He’s a Man: how the FA sanctioned a 17-year-old football player because she called a man a man
I thought I’d said everything I had to say on the subject of men in women’s football in ‘The Stunning, Brave & Beautiful Game’, just a few short months ago in September. But here we are again ALREADY and what a fucking mess it all is, worse than ever, eh? Suddenly I find I have more to say.
“Are you a man?”
While men continue to muscle in on women’s sports, this weekend saw a protest outside Wembley Stadium before the England v Ireland men’s game, instigated by an incident involving a seventeen-year-old girl. At a pre-season friendly football match in July, confronted with a large, bearded person on the opposing team, the girl asked him, “Are you a man?” She is also reported to have said, “He’s a man,” and told him, “Don’t come here again”.
He’s a man
Telegraph Sport, on October 19th reported that the girl said she had “become ‘confused” about the participation of the trans player during the match in question, due to the latter “wearing jewellery and sunglasses” and not being in opposition kit.”
At half time the girl had asked the referee for guidance, saying she had already suffered “a number of overly physical challenges” and was concerned for her safety. It should be noted that the referee ‘heard nothing he deemed to be discriminatory’.
Kick it Out
Nonetheless, the opposition team reported the girl to Kick It Out, a group established in 1997, originally to fight racism in sport. Over the years it has expanded its remit to include other areas.
“Discrimination, in all its forms. Racism. Sexism. Homophobia. Transphobia. Kick It Out are here to put an end to all forms of discrimination within sport.”
Which all sounds very worthy until you realise that being against ‘transphobia’ in sport really means ‘letting men play in women’s sports if they want to’. After all, who could possibly be more discriminated against than the man who wishes to LARP as a woman?
Kick It Out, armed with complaints from the man in question and his coach (who should hang his head in shame) accusing the girl of ‘persistent transphobia’, trotted off to report her to the Football Association.
It is worth noting that the girl in question is on a pathway for an autism diagnosis, which means that discrimination could well be an issue in this case, although not in the way being suggested. But that’s a whole other can of worms. It should go without saying that no woman or girl should be compelled to lie about the sex of a man, or to pretend a man is a woman. Ever.
Members of Kick It Out‘s ‘Charitable Company’ include the Football Association, the Professional Footballers Association, the Premier League and the English Football 
League. This lot got together and dragged the girl before a ‘National Serious Case Panel’ where she sobbed as she received a six match ban for being guilty of discrimination.
When challenged about their decision to report the girl, Kick It Out responded, “Just to clarify, when reports are sent to Kick It Out we forward these to authorities for further investigation. Kick It Out is a charity, so we do not conduct the investigation nor decide the outcome, but we can provide further education.”
Hmmmm. Impartial? Not really. Since 2016 Kick It Out have enlisted 
ex-military dude, Stonewall aficionado and wannabe-influencer, Steve ‘Sophie’ Cook to bang the drum for them. In 2017 Cook headed Kick It Out’s unironically named ‘Raise Your Game’ event, aimed at women footballers.
Want to know more about egalitarians-turned-bullies Kick It Out and their dubious credentials? StillTish has researched an excellent piece here.
Lord Triesman
On 24th October,the Telegraph reported that Lord Triesman, former FA chairman, had written a strongly worded letter to both the FA’s chair and its chief executive, concerning the girl’s case.
“I am deeply concerned that the FA is not providing all women and girls with fair, safe football because of its policy allowing male players – those with XY chromosomes, but a transgender identity – to play in the women’s game…”
“A very significant number of serious injuries”
Lord Triesman raised the issue in the House of Lords on 13th November, saying that the issue of ‘people who were born men’ playing in women’s games had been discussed ‘back in my day’ and “it was clear that it tended to produce an unfair competition and a very significant number of serious injuries. It led us to banning those kinds of competitions because of those reasons – no other reasons.”
He spoke in defence of the girl, concluding, “I do not intend to let it rest.”
Safeguarding fail
On 6th November the Telegraph picked up the story again, quoting the mother of the girl.
“We’ve always taught our daughter to ask questions, and if she doesn’t feel comfortable or she doesn’t feel safe then she should go to somebody in charge and ask the question… but she’s been effectively sanctioned by the FA for doing so.”
“A very small population of transgender women”
On November 7th, the Free Speech union published an article about the case. In it, the FA was quoted as saying their inclusion policy enabled ‘a very small population of transgender women to enjoy playing football safely in the grass-roots game’.
The FA shows no concern for the safety of the female players expected to play with men without complaint.
Nor does it seem to grasp the fact that for every man who now enjoys the luxury of playing women’s ‘grass roots’ football, there is a woman who didn’t get a place on the team.
It is worth pointing out at this point that the girl’s mother believes that there were not just one but two men playing on the opposing team.
“The participation of transgender athletes in their acquired gender could threaten the fundamental requirement of a level playing field in sport” Football Association 2003
The FA has not always so gallantly supported LARPing men in their desire to muscle in on the girls’ games. In 2003 debates, surrounding the advent of the Gender Recognition Act (2004), the Football Association asked for an exemption – as did every other sporting body at the time.
‘Vulvamort’ has an excellent Twitter thread on this subject, here.
In 2003, Lord Moynihan told the House of Lords, “not one governing body that I have contacted, while being sensitive to the issues, wishes to see anything but an exemption in the legislation.”
Some sporting bodies requested anonymity, but not the FA, who asserted that aspects of men playing on women’s teams would be ‘extremely problematic’.
“The participation of transgender athletes in their acquired gender could threaten the fundamental requirement of a level playing field in sport… mixed football is currently prohibited by the FA rules for players over the age of 10 due to the comparatively greater physical strength of male players disparity in strength levels would in our view lead to increased risk of physical injury… the strength and stamina of the average woman would put her to disadvantage to the average man.”
But it wasn’t long before footballing bodies were singing a very different tune.
“We’ve been terrified of saying anything. We don’t want to be accused of being transphobic.”
Exactly a year ago today as I write (20/11/24) it was reported in the Telegraph that four teams in a women’s football league were refusing to play after a transgender player injured one of his opponents. Francesca Needham eventually agreed to withdraw but was said to be persuing a discrimination case.
“We’ve been terrified of saying anything. We don’t want to be accused of being transphobic. We don’t want the names of our clubs dragged through the mud. It has been like walking on eggshells. I’ve heard of women thinking of deregistering as players because of this. There are psychological scars. It’s not fair.” a coach told the Telegraph.
In September 2024 the Daily Mail reported that Needham was playing in women’s football again. It also shared a photo of his ‘prostitution profile’ where he describes himself as ‘a pre-op transgirl’ with a proclivity for lactation fantasies. Needham claimed he had stopped ‘sex work’ before starting to play football with girls and had left the profile up by mistake.
But I digress. I won’t waste any more space on case studies, although believe me there are some gems out there. I discuss a couple of others in The Stunning Brave & Beautiful Game (September ’24) which you can read here.
Suffice to say that there are seventy two men currently playing on women’s football teams in England. It gives a whole new meaning to ‘we love women’s sports’.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch
Twelve0Five, the group of women responsible for the #SelfIDHarms protest outside the German Embassy in London earlier this month were organising again. Faced with both the FA’s decision to ban a girl from playing football because she dared to ask a man if he was a man, and its continued inclusion of men on women’s teams, the group arranged a protest for the big men’s England v Ireland match at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 17th November. And what a protest it was!
You can search tweets about the protest with the hashtags #AreYouAMan, #HesAMan #SeeYouSunday and #SaveWomensSports. The Twelve0Five Twitter account is here and the Twelve0Five website here.
One of the first things to consider was where the protest could best be staged once people arrived at Wembley, as obviously the area can get very busy. Some women went up to check it out and plan where we could safely protest to maximum effect.
Other women worked on designing leaflets, stickers and cards that could be handed out to passers by. Some liaised with the press, giving quotes or interviews, others worked to get the message out on social media. Logos and websites were designed and established. Other women made banners and placards. We thought about chants: something short and pithy that rhymed and scanned well. Some of the best ones were as unsuitable as they were hilarious, but we had fun coming up with them.
A petition was started on change.org- which you can sign and share here.
It starts: “The Football Association must implement the right it has in the Equality Act 2010 to bar men from playing in women’s football teams. It is ignoring the conclusion of the 2021 Sports Councils’ Equality Group report that ‘it is not possible to maintain fairness and safety in sport for females if trans-identifying males are also allowed into female categories.’
Once the foundations for the protest were laid, a call was put out for people to join us at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 17th November, at 1.30pm, with the tagline ‘let men play with their own balls’.
The leaflets, stickers and cards were printed and we were ready.
The leaflet asked some thought-provoking questions and suggested that concerned members of the public could write to Debbie Hewitt at the FA, or the FA patron, the Prince of Wales. It featured a QR code, linking to the Fair Play for Women website.
“Women are coming. We want our sports back”
The cards were business-card-sized and called on the FA to ‘reinstate fairness in football by stopping men playing in women’s and girls’ teams’.
On our way to Wembley (or ‘nothing like a mad woman’)
I last visited Wembley in August, to see Taylor Swift. (Yes, I am an adult woman who likes Taylor Swift.) Wembley has a 90,000 capacity, and both TayTay and the England v Ireland match had sold out. That is A LOT of people. Most of the people coming from Wembley Park, the closest tube station, would walk past us. Our exposure would be huge.
The forecast was chilly but bright, and we were lucky enough not to be rained off. I arrived about 1.15, and as I descended the steps to the walkways that lead to the stadium, I saw a woman waving a large red banner. Nearby, others had already begun handing out leaflets to passersby.
The approach to the stadium from the tube station is along a wide pedestrian pavement with large buildings, and a few shops and bars on either side. Streams of people were moving along, stopping to look at the odd stand selling food or football scaves and hats. The cold afternoon meant they were selling well. The match was still several hours away. The walkway was busy but not crowded. An irritating recorded announcement, in an ‘alrightmate’ chirpy chappie voice played on a loop, every few minutes, reminding us of all the things attendees were not allowed to do or bring to the beautiful game.
The main group of protestors consisted of mostly, but not entirely, women, and had positioned itself fairly close to the stadium, in a large open space on the left. When we arrived, banners had already been unfurled and placards were being held high. Over the next hour, our numbers grew. I did a quick head count at one point, estimating around 120 people in the main body and around another 30 handing out cards and leaflets. The press estimates were higher.
The passing crowd was surprisingly supportive, especially the men. Many gave us a big thumbs up, or called out in agreement. I was initially surprised that our support came more from men than women but it’s primarily women who have been gaslit by the trans movement and it’s women who are cancelled and silenced for speaking out. On reflection it isn’t surprising that many looked away, or even tried to distract their male friends from talking to us at all. I thought that was very sad, as it’s also women who have the most to lose. Remember what the female football players upthread said to the papers?
“We’ve been terrified of saying anything. We don’t want to be accused of being transphobic.”
That.
Our reception
One young woman passing by yelled out ‘trans rights!’ several times, but we were not met with a counter protest. One unfortunate woman in our group was spat at, and another said she had a few wise-guys tell her to ‘fuck off’ but our hundreds of direct interactions with the public were mainly positive. Some fans were confused by what our banners meant, thinking that we didn’t want men watching or commentating on women’s sports. Once we explained our concerns, they usually agreed. Many were astonished and took a leaflet with interest. Some had already heard of the ‘he’s a man’ case and felt the ban was unfair.
One man I spoke to, there with his son (who looked about eleven) said that girls shouldn’t be allowed to play on boys teams either, citing the example that his son and his friends were worried to tackle too hard in case of injuries.
“There should be separate teams for girls and boys, and for women and men,” he concluded. “It’s just common sense, innit?”
“On the pitch or on the courts- we don’t want men in our sports!
Girls and boys are not the same- we don’t want men in our game!
FA, here’s a thought, keep men out of women’s sport!”
We had a megaphone and we weren’t afraid to use it.
“Oh it’s a shame, it’s a shame, it’s a shame on the FA,” some sang, to the tune of When the Saints go Marching In.
“Because women’s sports are for women, so it’s a shame on the FA!”
“I am here to stand up for our daughters who have been gaslit into thinking they can’t stand up for themselves.”
A woman who had spent several hours handing out leaflets told me:
“Most people were really friendly; really good-natured. Most people, once they realised what’s going on, they were like, ‘yeah thumbs up, good girls, well done!’. One guy worked at the BBC. he said ‘I can’t say this at work but I’m totally onside. There was another person who works at the FA who was very similar… said ‘I can’t say anything out loud’. There’s been a very positive reception. Lots of dads here with their kids, they absolutely get it because it’s going on in schools. It was really, really positive. We’re running out of leaflets and stickers, and I’m running out of voice!”
As I walked over to speak to others handing out leaflets, I passed a man who had been given a leaflet further down the road. He was showing it to his friend and saying, “My God this is terrifying, it really is.”
As the protestors behind us broke into another chorus of “It’s a shame, it’s a shame, it’s a shame on the FA,” I was told, “I see women losing out more and more- sports scholarships are a big one. I know a lot of young women who made it through college because they got a sports scholarship- those rights are being taken away… we are taking away the opportunities that young women have to keep going and keep growing, and move forward in the world. We are defeating them before they even get to college level and that is why I’m here.”
“It’s been fantastic,” another woman said, enthusiastically. “So many people have taken leaflets and they’re stopping and saying ‘yeah we totally agree with you’, which is great. When they seemed to agree I offered them a card and ask them to sign the petition. We’ve also had some good conversations with people who say ‘what’s this about?’ but when you explain about biology and how men who call themselves women are still male, with those same physical differences and advantages, and you talk about things like men in the same changing rooms as female team mates, then they’re really shocked and they find it really unacceptable.”
Several people said they hadn’t intended to come but had changed their mind at the last minute because they felt so angry. Concerns for daughters and grandaughters who played sports was a big factor. Others had come to show solidarity with the girl who had received the ban. Many people were simply outraged by the injustice.
“I was just so angry about what happened to that poor girl just for calling out the truth and saying a man’s a man, and then being banned. it’s outrageous. I just came out of sheer anger.”
“I’m just fucking fed up of people not seeing the obvious truth that sex is sex. Women fought for decades to have their own sports and spaces and that’s now berng undermined by men who think they have the right to intrude.”
“I came today because I think this is going to affect that young girl for such a long time – I jsut wanted to show solidarity with her. It’s completely unfair, risking women and girls getting hurt. Legally we’re allowed to have our own sports so what the fuck are the FA doing, frankly?”
“I just found out my granddaughter has joined her local football team. I’m really hoping she keeps it going and one day plays for the Lionesses- but will she lose out on a place because of a man? We need to keep men out of women’s sports for our daughters and our granddaughters.”
“I’m here today to save women’s sport and confront the cowardice of the FA.”
“I want our girls to know they don’t always have to ‘be kind’.”
“My heart broke for that poor young girl.”
As the afternoon passed, the steady stream of people heading into ther stadium began to slow. Most fans were settling inside ready for the game when we decided to wrap things up.
Taking stock
It’s now 21st November. The protest made many of the papers and the Twelve0Five group has more in the pipeline, including a second demonstration planned for the Lionesses’ friendly at Bramall Lane in December.
Footboom reported, “As the England Women’s team gears up for a friendly against Switzerland, anticipation swells for a second protest regarding the controversial six-match suspension of a teenage girl…. more than 200 individuals, including both men and women, gathered outside Wembley amid rising tensions over the young girl’s ban…”
The family of the girl has been approached by the Free Speech Union (FSU) which has appointed barrister John Jolliffe to fight the girl’s guilty verdict, which she is to appeal.
The girl’s mum told Telegraph Sport that her family were grateful for all the support, adding:
“Everyone has helped her to know that she did the right thing. This action and support today means a lot to her and to other women and girls who are currently being forced to accept men in their sports and spaces. Thank you all so much, the fight goes on.”
Gary Lineker has yet to respond to accusations of cowardice.
And finally…
Of course there is no ‘finally’. The FA is still holding out against banning men from women’s football, which is pretty rich as they banned us from playing on their grounds altogether for fifty years (1921-1971) and had only just started getting over the embarrassment of that.
I’ve never really ‘got’ football. Some of the protestors went home to catch the match on telly. Not me. But just because I don’t want to play, or even watch, football, it doesn’t mean I can’t care passionately about the right of women and girls to play the game they love, without men muscling in on their teams.
I can in all honesty say I still don’t know who won Sunday’s football match.
But I think we won the day.
A reminder that you can sign and share the Twelve0Five petition to keep men out of women’s football here.
