Samantha Lewis, a 28-year-old transgender darts player from Hull, has been left wondering if she should continue in the sport she loves due to the recent political turmoil surrounding transgender women’s participation in women’s sports.
Ms. Lewis, whose passion for darts runs deep and has been passed down through generations in her family, has faced a barrage of “slander and discrimination” that has had a profound emotional impact on her.
The exclusion and online harassment have taken a severe toll on her mental health, leading her to contemplate dire actions. “Mentally, my mum has been really worried about me because I’ve gone down that slippery slope again. I wanted to end it all,” she told BBC.
Despite the challenges, Ms. Lewis stated that both Humberside County Darts and her team, Inglemire, have been supportive, which she described as “very heart-warming.” However, the situation has become even more complicated as she was recently banned from participating in the England Darts Open in Devon, receiving the rejection message via Facebook, a move she deemed “very unprofessional.”
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England Darts has addressed the issue of including transgender women in women’s events on its website, stating that it has “canvassed its players and executives on this very important issue concerning the future of women’s darts, and how England can continue to protect the integrity within our sport for its female members.” The organization added that including non-birth-gender females in women’s competitions could “ultimately result in the demise of our women’s sport.”
Other darts competitions do allow transgender women to compete, depending on their testosterone levels. While Ms. Lewis qualifies for them, she is currently taking a break to focus on her mental health.
In a plea for empathy and respect, Ms. Lewis has a message for those who have contributed to her current struggles. “Just keep your opinions to yourself. I’m still human at the end of the day. Think before you speak,” she said. “I don’t want to quit. I want to carry on.”
Darts is certainly an interesting sport from an intergender perspective considering that performance isn’t exactly strength based but there’s still a consideration as to what makes for gender differences in the sport.
