Female gymnasts of all ages at thousands of British clubs must now use the same changing facilities and toilets as males who identify as female, following a ruling by the sport’s governing body.
Women and girls travelling to official competitions have also been told they must share accommodation with boys and men who identify as female.
Controversially, the edict by British Gymnastics, which has a membership of more than 350,000 – the vast majority of whom are under 16 – bans coaches from telling parents their daughter is sharing a room with a boy who has declared themself as female.
It adds that anyone ‘unhappy’ with the new rules must make their own ‘alternative arrangements’. It is unclear whether males who identify as females will be allowed to share showers with female gymnasts.
There has been a furious backlash from parents, who say the organisation’s transgender policy – introduced after advice from transgender campaigners – puts their daughters’ safety at risk.
In a further ruling, boys and men who identify as female are allowed to participate in female-only competitions.
Prepubescent boys who identify as girls can compete in any female category. Male gymnasts who identify as female but are post-puberty can take part in women’s competitive events, providing they comply with International Olympic Committee standards.
IOC rules stipulate that to be eligible for female sporting competitions, trans women must live in their ‘declared gender’ for a minimum of four years.
Prepubescent boys who identify as girls can compete in any female category. Male gymnasts who identify as female but are post-puberty can take part in women’s competitive events, providing they comply with International Olympic Committee standards.
IOC rules stipulate that to be eligible for female sporting competitions, trans women must live in their ‘declared gender’ for a minimum of four years.
The woman, who asked to be referred to only as Tracy, said: ‘When I phoned British Gymnastics, the receptionist told me that they had been inundated by phone calls from unhappy parents.
‘The fact that boys are now allowed to change with the girls is a safeguarding nightmare. I’m not happy about this at all and nor is my daughter.
‘When I spoke to the other parents at the club, they couldn’t believe a sporting body would put children at risk in that way.’
Tracy said she was equally upset that her daughter might be sharing a room with a boy who identifies as a girl while travelling with her club for competitions.
‘I may not be on that trip because she goes with her club and I’m utterly horrified my child could be changing and sleeping in the same room as boys,’ she said. ‘Even worse, I wouldn’t be told to protect the privacy of the trans child.’
Another mother, from Cambridgeshire, who also declined to be named, said she will not encourage her ‘talented’ daughter to progress to competition level for ‘her own safety’.
The row comes as a string of elite athletes, including Martina Navratilova, Sharron Davies and Dame Kelly Holmes, have spoken out against transgender women competing in female sports.
Former Wimbledon champion Navratilova says it is ‘unfair’ for women to compete against athletes who are biologically ‘still men’.
British Gymnastics said last night: ‘We believe our guidance on the inclusion of trans people is consistent with our safeguarding policies and have no reason to believe that it compromises anyone’s safety or welfare.’
This article has been adapted from its original source.
