Cricket Australia on Thursday announced a new policy that would allow transgender athletes to participate in the competition that aligns with their gender identity.
The Elite Cricket Policy and Guidelines, which will ensure transgender and gender-diverse cricketers can play the game at the highest level in Australia, will allow biological males who identify as females to compete in women’s only competitions.
Kevin Roberts, CEO of Cricket Australia, said there is no place in sport for discrimination of any kind.
“It doesn’t make any sense that today, people are discriminated against, harassed or excluded, because of who they are. And that’s not right,” Roberts said.
“All of Australian Cricket is driven to ensure all cricketers can participate in a harassment-free environment,” he added.
In a video released by Cricket Australia announcing the new policy, transgender cricketer, Erica James said: “The moment I realised that I could play in a team of women like me I was so surprised and happy. Because of these guidelines, trans and gender diverse people can play a sport we love without feeling like we’re an imposter.”
James goes on to say, because of the policy, transgender athletes will no longer need to go searching around for a club that will tolerate biological males competing against biological females. Instead, “You just find a club that you want to join and you join it.”
Of course, as we’ve already seen, time and time and time and time again, when transgender ideology meets the world of sports, it’s female athletes who pay the highest price. Eventually, we’ll get to the point where biological females are forced to the sidelines to watch their own game.
As Lyle Shelton rightly said: “No woman identifying as a man will ever make the men’s team but plenty of men appropriating the female gender will make the women’s team.”
To compound this issue further, The Australian today warned that parents who run suburban and country cricket clubs could be prosecuted under state and federal discrimination laws if they fail to allow biological males who identify as females to play in a women’s team.
According to the policy, “Under federal and state and territory law it is unlawful to discriminate on the basis of sex or gender identity in sport, unless an exemption applies. An association, club or indoor centre may be in breach of these laws if they do not follow these eligibility requirements.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison told 2GB Radio the move was “heavy-handed to put it pretty mildly” and “mystifying.”
