- Jackson Irvine takes aim at FA for banning transgender players
- He’s the most high-profile male player to speak out on the issue
Socceroos midfielder Jackson Irvine has publicly slammed the English Football Association’s ban on transgender women in women’s football, describing the decision as hypocritical.
Irvine, 32, who is the captain of German Bundesliga team St Pauli, expressed his frustration with the recent decision from the FA.
The ban, announced on May 1, impacts grassroots players who had previously been allowed to participate under the previous policy.
The FA made the move after the UK Supreme Court ruled that the words ‘woman’ and ‘sex’ in the Equality Act refer to a biological woman and biological sex.
Irvine reacted to the decision by posting on social media: ‘Football deserves better. Our game is for everyone.’
He went into more detail about his feelings on the issue this week while appearing on Sky Sports’ ‘Real Talk’ podcast.
Australian footballer Jackson Irvine (pictured with wife Jemilla) has blasted the FA for banning transgender players
‘For me, football always felt like the place where we wouldn’t be so heavy-handed, especially in the immediate aftermath of what’s already a really worrying decision for all trans people and queer people in the country,’ he said.
‘It was really disappointing – especially from a federation that has supported Rainbow Laces campaigns and has been very clear in their rhetoric about football being for all -to so quickly take that away from a small group of footballers who want to do nothing but enjoy the game that we all love.
‘It was really, really disappointing to see that ruling come out.’
There has been a huge amount of support for the banned players from within the women’s football community – including from stars like Anita Asante, Kerstin Casparji and Katie Startup.
But Irvine remains the biggest name in the men’s game to publicly say he is against the ban.
Asked why that was the case, Irvine replied: ‘I still think we’ve got a long way to go in football, and especially men’s football, to feel confident to speak out on any social issues, let alone when it comes to LGBTQ rights and things like that where maybe players don’t feel confident or supported to even make those statements themselves.’
The footballer went on to say he would like to see more people speak out about the matter.
‘The game has taken strides forward,’ he said.
‘Generationally, we are in a more accepting and open space as footballers as well as in our communities.
Irvine described the recent decision as ‘heavy handed’ and said ‘our game is for everyone’
Irvine said most male footballers don’t feel confident to speak up on issues like LGBTQ rights
‘I would like to see more people stand up against when we try to take rights away from our fellow footballers, and try and do everything we can to make sure that everyone who plays our game has a safe and inclusive space to play the game that we all love.’
Since the ruling was handed down, the Ultimate Pool Group has updated its policy to ban trans women, having also received a report that pool was a gender-affected sport.
Snooker’s global governing body, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, is also reviewing its policy.
The UK Supreme Court’s ruling has been interpreted to mean that transgender women, who are biologically male but identify as women, can be excluded from women-only spaces like toilets and changing rooms.
The judges said trans people are still protected from discrimination under equalities legislation, and that this interpretation of the law does not cause disadvantage to the ‘potentially vulnerable group’.
