Canada’s Danielle McGahey is set to become the first transgender cricketer to play in an official international match during qualifying for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup.
Opening batter McGahey, 29, has been selected by Cricket Canada as they embark on the pathway to the finals in Bangladesh.
They will take on Argentina, Brazil and the United States in the ICC Americas Qualifier in Los Angeles starting next week for a place in the Global Qualifiers.
Australian McGahey moved to Canada in February 2020 and began socially transitioning from a man to a woman in November 2020 and then medically transitioning in May 2021.
Cricket has not joined the likes of rugby, athletics, cycling and swimming in banning transgender women from taking part in elite women’s competition.
McGahey has fulfilled the International Cricket Council’s [ICC] regulations on transgender players, which is based on testosterone levels, and requires a ‘written and signed declaration… that her gender identity is female.’
She told BBC Sport: ‘In order to determine [my testosterone levels], I’ve been doing blood tests every month now for over two years.
‘I also have to put in my player profile who I have played against and how many runs I’ve scored.
‘A lot of work with my doctor sending my medical information through to the ICC. They have a designated medical officer who looks over all the information provided, and determines whether or not I have provided enough for an expert panel to make a decision.
‘The need to do blood tests every month is probably the biggest challenge because when you are playing cricket you are travelling a lot.
‘It’s very personal in terms of the information you are giving over – all your medical information, history of puberty, any surgeries. There’s a lot in it. But the protocols are there and it has been used as intended.’
McGahey came to the attention of the Canadian selectors with her batting performances in the country’s inter-province tournament, which allowed participation based on gender self-identification alone.
That led to an international bow playing four T20 games in the South American Championships, which Canada were invited into as guests, in October 2022.
Again, as these were not ICC-recognised matches, McGahey did not have to fulfil their criteria, but a step up to World Cup qualification means she does.
McGahey said: ‘I can’t recall a single negative experience, particularly on the field or off the field with my team. Everyone has been incredibly supportive.
‘I’m very open about my transitioning and for me it is all about inspiring the next and the next, and going from there.’
The ICC guidelines, revised in 2021, attempt to strike a balance between ‘encouraging and facilitating’ transgender player participation and ‘protecting the safety’ of all players while ‘delivering on the promise of fair and meaningful competition.’
But the rules have been criticised as ‘unfair and unsafe’ by the Women’s Rights Network, who claim transgender women have a ‘significant advantage’ over biological women.
Other sports have moved to ban transgender women from competing at an elite level. World Rugby did so in the women’s rugby union game in October 2020 and international Rugby League followed suit last year.
Also in 2022, swimming’s world governing body FINA, voted to ban transgender athletes and World Athletics did likewise in March 2023, with cycling following in July.