Aus PM joins transgender backlash

Cricket Australia (CA) have come under fire for a new policy aimed at making the sport inclusive for transgender and gender diverse players, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison describing it as “heavy-handed” and “mystifying” on Friday.

CA issued two policies on Thursday, one setting out the rules for “Elite” cricket, which they said was closely aligned with the 2017 International Cricket Council guidelines, and the other for “Community Cricket”.

While the “Elite” policy demands that trans women must reduce their testosterone levels over a 12-month period to compete in women’s cricket, the “Community” policy requires only a nomination of a gender identity.

There was an immediate backlash on social media with some critics lambasting the governing body for progressive posturing but the majority accusing CA of fundamentally undermining women’s sport.

Morrison waded into the debate in a radio interview with conservative pundit Alan Jones on Friday and suggested the mandatory policies were unnecessary, at grassroots level at least.

“I think it’s pretty heavy-handed to put it pretty mildly,” the prime minister told Sydney radio station 2GB.

“I think it’s a very sensitive issue. I would need to have Cricket Australia understand that this is a very heavy-handed approach they’re taking with local sport, and I think there are far more practical ways to handle these issues than these sort of heavy mandatory ways of doing it.”