Read on Twitter
Given its #RainbowLaces 
this week, here's a little thread about how I got back involved in football after I transitioned, how it wasn't easy & how it has helped me a lot!
Here's me going to my first training session in early July 2015. A day after laser on my face
this week, here's a little thread about how I got back involved in football after I transitioned, how it wasn't easy & how it has helped me a lot!Here's me going to my first training session in early July 2015. A day after laser on my face
Having my face look even more of a state than normal wasn't the best situation to be in, and so I was pretty scared, but it was fine! We had a good session and nobody screamed 'SEX NOT GENDER' in my face or anything.
I'd stopped playing men's football about 15 months previously, before I transitioned, because I was scared & I'd kind of lost the motivation. For anything, not least football! The World Cup in Canada in 2015 was a big motivator for me getting back into it, so I reached out to...
...my local club and asked if I could come down to train. I asked if me being a trans woman would be a problem, because of course I did - we always worry about this stuff. I was pretty worried about whether the standard would be too high for me, to be honest
Anyway, they seemed to want me to be there & seemed like a good bunch of people, so on we went. Except, I had to get permission to actually play. I anticipated this being easier than it was (remember this was even before the papers started telling you that trans women got up...
...one day and just decided to identify as women and invade women's sport). So I applied to the FA. In the meantime I could play in friendlies but nothing competitive. Made my debut in a 0-0 draw with Fleet Town. The season started without me, but I got my first goals in a...
...friendly in October 2015. This is me afterwards, looking like I've been awake for 72 hours and not eaten for nearly as long. Which isn't impossible because, well, that phase of transition was BAD.
ANYWAY, the arrow of time continued. I still couldn't play & because of whinging on here & an article @Nicola_Slawson wrote for @PositiveNewsUK, I got invited to speak about it at a @LEAPsports conference in Glasgow in Feb/Mar 2016. This worked on a number of levels!
1) I met Charlotte (below)
2) I met @LouEnglefield from @FvHtweets & @PrideSportsUK who suggested it might be good to do something to raise the profile of trans people trying to get involved in sports
2) I met @LouEnglefield from @FvHtweets & @PrideSportsUK who suggested it might be good to do something to raise the profile of trans people trying to get involved in sports
This led to us making this video at the end of 2016, nearly 18 months after I'd first joined my football club, and yet I still wasn't actually able to play. Yet people would have you believe it's too easy!
Anyway, the video was released in Feb 2017, mere days after I'd actually finally got my permission to play football! And mere days before I'd go to have some surgery and be unable to play for another 6 months 
This might have been me before one of the two games I played
This might have been me before one of the two games I played
Quick aside - the delay was because my testosterone level wasn't low enough when I first applied in 2015, so I had to lower it and THEN wait another year. It was pretty low - I'd have been able to compete in the Olympics, just not regional football.
.Anyway, I was back & ready for the following season, 2017-18, where we won the league and got to the cup final, clearly because of my immense bone density. All I seem to have of that season is this emphatic pen
Anyway this brings us mostly up to date - I'm a bit old now so I'm on the downhill, but I fully intend to keep playing for years yet!
Oh, and Charlotte and I got married last May
Oh, and Charlotte and I got married last May
This is how I spent some of the time since! https://twitter.com/LouEnglefield/status/1337147992202227712?s=20
P.s. if you're a trans person who has read this and wants to get into sport, football or otherwise, and has questions or isn't sure how - drop me a DM :)
