Trans vs. cisgender rugby match protests athlete bans through friendly competition: 'We want you on our team'

Trans vs. cisgender rugby match protests athlete bans through friendly competition: 'We want you on our team'

Trans vs. cisgender rugby match protests athlete bans through friendly competition: 'We want you on our team' In the face of increasing bans on transgender athletes in competitive sports, professional women’s rugby players have responded with a resounding: “Ruck you.” Sasha Acheson, a professional English rugby player, wanted to stage a protest in response to World Rugby, which became the first international sports federation to ban trans women at an elite level in 2020, citing “significant” safety concerns. According to The Telegraph, World Rugby’s decision was based on data that showed “at least a 20-30% greater risk” of injury when a female player is tackled by someone who has gone through male puberty.  But Acheson and her peers know that trans women are women, and they deserve an equal opportunity to play. The players of the Ruck You Match at the International Gay Rugby Cup in Oslo. Photo courtesy of Ruck You Match/Instagram So, Acheson organized “The Ruck You Match,” which put…