The issue of girls, boys and gender diverse children wanting to play within a team of different or mixed gender children is a topic gaining increasing attention. This is not a concern when children are young but starts to become complex when children approach adolescence and differences in the human body’s physiology begin to emerge.
To help you gain an understanding, and therefore an awareness of the issue of gender diversity in children, it is important to consider the following points:
- Some children may prefer to play in same gender teams.
- Be aware of Federal, state and territory anti-discrimination laws.
- Where there is not an equivalent same gendered children’s team available, especially in remote and regional areas of Australia some girls, and gender diverse children, may want to compete with boys (and vice versa). If this is not an option, the result will be reduced or no sport for those children who have a smaller team member base of their identified gender.
- Mixed teams are a great opportunity to foster inclusiveness, particularly when sports are modified, or a single gender team could not otherwise be fielded. Mixed gender teams are a great opportunity to foster inclusiveness and diversity, particularly when sports are modified, or a new sport may be emerging.
- Age and gender are not the only indicators for determining the ability anyone to play in a team, including for girls and gender diverse children to play in mixed teams. Support of adults is equally important at all levels of sport.
- While every situation will be different, a focus on inclusion and opportunities to participate should be the top priority. Australia prides itself on being an inclusive society and a nation of sports lovers, therefore the opportunities to participate in mixed gender children’s sports aligns with the Australian ethos.
Girls and gender diverse children want to participate in sport. Sporting and media statistics clearly demonstrate this. They have far more opportunities available to them than were available for their grandparents or the generations before them. Investment in the funding for girls and gender diverse children has increased the competitive options available. But despite this, sporting clubs and associations still need to make up for years of sporting neglect of girls and gender diverse children. They need to show leadership and press forward by continuing to provide more sporting opportunities when for all children to join competitive teams, especially for girls and gender-diverse children.
In deliberating whether a female or gender diverse child should play in a boys’ team - parents, carers, sporting clubs administrators and coaches can consider:
- The values of the club, association or sport. Is inclusion a core value? Play by the Rules advocates looking to include first and foremost the benefits of including a girl or gender diverse young child in the boy’s team can outweigh the perceived risks.
- Age and gender are not the only indicators of a child’s ability or relative strength and stamina.
- The distinctions of the sport, including the inherent physical risks and the ways safety is ensured by using protective equipment.
- Coaching that fosters inclusiveness of all children, regardless of gender, displays a positive role model to others on the sporting field of the inclusion of a female or gender diverse child.
- The culture of the club and the ability to offer a safe and inclusive environment where the parents involved respect an inclusion first approach.
In summary, there are no one-size fits all solution. While exemptions exist in anti-discrimination law for the creation of single gender teams (based around relative strength, stamina and physique), clubs and associations should focus on inclusion by providing access, choice and opportunity as much as possible.