Aug. 17 (UPI) — The International Chess Federation, also known as FIDE, has quietly updated its handbook to declare that transgender women are not allowed to compete in official FIDE women’s events until a decision is made following further analysis.
This decision, which will be determined by the FIDE Council within a period of up to two years, will be based on comprehensive analysis. Nonetheless, individuals who have transitioned but identify as female are not restricted from participating in the open section. This updated policy can be found in the recently revised FIDE handbook.
The revised handbook additionally specifies that individuals who have transitioned from male to female and possess women’s titles will lose those titles. However, if they choose to transition back to their assigned gender at birth, they can regain their titles. FIDE also has the authority to inform organizers and other relevant parties about a player’s gender transition to prevent any potential fraudulent enrollments in tournaments.
FIDE acknowledges that this is an ongoing issue in the world of chess and recognizes the need for future policy evolution aligned with research evidence, in addition to the technical regulations on transgender regulations.
This ban has generated discussions about the necessity of gender-based segregation in competitions.
In response to the new policy, the Center for Trans Equality released a statement on Twitter, stating that it relies on uninformed and anti-trans beliefs, and is “disrespectful to cisgender women, transgender women, and the game itself.”
Richard Pringle, a sociology professor at Monash University in Australia, expressed to The Washington Post that the ban is not only transphobic but also anti-feminist, as it implies that males possess strategic advantages. He further suggested that the ban was likely a political decision rather than a matter of fairness.
