On the day transgender women soccer players face a ban in England, they play on

LONDON (AP) — For soccer-loving transgender women in England, it’s been a tough day, as the ban on their participation in women’s teams came into force.

To show its solidarity with the community and against the decision by the governing body of English soccer (football), Goal Diggers Football Club, a London-based trans-inclusive women’s team, held a tournament Sunday.

The message was clear. Yes, it’s a sad day, but no one will stop us playing the sport we love.

Around 100 people — women, trans women, non-binary and gender non-conforming players —took part in the “Let The Dolls Play Tournament” in Islington, north London.

And everyone present appeared to find comfort in their solidarity despite the occasional foul, intentional or not.

“You know they’re not going take away this community, my friends,” said Paula Griffin, a 60-year-old transgender woman. “And there’s such a powerful message coming from that, that the people who care about women’s sport are the people who play the women’s sports. And these are the people that are my friends.”

Griffin, like the others, are still dismayed by the decision last month by England’s Football Association to ban transgender women from playing on women’s soccer teams from June 1 following a U.K. Supreme Court ruling in April.

The F.A. said it had decided to change its rules that had allowed transgender athletes to play in women’s soccer teams if they had reduced testosterone levels.

The decision came in the wake of the ruling from the U.K.’s Supreme Court that defined a woman for anti-discrimination purposes as someone born biologically female. The head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission said after the ruling that transgender women would be excluded from women’s toilets, hospital wards and sports teams.

While the ruling was cheered by some feminist groups, it was condemned by trans-rights groups who said it would have a broad and detrimental impact on daily life.

“It’s really upset me,” said Billie Sky, a 28-year-old transgender woman. “I have to say, this has been a really hard week. I’ve struggled to get out of bed at times. I’m doing my best to get through work and come to things like this, but it’s, it’s really difficult.”

The issue has been polarizing in the U.K. and beyond, particularly in the United States, where President Donald Trump has signed executive orders to prohibit participation of transgender athletes in sports and to use a rigid definition of the sexes, rather than gender, for federal government purposes. The orders are being challenged in court.

For those present at the tournament in north London on Sunday morning, the fight will go on but for now, it’s about keeping the sport they love close.

“I think that’s the whole point of today, is we’re trying to just reclaim the day and make it a really joyous time to spend together,” said Jahnavi Kalayil, a 26-year-old woman. “And I think it’s definitely happened, everyone’s had a really great time. Whether winning or losing the games, it’s more about just coming together as a community and making sure we’re standing up for our trans siblings.”