The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has banned all trans women from competing in all-female contests, citing concerns of ‘unfair advantage’.
According to the new rules, any player who has transitioned from male to female is not allowed to participate in official FIDE events for women until further analysis, which may take up to two years, is conducted.
The decision, published on Monday and scheduled to take effect on August 21, has sparked criticism from supporters of trans rights, branding it as ‘pure bigotry and persecution’. Some have also labeled it as ‘offensive to women’.
Under the rule change, trans players can still compete in open tournaments but are barred from female-only contests, which were designed to promote greater female participation in the sport.
Labour MP for Wallasey, Angela Eagle, expressed her disagreement with the ban, stating that there is no physical advantage in chess and condemning the decision as ‘ridiculous and offensive to women’.
The reaction to the rule change was also intense on social media. Katy Montgomerie criticized the ban, highlighting the anti-trans lobby’s belief in the intellectual inferiority of women.
Trans player Yosha Iglesias, recognized as female by FIDE, described the decision as ‘heartbreaking’, emphasizing that there is no biological advantage and attributing the decision to gender bias and aggression from FIDE.
Iglesias also questioned the criteria for official FIDE events and called for a focus on addressing sexism and sexual violence to support women in chess without scapegoating trans women.
India Willoughby, a transgender journalist, condemned the ban as ‘insane’, labeling it as ‘pure bigotry and persecution’.
The National Center for Transgender Equality criticized the ban as insulting and assumed that cis women couldn’t be competitive against cis men, relying on ignorant anti-trans ideas.
