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On late October, ACFC athlete Elizabeth Eddy posted her first social media post in nearly two years. Within her message, she responded to news that the NWSL had discreetly dropped its policy of inclusion for trans and intersex players, leaving the organization's future stance unclear.

The following day, her writing was shared completely by a different publication, giving it wider exposure.

“I worry that without clarity about who the league is for, it will lose its character and its momentum,” Eddy wrote.

Her piece generally argued for a ban on trans athletes from the league to preserve “the fairness of female athletics.”

Questioning the Actual Risk

It remains uncertain how Eddy thinks the NWSL's credibility has been harmed—either under its former policy that permitted transgender players or its current absence of policy. The organization, now in its 13th season, has developed a distinct brand. It's highly competitive, influential in business and culture, and an essential part of the global female football landscape.

The league's momentum seems mostly fine—viewership have increased each year, and expansion to sixteen clubs is scheduled for the coming years.

Examining the Evidence

Eddy references the English FA's recent ban on transgender athletes as a success story. However, that ban is thought to impact only approximately twenty grassroots players out of millions soccer players. The effect in the United States would likely be similarly negligible.

In 2021, when the league's trans inclusion policy took effect, there were two transgender athletes: Quinn and Kumi Yokoyama. Both have since left, and no openly transgender athletes currently compete in the league. On the current season's first matchdays, the NWSL welcomed its thousandth player. That's only two out trans players out of more than a thousand in league history.

Baseless Concerns and Actual Damage

Eddy's piece is written as if there is a stream of trans players ready to dominate the league imminently. This is not the case. There are currently no openly transgender players competing at a elite level in the United States. Federal legislation explicitly prohibits trans players from competing in university sports. Additionally, multiple peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated that trans athletes have no biological advantages over cisgender competitors.

Without of openly transgender individuals, discriminatory behavior have persisted along ethnic divisions. When a club's Barbra Banda was awarded a top honor, she experienced a wave of digital harassment. The league was painfully slow in defending their star player. Likewise, another team's Temwa Chawinga and her sister faced similar mistreatment.

“The piece does not speak for this team in this locker room,” team leader Sarah Gorden informed reporters. “We don't agree with the content for a multitude of causes, but mostly the undertones come across as discriminatory against trans people and prejudiced as well.”

Additional Urgent Issues Confronting the League

Even if one were to overlook all that and think that including transgender athletes represents a real problem for the league, it's hard to see how it would outrank multiple of other issues that have truly blunted the growth and compromised its reputation.

• Working conditions for staff remain a concern. Six former club employees are suing the club and the NWSL, alleging racial and disability discrimination, sexual harassment, and negligence to stop discrimination.
• Athlete welfare is a further issue. In spring, Angel City defender Savy King fell on the pitch, requiring emergency medical treatment. The match resumed, even though players were clearly upset. The players' association called on the league to revisit their medical protocols.
• Severe climate guidelines have also been challenged. During a broadcast match, the league head allegedly warned to penalize a club over a disagreement in extreme heat procedures.
• Financial competition from leagues abroad like the Women's Super League is increasing, attracting top talent away from the NWSL and country where they made their careers.

Trans athletes did not factor into any one of these issues. And it's improbable they will, irrespective of whether the proposed changes are implemented.