The New Intimacy

How comfortable would you be with a FTM man playing on a woman's Rugby team?

Skip to last post
Set alerts
Updates
Forum search
Contributor: Positwist Positwist
Wow, I totally misread this question as "How comfortable would you be with a MTF woman playing on a woman's Rugby team?"

I'd want them to play on whichever team they're comfortable playing on. If they want to be a woman's team, of course I wouldn't mind.
03/14/2012
Contributor: Sam I Am Sam I Am
I feel like the problem I'm having with this is how far along are they in their transition? Unless I'm missing something, it doesn't say that he's on hormones. While I do believe that a guy should play on the guy's team, I would be kind of worried about a pre-HRT ftm playing on a guy's rugby team instead of a girl's team because they would have a serious advantage over him because of testosterone and strength and all that. (Not to belittle female bodied players, but male bodied individuals usually do have a bit of a physical advantage.) I think if he has started testosterone, he should play on the guy's team. Otherwise, if he's comfortable on the girl's team, then he should be allowed to play on their team.
03/16/2012
Contributor: Ciao. Ciao.
As far as I am concerned as long as someone can give reasonable proof that they are living full-time in the gender they are playing as nothing else should really matter. I would hope that athletes could respect that and not abuse that possibility just for the sake of an "easier" victory. There are enough inherent differences within the two standard genders alone that trying to classify gender based on appearance, presentation, genitalia, hormones, or chromosomes alone is pretty problematic by itself. As for gender non-conforming/genderq ueer people, that's an entirely different question of comfort and choice, but as far as I'm concerned anyone who identifies and presents as a particular gender (regardless of what their biological/medical circumstance is) should be allowed to play in athletics as a member of that gender.
03/16/2012
Contributor: eroticmutt eroticmutt
Quote:
Originally posted by ARJLES
My college rugby team is struggling with the issue of transgendered players both within the team and administrators
I think he should be allowed on that team
03/16/2012
Contributor: butts butts
He should definitely be allowed to play on the men's team if he wishes. If he was only allowed to play on the women's, it'd be extremely unfair, since a cismale wouldn't be allowed to join their team. I personally am VERY against sports separating teams by sex, but that's just me.
03/16/2012
Contributor: Owl Identified Owl Identified
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
I don't care if they go to school there. It's the sports question I was replying to.

As for an FtM man playing on a men's team, my guess is the Testosterone would still disqualify him. (I could be wrong, but who knows?) Even those ... more
Just for the record, the testosterone levels in trans men also vary much like a cis man's would. This is the result of periodic injections and careful monitoring of levels. If the testosterone is being prescribed by a doctor and it's all above board, there's no reason a trans man shouldn't be allowed to play with cis men. That's just some straight up transphobia; a trans man on T wouldn't have any unfair advantages in that situation if his testosterone injections were prescribed and monitored. Playing with cis women, on the other hand, I agree may give a trans man on T an unfair advantage. Then again, maybe not; the rugby players at my school could beat most men's asses that I knew. Nevertheless, (as I said earlier) I wouldn't really want to play on a co-ed team either way. That's just me. If I'm playing on a women's team, I want to play with other women.
03/16/2012
Contributor: snowyslut snowyslut
Quote:
Originally posted by ARJLES
My college rugby team is struggling with the issue of transgendered players both within the team and administrators
If a player identifies as a man, he should play on the men's team. If a player identifies as a woman, she should play on the women's team.

For genderqueer and other non-binary players, that's up to them. But I don't think that a man should play on the women's rugby team just because he was not assigned male at birth.
07/29/2012
Contributor: MistressDandelion MistressDandelion
Quote:
Originally posted by DeliciousSurprise
I would be extremely uncomfortable with a male identified player on a women's rugby team. I understand that they may not be entirely comfortable on the men's team, but I believe that once you begin to identify with a gender, you should begin ... more
This. I think the transman should also have the self respect to play with the male team.. It's not good for his mental health to do that.
07/30/2012
Contributor: Missmarc Missmarc
Quote:
Originally posted by ARJLES
My college rugby team is struggling with the issue of transgendered players both within the team and administrators
A FTM Man should be on the men's team.
07/30/2012
Contributor: GONE! GONE!
I think it would really depend on where the guy was in his transition and also his reasons for joining. For example, if he was pre-T or didn't plan to take hormones and he was, say, at a women's school without any other options to play sports I would be understanding of it. I wouldn't be comfortable with the idea in all circumstances with just any trans* guy, but as someone who isn't fully binary-identified and also someone who isn't on hormones, I can see how the situation could come up and be fair.
08/15/2012
Contributor: MyNameIsN MyNameIsN
Hormones are the factor here. Identity is irrelevant. TBH I think the men's leagues should be open to all athletes capable of performing at that level. Which is 99.99% male, but there are mold breakers; I know that at least one female has served as a goaltender in the NHL, so it can happen.

Women's leagues should be kept separate for the reason of their physical disadvantages in most athletics. FtM's should be allowed to participate as long as they have not begun HRT, and MtF's should be barred on account of their prior life as a male and the unfair hormonal advantages that would grant. It is unfortunate, but necessary.
08/17/2012
Contributor: nori nori
I think it all goes by identity. If you identify as a man. and have for a set amount of time. (To prevent advantages) you play on your gender's team.
08/17/2012
Contributor: lineswecast lineswecast
If they have transitioned and have higher levels of testerone, as well as identifying as a man, I'm not sure why they would want to play on a women's team.

That said, I wouldn't be uncomfortable with it.
08/18/2012
Contributor: edenmysexlife edenmysexlife
i don't see the problem, but i am weirdly accepting
08/31/2012
Contributor: Rey Rey
Quote:
Originally posted by DeliciousSurprise
I would be extremely uncomfortable with a male identified player on a women's rugby team. I understand that they may not be entirely comfortable on the men's team, but I believe that once you begin to identify with a gender, you should begin ... more
+1 to all of this.
spot on!
08/31/2012
Contributor: Kristopher Sean Kristopher Sean
i think it should depend on if he's started doing HRT (hormone replacement therapy)if he hasnt started t yet then he should still be allowed 2 play
10/24/2012
Contributor: Kristopher Sean Kristopher Sean
i think it should depend on if they have started HRT (hormone replacement therapy)
10/24/2012
Contributor: TheParrishism TheParrishism
I would not be comfortable with it. He should play for the men's team.
11/14/2012
Contributor: needapacker needapacker
They belong on the male team
11/15/2012
Contributor: MaeGal MaeGal
Quote:
Originally posted by DeliciousSurprise
I would be extremely uncomfortable with a male identified player on a women's rugby team. I understand that they may not be entirely comfortable on the men's team, but I believe that once you begin to identify with a gender, you should begin ... more
My thoughts exactly.
11/15/2012
Contributor: Puss in Boots Puss in Boots
I can understand why the person in question could be uncomfortable playing on a men's team. However, they are a man themselves so there is no reason for them to be on the women's team, in my opinion. It's an awkward situation, unfortunately.
11/18/2012