Archery GB (AGB) has recently changed its policy on transgender archers competing at all levels, with specific and serious discrimination levelled against trans women. Previous guidance had said that trans archers could compete as their identified gender, provided they had undergone gender reassignment surgery. However, the new policy is a blanket ban on trans women competing as female -- while trans men are allowed (or perhaps required) to compete as male!

Not only is this completely against the Equality Act 2010 by discriminating based on gender reassignment (especially as trans men are being allowed to compete as male) but it contradicts the policy of World Archery which, while not ideal, is still more inclusive than even the previous AGB policy. Further, as it seems relevant, the April 2025 ruling by the Supreme Court did not change the law, and the EHRC interim guidance is undergoing review following over 50,000 responses, so is not applicable in law -- even if it were, it would still only be guidance. The Equality Act was also written to be trans-inclusive when referring to the characteristic of sex.

Trans rights are under siege, and this change in policy by AGB only adds fuel to the fire. Archery is an incredibly welcoming and inclusive sport, so to see this sort of change from the British governing body is upsetting and counter to the values held by so many who participate in the sport. The biological and medical consensus on trans athletes is also favourable to transgender people, so the argument that the new policy is based on science is untenable.

It is my hope that AGB can be swayed to not only reverse the change they have made but improve the inclusivity of their transgender policy. At club and national levels of competition, trans archers should be welcome to enter as their identified gender without restriction, while international and elite archers may take hormone blood tests to ensure fairness at these levels of competition -- which are overseen primarily by World Archery, anyway.

AGB's own Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity statement says that discrimination will not be tolerated, so it is hypocritical of them to turn their backs on one of the most marginalised minorities in the country. As they claim to be inclusive, they should be advocating for equality in law to defend the rights of their members. After all, if the rights of one group are trodden on, all of us are affected and at risk.

Thank you for reading and for your support.