Joining a student group as a trans student

The University should be a safe an accessible space for all and with that being said it is important that our trans student as well as student who identify as non-binary feel welcomed when joining sports societies.  Currently to date Swansea University and the Union do not have its own policy regarding trans and non-binary athletes participation in competitive sports. Sports societies are one of the best ways to socialise and meet people who share common interests and we want our transgender students to feel comfortable in such space. We have adopted the national British Universities & Colleges Sports (BUCS) policy as well as other national governing bodies to form a more comprehensive policy. 

The Union understands how trans students may feel weary when joining sports societies, and hopes to ease any worries. Whether you're fully transitioned or partially the Union wants to ensure our sport societies are an inclusive space. Our sport societies are inclusive of all gender identities with most having members of a range of genders. However, for our gendered specific competitive sport societies  please find below key points detailing our transgender sports  policy.

Those who transition from female to male are eligible to compete in sports categorised as male without restriction.

Those who transition from male to female are also eligible to compete in the female category under these conditions:

a. The athlete has declared their gender identity as female and in making this declaration it cannot be changed due to sporting purposes for a minimum of four years. 

b. Competing athletes are required to demonstrate that their total testosterone level in serum has been below 10nmol/L for at least 12 months prior to their first competition (requirement of any longer periods to be based on a confidential case-by-case basis, determining whether or not 12 months is a sufficient length of time to minimise any possible advantage in women's competition).

c. The athlete's total testosterone level in serum is required to remain below 10nmol/L during the period of desired eligibility to compete within the female category 

d. Please note that compliance with these conditions may be monitored by testing. In the event of noncompliance, the athlete's eligibility for female competition will be suspended for 12 months. 

A copy of the complete BUCS policy  can be found here.

Guidelines for specific sports can be found on the BUCS' governing websites

Non Competitive Club Sport & Social Leagues

We welcome our trans students to engage in our non-competitive sports as well and our social league clubs.

Non Sport Societies

Our societies are open to all trans students irregardless of the stage of transitioning and will happily support transgender students in the process of joining a society. There is a strict zero tolerance policy towards discriminatory behaviour as reflected in the Student Groups' Code of Conduct.