Netball Victoria is proud to launch the new Policy for the Inclusion of Transgender and Gender Diverse People in community netball, developed in consultation with Proud2Play and the P2P Advisory Board.
NV is seeing increasing numbers of transgender and gender diverse participants playing and wanting to be involved in netball. We support all people to participate in the gender category they identify with – or feel most comfortable participating in – regardless of their sex assigned at birth, and believe everyone has the right to participate in a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment.
NV recognises and respects all gender identities, and this values-led policy is a step towards better reflecting the diversity of our community and Victorian netball participants.
The policy, dedicated training and supporting resources have been provided to assist NV affiliates in setting a standard for the inclusion of transgender and gender diverse people, in compliance with the Federal Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and based on the Guidelines for the inclusion of trans and gender diverse people in sport (2019) written by Sport Australia, the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports.
The new policy applies to all NV members associated with affiliated netball associations, leagues, clubs, administrators, coaches, umpires, volunteers, players and spectators participating in community netball competitions, and will come into effect as of 1 July 2022.
The policy states that participants and players are allowed to participate in any NV-affiliated competition or activity in accordance with their gender identity, irrespective of their legal sex classification. NV recognises that gender affirmation can be diverse, and that each person’s gender affirmation journey is different. As such, medical or surgical intervention is not required, and participants will not be asked to undergo medical examination for the purposes of gender verification.
NV also acknowledges the need to distinguish between community netball and elite netball. Elite pathway programs including the Victorian Netball League and Victorian Fury team do not fall within the scope of this policy, and should refer to the Netball Australia Inclusion of Transgender and Gender Diverse Athletes in Australian Elite Netball Competitions Policy.
While there is debate over whether a male to female transgender person obtains any physical advantage over other female participants, sport is about more than just strength – factors such as fitness, training, age, and experience also play a part in making someone a good athlete. NV will not tolerate transphobia, and these debates cannot seek to alienate and exclude trans and gender diverse athletes from our sport.
The NV LGBT+ Support Group has been created to support our affiliates with consistent messaging and guidance to assist them in managing relevant scenarios. The policy provides the group with a committed position on the inclusion of transgender and gender diverse people in our sport.
“We’re committed to ensuring our sport is a safe and inclusive space for everyone, regardless of how they identify. This values-led policy is a significant step in the right direction as we work to remove all obstacles to netball participation,” said Netball Victoria CEO, Rosie King OAM.
“We know that there is no one-size-fits-all policy in this space, and we respect the diversity of views and experiences within our LGBT+ community. We are committed to doing our best as an organisation to support and include everybody who wants to be involved in netball in Victoria.”
“Proud2Play is pleased to see Netball Victoria move toward a policy that promotes greater inclusion of trans and gender diverse players within netball, and to recognise that this is not a stagnant space but rather a space within which change will be required as language and culture evolve,” said Proud2Play CEO, Christine Granger.
For more information, including the full policy document and resources to assist in its implementation, visit vic.netball.com.au/gender-regulation
