23/transgender-footballers-in-germany-can-choose-men-or-women-team

SOMEBODY gets it right!

[PoliticAverse]

1. Why should non-binary players be forced to choose a team they don't identify with? n/t

[NoRethugFriends]

4. Did you read the original post?

[PoliticAverse]

7. Yes, did you?

non-binary players to decide whether to play in men’s or women’s teams.

non-binary people identify as _neither_ men nor women.

[IngridsLittleAngel]

8. I don't know whether that's a sincere question or not.

[PoliticAverse]

9. You don't see the irony of an article pointing out how it's good a group isn't...

going to be forced to identify as something they choose not to identify as and then implying out how it is good another group will have to choose to identify as male or female when they identify as neither? This problem isn't going to be solved while we segregate sports into 2 genders. A similar issue exists because of the gender segregation of rest rooms and will only be solved when we move to gender-neutral facilities.

[IngridsLittleAngel]

10. My apologies. Let's just say there's been some wild discussions in the past.

I can see the irony involved, though I'm not trying to be ironic myself. As someone who has skin in the game (well, kinda.. my days of being an athlete are decades in the rearview mirror), absolutely I'm all for equality and compassion and acceptance and respecting people's gender identity - and that does obviously include non-binary.

Now here is where I own up to ignorance: I know all too well about gender-assigned-at-birth and gender identity not matching. I don't know what it feels like to say "I'm non-binary or gender fluid." So I don't know how I would react or answer the question of "I want to play football but I don't know which team to join. I'm non-binary." I can't give you an answer as to how I'd answer that question if I were in that position... so I really can't answer that question for others.

In a perfect world, you're right. We would have more gender-neutral restrooms (sadly, I don't think a lot of Americans could handle that yet). And we would divide sports (hence divisions) by ability and not gender. I personally would have no issue with it... But is society ready for such a thing? I don't know.

This is the kind of thing where I wish someone NB would offer their thoughts myself. Because while I prefer compassion over "being right," I have such little direct knowledge that I don't know if I could give a right answer. This is definitely one of those cases where the best thing to do would be to sit back and listen to those who are non-binary. Especially since Germany's position does give me the impression their thoughts and feelings would certainly be heard.

[PoliticAverse]

11. Please let me clarify that I believe the only solution to the "gender neutral restroom" issue...

that is practical in the US in the near future is to have multiple individual non-gendered restrooms, not a group-restroom that is for all genders. Just like everyone now has individual non-gendered restrooms in their homes.

50+ years after we ended "separate but equal" in the racial sphere we are still doing it in some areas of the gender sphere.

[IngridsLittleAngel]

12. I wish they would do that

I'm guessing they won't due to costs. But that sure would make all of this easier, that's for sure.

What sucks is not only does "separate but equal" still exist when it comes to genders, but we're watching conservatives roll back rights... Ones that no doubt would love to see "separate but equal" return to race issues too.

[vercetti2021]

2. Fucking finally!

This is how it should be here. Let trans people pick which side they wanna be on. Makes it easier all around.

[msongs]

3. so can everyone choose their preferred team? nt

[questionseverything]

5. Sounds that way

Otherwise how is it fair?

[OtterDave]

13. Will the woman's team that has the most trans players win?

I don't think this is a good idea. I could be wrong, but idk.

[IngridsLittleAngel]

6. Germany gets it right. So many others can learn from this

Trans women are women. Trans men are men. It's about time someone sees that and allows our brothers and sisters to participate as the gender they identify with - as opposed to being misgendered or told "get lost."