Yahoo News Transgender students should not have to declare birth gender when applying to university sports teams, NUS expected to rule
Transgender students should not have to declare their birth gender when applying to university sports clubs, the National Union of Students (NUS) is expected to rule.
At the moment transgender or intersex students are only allowed to join the teams that they were assigned to at birth rather than the gender that they identify with now.
This can act as a “barrier” from transgender students which can sport “inaccessible” and “unwelcome”, according to a motion due to be debated on Tuesday at the NUS annual conference in Brighton.
The motion proposes that “trans and intersex students should be able to train and compete in whichever sports team best fits their gender identity”.
It adds that trans and intersex students should not be asked to disclose their legal gender or personal medical information to participate in university sport, including details regarding hormone replacement therapy.
The motion suggests that the NUS follows the lead of Durham University’s new policy on inclusivity, whereby trans and intersex students are allowed to compete and train in whichever team “best fits their gender identity”.
Noorlann Shahid, the NUS LGBT+ officer, said the motion is likely to receive huge support, adding that inclusion in sports has emerged as a major issue for transgender students.
“We have made great strides in terms of trans inclusion in the last couple of years,” Shahid said. In addition to its two LGBT+ officers, the NUS last month elected a dedicated trans officer to head up campaigns relating to transgender students.
Other motions due to be debated at the NUS annual conference include the abolition of the monarchy, and launching an inquiry into the effect of “no platform” and “safe space” policies on free speech.
Delegates at the conference will also attempt to ban clapping and whooping at all future NUS events, on the basis that these are not accessible to disabled students.
A motion calls for “reduced cheering or unnecessary loud noises on conference floor, including whooping and clapping” and warns of “consequences for those who ignore this requirement”.
