Goal Diggers reported that the referee to the FA, who sent him on an EDI course. This was in September 2023. Sky recalls him referring to her again the following year – he asked every player’s pronouns before the game.
Photography: Declan Kelly @_declankelly, Art Direction: Zoë Bonnie @zoebonnie, Photography Assistant: Orla Neiland @orla.neiland
That presents the FA in a good light, at least when it comes to reacting to reports of transphobic behaviour. So what changed?
Even as late as April 2025, the FA reiterated the position they’d held for many years: that trans women could play women’s football if they met certain hormone levels.
But then the UK Supreme Court ruled that trans women with Gender Recognition Certificates aren’t protected against sex discrimination under the Equality Act. The Court itself pointed out that they weren’t attempting to define the word ‘woman’.
Even so, on May 1 the FA announced their ban, directly citing the Supreme Court ruling. They may also have been influenced by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), whose post-ruling guidance was so confusing that they had to amend it, then withdraw it entirely.
The Good Law Project are currently challenging the guidance in the High Court. While that challenge may not have much direct impact on the FA ban, trans rights lead Jess O’Thompson told Glamour: “We think a blanket ban on trans people participating in grassroots sports is unlawful. These blanket bans are unfair and wrong – excluding trans people from their communities and telling them they can’t have fun with their friends.
“Trans people have been playing grassroots sports for years, and have contributed massively. It seems like people have misunderstood the law, and we are going to challenge that.”
For now, the legal situation is as clear as the Clapham Common mud. On that very mud, the Goal Diggers recline as though on a sun-kissed beach, eyes closed in reverie, a trans flag for a blanket, each other for company.
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