After years of facing discrimination in sports, transgender people (individuals whose self-identified gender does not match their biological gender) who wish to play on competitive sports teams now have an answer.
The International Quidditch Association (IQA) has made great strides in ensuring the acceptance of the transgender community. It states on the IQA website that, because in “Harry Potter” teams are not divided by gender, they are not divided in IQA teams either. While most traditional sports have gender-specific teams, quidditch is a gender-inclusive sport. Men, women, people who identify with no gender and those in between or undecided are able to play on any team.
“The co-ed nature of quidditch is what allows it to be more open to trans* peoples. Sports that are single gender have rules and expectations that are based around a body that is testosterone or estrogen based,” said Shelly Banks, co-manager of the community quidditch team Atlanta Kedavra. “Quidditch and other co-ed sports have rules that work for players no matter what their gender or body-type.”
The National Collegiate Athletic Association approved a policy for transgender individuals in 2011. This policy forces students who wish to play in gender-exclusive sports to undergo hormone therapy, a type of medication that helps to reverse a person’s biological and physical features. Testosterone helps biological females who identify as men develop masculine characteristics, such as a deeper voice and facial hair. Testosterone suppression assists males who identify as women in suppressing masculine characteristics and in undergoing estrogen therapy, which often results in breast growth and the redistribution of fat.
Transgender males (woman to man) who take testosterone are no longer allowed to compete in women’s leagues, but can play in men’s leagues. Transgender females (man to woman) have to undergo testosterone suppression for a year before they can begin to play in women’s leagues and must continue to prove that they are taking testosterone through documentation in order to stay on the team for following years.
Gender-inclusive sports are few in number. Quidditch is one of few sports that not only allow but also enforce gender equality. The “two-minimum rule” set by the International Quidditch Association demands that during a game, each team must have at least two players who identify with a different gender than two other players.
The genders of players are determined by the players themselves. Testosterone treatments are not required for a biological male or female to identify with a different gender. If a player claims a certain gender identity, regardless of their appearance or biological makeup, that is the gender they are considered to be.
The IQA states on its website that it recognizes not all players identify as male or female and accepts players of all genders and identities.
“I feel like that is a powerful step in the direction of equality for those who are transgender or identify with something outside the binary,” Gabriel Jones, co-manager of Atlanta Kedavra, said.
Players report that issues between players on the field due to gender differences rarely occur. Strict rules set by the IQA disallow tackling from behind and hitting above the neck or in the groin area.
“I haven’t personally seen any situations where the co-ed aspect has been a problem like that,” said Emma Blessing, player for the Atlanta Kedavra. “I personally like that it is co-ed because it is so different from how most sports are played.”
Atlanta Kedavra is currently the only active quidditch team in Georgia. It is actively seeking to expand quidditch to universities around the state. Atlanta Kedavra plays quidditch weekly at Kennesaw State University.
