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During the end of October, ACFC athlete Elizabeth Eddy posted her first online post in nearly two years. In it, she addressed reports that the National Women's Soccer League had quietly abandoned its inclusion policy for trans and intersex players, making the league's position undecided.

The following day, her opinion piece was republished in full by another media outlet, providing wider attention.

“I'm concerned that lacking clear guidelines about who the league is for, it will sacrifice its identity and its momentum,” Eddy wrote.

Her piece broadly advocated for a prohibition on trans athletes from the league to preserve “the fairness of female athletics.”

Examining the Actual Threat

It remains uncertain how Eddy thinks the NWSL's credibility has been harmed—whether under its former policy that permitted trans athletes or its current absence of policy. The organization, now in its thirteenth year, has developed a distinct brand. It's highly competitive, influential in business and culture, and an essential part of the worldwide female football scene.

Its growth trajectory seems largely fine—audience numbers have grown every season, and expansion to 16 teams is scheduled for the coming years.

Analyzing the Data

Eddy cites the Football Association's recent ban on trans players as a success story. Yet, that ban is believed to impact only approximately twenty amateur players out of millions soccer players. The impact in the United States would likely be equally negligible.

Two years ago, when the NWSL's trans inclusion policy took effect, there were a couple trans players: Quinn and Kumi Yokoyama. They have both departed, and no openly transgender athletes presently compete in the league. On the current season's first matchdays, the league celebrated its thousandth participant. That's only two out trans players out of over 1,000 in the NWSL's existence.

Baseless Concerns and Actual Damage

The article is written as if there is a pipeline of transgender athletes ready to take over the NWSL at a moment's notice. There is no such thing. At present, there are no openly transgender players playing at a elite level in the United States. Federal legislation expressly prohibits trans players from competing in university sports. Moreover, multiple scientifically reviewed research have demonstrated that trans athletes have no inherent physical edge over cisgender competitors.

Without of out trans people, discriminatory behavior have continued along ethnic divisions. When Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda was awarded player of the year, she faced a wave of digital harassment. The NWSL was painfully slow in defending their star player. Likewise, Kansas City Current's Temwa Chawinga and her sister have experienced comparable mistreatment.

“That article does not represent for this team in our dressing room,” Angel City FC captain Sarah Gorden told the media. “We don't agree with the things written for a multitude of causes, but primarily the implications come across as discriminatory against trans people and prejudiced as well.”

Additional Pressing Problems Confronting the League

Regardless if one were to ignore these points and believe that including transgender athletes constitutes a genuine issue for the NWSL, it's hard to see how it would outrank any number of other issues that have truly hindered the growth and affected its reputation.

• Working conditions for staff remain a concern. Several ex- club employees are taking legal action against the club and the NWSL, alleging racial and disability discrimination, unwanted advances, and failure to stop prejudice.
• Athlete welfare is a further issue. In May, a player Savy King fell on the field, requiring urgent care. On-field play resumed, even though teammates were clearly distraught. The NWSLPA called on the NWSL to revisit their medical protocols.
• Extreme weather protocols have also been challenged. During a broadcast match, the league head reportedly warned to penalize a team over a disagreement in hot weather policies.
• Financial competition from European leagues like the WSL is growing, luring some of the NWSL's best players away from the NWSL and nation where they made their careers.

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