Trans pool player loses court battle in first test case of UK’s new legal definition of woman

A transgender pool champion has lost a legal battle to overturn a ban on players who were not born female from competing in women-only events. 

Harriet Haynes, 35, sued the English Blackball Pool Federation (EBPF) in April after it excluded transgender women such as herself from ladies’ county tournaments.

But today the EBPF announced it has won the case at Canterbury Court and Haynes has been ordered to pay their legal costs. 

The ruling is the first to apply the new legal definition of a woman as someone who is biologically female, which was brought in after a British Supreme Court decision in April.

The professional pool player, from Faversham, Kent, first competed as a woman in 2015 – but since August 2023 has been unable to play for her county’s ladies team due to the new rules. 

Haynes began her claim stating that the change in criteria has caused her a “loss of opportunity” and amounts to discrimination.  

She also argued that players assigned male at birth have no advantage over female-born players in a sport that relies mostly on accuracy and precision.

However, the EBPF argued that transgender women have, on average, a higher break speed than players assigned female at birth. 

It also claimed that male-born players benefit from greater hand span, stronger fingers, and longer limbs, making it easier for them to play particular shots.

His Honor Judge Parker ruled in favor of the EBPF, agreeing that it is a “gender-affected activity” and that excluding transgender women would “secure fair competition”.

An EBPF spokesperson said of the win: “We are delighted to announce that Harriet Haynes’ discrimination claim against the EBPF has been dismissed and Harriet has been ordered to pay our costs. 

“The court found that pool is a game in which men have an advantage over women and that allowing only those born as women to compete in our women’s competitions is necessary to secure fair competition.

“The EBPF was the only one of three pool organisations to stand our ground when threatened with Harriet’s claim. The claim was brought against Paul and Anna personally and was a very stressful experience for them. At one point, Harriet’s solicitor said that Paul’s and Anna’s ‘houses and lives’ were potentially on the line.

“We would like to thank everyone who has supported us. We would also like to reiterate that the EBPF welcomes transgender women in our Open category.”

Haynes is an expert player of English eight-ball pool and a trans woman, with a gender recognition certificate issued under Britain’s Gender Reassignment Act 2004.

The EBPF, represented by lawyers from J.R. Levin, argued that Haynes was not discriminated against for being transgender, as if she was a trans-man he would have been able to compete. 

The defence also claimed that pool is a “gender-affected activity” and so the revised rules were “necessary to secure fair competition”.

EBPF Chairman Paul Thomson added: “I am very grateful to Anna Goodwin and Jim Goodwin for all the help in this case, without them I think the midnights talks and Jim calling me the second husband because ANNA would be calling me all hours, those countless conversations kept us on the path to do what was right for our organisation, and most importantly got us through the most difficult time in my role as chairman of this wonderful organisation.

“Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would end up in court representing this organization as chairman, it’s been a difficult few years but most who know me will tell you that I would do the right thing when representing this organization, and I am not easily intimidated. But most importantly we as an organization would conduct ourselves throughout the diversity with professionalism  

“I can honestly say I am glad it’s all over and we can get back to planning for this organization, I would also like thank all the Female section for supporting us and everyone who contributed to the go-fund to help with case it really means a lot, your support has carried so much weight for me and Anna, I speak for both of us when I say thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”