Dear The Football Associations of the UK,

We are writing to express our disappointment and disgust following the announcements from the English FA and Scottish FA on transgender women in football, made after the recent Supreme Court ruling on the definition of "woman".

As the governing body of football, you are duty bound to make football inclusive for everyone which we believe you are failing in this duty. We believe that the FAs of the devolved nations have monopolised football in the UK which makes operating in the football space almost impossible without your involvement. Your EDI strategy calls for “A Game Free From Discrimination”, yet with this decision you are actively driving a minority group out of the game and removing their access to everything that participation in football brings.

Histories of power and privilege have shaped the construction of a binary model of sex and gender. The belief that bodies can be identified as either strictly biologically male or female has a problematic history rooted in colonialism, racism, sexism and heteronormativity. Policing what it means to be a “man” or a “woman” is harmful to everyone. It risks all of our freedoms. It is an especially cruel act to trans, non-binary and intersex people, communities that already face so much hostility.

In the future, rulings like this will be looked back on with the same disgust and scorn as the FA’s 50 year ban on women participating in the sport. Football should be a space for belonging, and grassroots clubs across the UK will continue to welcome trans and non-binary people regardless of manufactured moral panic.

Brockwell United have years of experience operating as a trans and non-binary inclusive club and it has always been an extremely positive experience for us. Everyone has always been safe and comfortable, and the inclusion of trans and non-binary players is an essential element of our team ethos, and has brought only great things to grassroots football. Our players are the priority, and if the FA enforces this policy, we will be left with no choice but to remove ourselves from the limited FA-affiliated spaces that currently allow trans players without being subject to testing, and disconnecting from the FA.

We stand together. Trans and non-binary players will always belong in football and we urgently ask that you rethink this ruling.

Regards,

Brockwell United F.C.

Hells Bells F.C.

Gals FC

Claire Harris

Union Manchester FC

Sunflowers FC

Enjoy FC

Shepherds Booters

Rose Aaliyah

Eloise Jenninger

Hannah Lawrence

Ball Together Now Festival

Hot Shots United

Chirps FC

Bangers FC

Goals Aloud FC

Alexandria Hassett

Ayomide Oluyemi

Lauren Kennedy

Eva Blair

Deptford Ravens FC

Tottenham Hotsnatch

Queerspace FC

Clapton Cobras FC

Scouting 4 Goals FC

Amii Griffith

Hastings Rec FC

Britta Schmidt

Dean Kiff

Katie Whelam

Glasgow Phoenix FC

Nicky Pretious

Hannah Hill

Julia Gillman

Sophie Page

Adriana CosseGabby Jonsberg-Holmes

Deptford Ravens FC

Bessie Farr

Amelia Bramley

Clapton Community Football Club

Becca Doe

Anita Mihaly

Aline Mello

Inter Melanin FC

Big Kick Energy FC

Ocean Phoenix

Eloise Barry

Sonder FC

Dr Andy Harvey

Sarah Garnham

Lez Be United FC

Hollie Janaway

Sam Watson

Whippets FC

Baes FC (fka Baesianz FC)

Ruskin FC

Nyla Grimshaw

Tracey Dixon, Leeds UK

Georgia Whitney

South London Laces

Anjuman Ahammed Anik

Meli Stanley

GirlsWatchGirlsPlay (Sophie Hurst & Amelie Kirk)

Rosie Cammack

Maja Brindsjö

Jess Hanson

Cassie Johnstone

Rue Millwood

Laura Reeve

Jemima Sneddon

Boots FC

Beasts from the East FC

Bayern Munchies FC

Chloe Montgomery, Brighton Seagals FC

Emily Johns

Brianna Yellen

Paula Griffin

Katie jones

Victoria Walley

Andre Daniel

Babe City FC

Black Footy Babes

Nathalie Apoli

Lush Lyfe FC

Varsha Bailey-Gunputh

Olympia Infinity FC

Scissor Kicks FC

Dinamo Footwork

Hot Goal Summer

Figs FC

Dean Thorpe

Lauren Bhaduri 

Jess Latham

Out on the Toone

Perl Li

Isobel Steer

Free Rangers FC

Shauna Maddison

Sofia Curbelo 

Elizabeth Raison

Ana Curbelo

Erika Curbelo

Patrick Canavan Collins

Joe Martin

Claudia Paterson

Slugs FC

Headingley United

Sophie Baron

Sophie Firth

Flora Nelson

Amy Tran

Steph Clements

Ruby Wright

Bridget Taylor

Mary Rice

Eloise Batten

Beccy Webb

Eve Rogerson

Evie Lewis

Hannah Coyle

Abby Smith

Isla Paterson

Bella Forbes

May Martin

Izzy Marshall

Louisa Getley

Mia Eden

Daisy Ruddock

Gemma Gates

Becky Jackson

Alison Dixon

Chloe Reeley

Rachael Mayo

Hannah Taylor

Crystal Short

Lisa Arboleda

Iman Ali Mounged

Heaven FC

Olivia Jardine

Janina Zyborska Telford

Tribal FC

Ruan Chennell-Barraclough

DIY FC

Emily Boothroyd

Jo Vereecken

Ophiuchus Anderson

Stephanie David

Brockwell Bullets FC

Leyton Wright

Daisy Cutters FC

Megan McFall

Ellenor Betts

Connor Shone

Francesca Jarvis

Sophie Payne

Amy Grant

Sinead Brennan

Ben Mieszkowski

Ash Hutchings

Clapham United Women’s Football Club

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