Trans women banned from female chess games as Labour MP slams decision
A Labour MP chess champion has blasted a "ridiculous and offensive" decision to ban transgender women from participating in top-level female chess competitions. Dame Angela Eagle reacted angrily to news that transgender women will be banned from playing in top tournaments until a review, which could take two years, is completed.
Dame Angela, who was joint winner of the under 18s British girls chess championship in 1976, wrote on social media: "There is no physical advantage in chess unless you believe men are inherently more able to play than women - I spent my chess career being told women’s brains were smaller than men’s & we shouldn’t even be playing. This ban is ridiculous & offensive to women." She added: "The best women have competed with the men historically eg the Polgar sisters. Are we now going to ban that too to ‘protect’ them?"
The Switzerland-based International Chess Federation (FIDE) announced the move last week when it said a player who had transitioned from male to female “has no right to participate in official FIDE events for women” until a review is carried out into whether they have an unfair advantage.
Labour MP Dame Angela Eagle was joint winner of the under 18s British girls chess championship in 1976 (Parliament TV)Under the new regulations, set to come in next week, transgender players will only be able to play in open tournaments, not female-only events. There are no official competitions for male players, with the female ones created to encourage participation as only 15% of all licensed players in the world are women.
Yosha Iglesias, 35, a trans woman from France who is recognised as female by FIDE, said the news was “heartbreaking”. “There’s no biological advantage whatsoever,” she told The Times. “It’s not about biology, it’s about sociology, psychology and it’s about sexism, it’s about aggression [from FIDE]. They say they are not against trans people, they are fighting to protect women’s sport, even though they don’t care at all about women’s sport.”
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She said she did not know what the new rules would mean for trans women like herself who have already transitioned. “The next big competition is the European Team Championship and it’s very likely that I won’t be selected at all,” she said. “If I was selected I think I would not be allowed to play, I would have to wait for some FIDE council to decide whether I’m ‘woman enough’ or not.”
Ms Iglesias also posted a tweet directed at FIDE which read: "If you want to help women in chess, fight sexist and sexual violence, give women in chess more visibility and more money, don't use trans women players as scapegoats. We contribute to the development of women in chess. We are women in chess."
India Willoughby, a transgender journalist, tweeted: "This is insane. Trans women banned from playing women's CHESS by the International Chess Federation. Pure bigotry and persecution. How can you justify this @FIDE_chess?"
The National Center for Transgender Equality wrote: "Really? Chess? This is so insulting to cis women, to trans women, and to the game itself. It assumes that cis women couldn't be competitive against cis men - and relies on ignorant anti-trans ideas."
The row follows an open letter last week which made allegations of "sexual violence" within the chess world. Chess players have since accused FIDE of bringing in the new rules for trans players as a distraction.
FIDE has said it will not be putting out a statement on the transgender regulations at this time. Its response to the open letter said: “At FIDE, we are deeply moved by the letter signed by over 100 women chess players denouncing sexist and sexual violence in chess. This letter, initiated by 14 women of French chess, has reverberated throughout the chess world. We commend these women for their courage and solidarity.
“FIDE stands firmly against any behaviour and actions based on sexism including any form of abuse. We are proud that more women are playing chess than ever before, and they deserve a safe and respectful environment. We want to underline that we take any reports of sexism and abuse very seriously and are committed to improving the chess world.”
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