Sport

Sport and physical activity is an important part of life for many Australians, trans and cis alike. However, many trans and gender diverse people find it difficult to find a sport, code, or team that we feel will accept and affirm us, or be safe to come out to.

Trans people have always played sport, just as we’ve always done many other things in society - visible or not - we’ve been around for a long time.

Many of us report disengaging from sports or physical activity as we affirm who we are, often out of concern for how we’ll be treated or supported in these environments.

This page was developed in collaboration with Twenty10 and ACON’s Pride in Sport.

Twenty10’s Well Played: Young, Proud and Active campaign

Your rights in sport

In almost every part of our lives, trans people have the same rights as cis people. It is unlawful to discriminate against a person who is trans, or is presumed to be trans, and this includes when playing sport.

No matter who you are or what your gender is, every person has the right to physical activity. As Sport Australia writes:

“All Australians should have the opportunity to be involved in sport and physical activity, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, ability, cultural background or ethnicity.”

Sport Australia - Trans and Gender Diverse Inclusion in Sport Guidelines

It is unlawful to prevent a trans person from playing sport and you have the right to a safe place to play sport - at the community or elite level - that affirms your gender. For more information about your rights, you can visit our Rights and Justice page. You can also contact the Inner City Legal Centre who offer a state-wide free legal service for trans and gender diverse people.

Sport and hormones

There has been a lot of media attention over the years about the ways in which hormones interact with sporting ability and aptitude, and how trans and gender diverse people might be ‘manipulating’ sports by existing in our bodies. This often fails to recognise that, for lots of reasons, people of all gender experiences (including cis people) have differing hormonal balances from each other, and that a natural part of sporting ability is that your body functions differently from the people around you, including other players and athletes.

This rhetoric that trans women are ‘taking over’ women’s sports teams tends to be based on ideological opposition rather than scientific evidence. Trans and gender diverse people affirm our gender for many reasons, but to simply be better at sport is not one of them. For more information about hormones in general, check out Hormones 101.

Cricket Australia released guidelines in 2020 that outline best practice for inclusion in sport, including permitting players to participate in accordance with their gender and not what was presumed for them at birth. The guidelines offer practical information to support clubs and players alike, and also make clear that medical examinations are never necessary.

Sporting bodies and codes are increasingly recognising that sport in Australia, at community and elite levels, must be inclusive and welcoming to all people, including trans and gender diverse people. Continued leadership in this area is crucial.

Trans affirming codes & teams

For some trans people, it can be challenging to find a team we feel will support us, regardless of if we affirmed our gender yesterday or 20 years ago.

If there’s a local team you’re interested in but you’re not sure where they sit on inclusion, you could write to them or have a friend call to ask about their position on trans and gender diverse issues, or for their inclusion policy. It can be disappointing to hear that a club or team is not trans-friendly, but it’s better to find out before you go in person and potentially end up in an uncomfortable or dangerous position.

Pride in Sport is ACON’s national inclusion program designed to support organisations and clubs across Australia to be inclusive of LGBTQ+ employees, players, coaches, volunteers, and spectators, and to help reduce transphobia and other forms of stigma and discrimination.

Pride in Sport also maintain a list of LGBTQ+ sports clubs across Australia, available here. We recommend getting in touch with any of these organisations to make sure that they are trans-affirming.

Proud2Play is another organisation who is working nationally to highlight inclusive clubs, codes. They also offer relevant information regarding gender and sexuality inclusivity in sports and, physical activity.

Activities other than team sport

Many people find that team sport just isn’t for them.

It’s worth exploring the many other sports and physical activities that you can do as an individual, or in a group if that might feel better. As we affirm our gender, it’s a good idea to keep moving our bodies. Activities might include walking, hiking, yoga, martial arts, self-defence, dancing, swimming, gym based activities, cycling, horse riding, and outdoor group exercise.

Trans and Gender Diverse Inclusion in Sport - Sport Australia

Transgender discrimination - Anti Discrimination NSW

Pride in Sport

Well Played - a new campaign from Twenty10 inc GLCS NSW highlighting the importance of diversity and inclusion in sport.

NSW Sporting Clubs by Sport - Team Sydney Sports

Campus Life launches LGBTQ+ Sport Inclusion Policy - Macquarie University