but pool is a sport, yes? with a governing body? that makes rules?
I would be curious what, if any, stance the BCA or WPA have on this issue.
Women’s Professional Billiard Association (WPBA)
Gender Policy
The purpose of this policy is to designate a set of criteria that applies to the WPBA, competition
in WPBA Tour Events and WPBA Regional Tours in WPBA sanctioned billiard events so that
athletes are able to compete on a level playing field in a safe, competitive, and friendly
environment, free of discrimination. Fundamental fairness requires the WPBA to provide
intersex and transgender athletes with equal opportunities to participate in athletics while still
maintaining integrity as a women’s sport. This policy creates a framework in which this
participation may occur in a safe and healthy manner that is fair to all competitors. This policy
does not consider whether an athlete has undergone sex reassignment surgery, as such surgery is
not considered medically necessary or linked to competitive equity.
For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply:
Gender Identity: One’s inner concept of self as male or female or neither.
Transgender Person: An individual whose gender identity does not match the sex
assigned to him or her at birth. A Male-to-Female Transgender
Person was assigned the sex of male at birth but has a female
Gender Identity.
Intersex Person: “Intersex” is a general term used to indicate an individual born
with a reproductive or sexual anatomy and/or chromosome pattern
that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male.
Female: Living as a woman and having sex hormones that are within the
medically acceptable range for a female.
Health Care Provider: A licensed practitioner who provides healthcare to patients
independently or pursuant to the prescription of a healthcare
provider as recognized by his/her state regulatory agency. This
terms shall include (a) doctors of medicine or osteopathy
authorized to practice medicine or surgery under a respective
state’s law within the United States, and (b) Nurse practitioners,
nurse-midwives, and physician’s assistants authorized to practice
under a respective state’s law within the United States and
performing within the scope of their practice as defined under the
respective state’s law.
III. POLICY AND PROCEDURE
This policy only applies to individuals who play in WPBA sanctioned billiard events, including
but not limited to, WPBA Tour Events, The WPBA US Open, The WPBA Masters, The WPBA
Tour Championships, The WPBA Regional Tour Championships and any WPBA Regional Tour
To participate in any WPBA Sanctioned event, an athlete must be Female, as defined herein.
Male athletes may not participate, nor can those born female or Intersex who identify as male.
Transgender or Intersex athletes who meet the definition of Female, as defined herein, are
eligible to compete provided that, upon request, the athlete can produce a signed original
statement, on office letterhead, from the athlete’s attending healthcare provider. The statement
a. Healthcare provider’s full name;
b. Healthcare provider’s license or certificate number;
c. Issuing jurisdiction of medical license/certificate;
d. Address and telephone number of the healthcare provider;
e. Language stating that he/she is the attending healthcare provider for the athlete
and that he/she has a doctor/patient relationship with the athlete; and
f. Language stating that the athlete’s sex hormones are within the medically
acceptable range for a female. It is solely within the healthcare provider’s
judgment to determine what range is “medically acceptable” for a female.
All Tournament directors, WPBA Regional Tour Directors, and anyone other person or entity
running a WPBA sanctioned event will attest that all athletes competing in said events meet all
eligibility requirements set by the WPBA, which includes eligibility as a Female competitor, as
defined in this policy, when submitting their player/participants rosters.
The WPBA will maintain such information and documentation submitted pursuant to this policy
in confidence, with only counsel, WPBA’s medical advisor(s), the Board of Directors, and, in the
case of an appeal under Section V, the Grievance Committee, having access to such information
Should a WPBA Regional Tour or other WPBA Sanctioned Event accuse another WPBA
Regional Tour or other WPBA Sanctioned Event of not properly determining eligibility of its
athletes for participation pursuant to this policy, the WPBA will review the matter pursuant to its
current Grievance Policy.