The suspension had an effect on my education because I was doing PE for my A levels. I had to sit out two matches before I was even allowed to appeal.
I started playing football when I was six, and I’ve always played on teams that were for girls only. I would play with the boys sometimes, but they wouldn’t pass the ball to me because I’m a girl. I was better than all of them, but they still wouldn’t pick me for their team. I play for a second-division women’s team now, and it’s less about winning and more about girls having fun together.
When I was 17 I was about to play a pre-season friendly and I noticed one of the players on the other side seemed to be a man. I was confused. I have a very direct way of speaking to people, because I’m probably autistic (I’m currently being assessed) so I just went up to the player and asked: Are you a man? I had understood this was a women’s match, and I thought maybe the other team was mixed.
He responded by saying he was a transgender woman. So I went to the referee because I still didn’t understand: was this a mixed match or was it women only? The referee said that because it was only a friendly, he wasn’t going to do anything. But the captain of the other team overheard me and she started saying I was transphobic.
Afterwards, someone reported me for discrimination, and the county Football Association opened an investigation. They made me sit through a three-hour panel, which had me in tears, before deciding I was abusive, indecent, and insulting. Then they suspended me for six matches.
I had to sit out two matches before I was allowed to appeal. I was doing PE for my A levels, and part of the coursework included playing matches. So the suspension had a real effect on my education. I was very worried that by challenging the FA, I would get an even worse punishment. But the appeal board found that the suspension and the investigation were unfair. I was able to play matches again, but I never got an apology.