Bowling News
BBC News last week reported on the problem one transgender bowler has in qualifying for her club's women's teams. It now appears that the League involved was following guidance from Bowls England dated 2014 That guidance is now to be updated. The BBC report contains the extract below and the full story is at Bowls England to update its 'historical and outdated' trans guidelines.
BBC News 1 April 2021
Bowls England say they are updating their "historical and outdated" guidance on transgender bowlers after a trans female was barred from competing. Stella Moore, 67, who has lived for three years as a woman, is unable play for her Hampshire lawn bowls club.
The Portsmouth and District Women's Bowling Association say they have been following guidance published in 2014. It required gender reassignment surgery three years before or for Stella to hold a gender recognition certificate.
Stella, from Hayling Island, is continuing to campaign to be allowed to play in women's competitions and for the guidelines to be changed after some of the tone and language upset her. The Portsmouth and District Women's Bowling Association removed the historical document from their own website in October.
"I was distraught, I love bowls" she told BBC South Today.
"I get it that if it's boxing a guy can't suddenly go, 'I want to be a woman and fight other women', but this is bowls."
Stella is on hormone treatment to increase her female characteristics and reduce her strength, meaning she now has "the strength of a 30-year-old woman", which she says can be clinically proven by her GP and the gender clinic.
Comments