Critics question non-binary eligibility in women’s ultimate divisions

On Dec. 16, 2020, USA Ultimate announced a new Gender Inclusion Policy that defaulted the women’s, men’s and mixed divisions to the gender binary, but the governing body would not discriminate on the basis of gender identity, regardless of sex assigned at birth. The policy acknowledged that not all gender identities are binary and that a rigid default could leave some players feeling excluded and unsafe.

Two days later, the new policy allowed division self-selection for all, sharpening questions about how tournament directors were supposed to handle contested entries. Critics point to cases in which men identifying as non-binary played in women’s categories without hormone restrictions, saying the framework leaves room for abuse while placing the burden of judgment on event staff and opponents.

The concern widened in 2023 as USA Ultimate confronted a different pressure point: state-level anti-transgender sports laws. On March 24, 2023, the board unanimously approved a temporary policy on event hosting in response to those laws and planned to seek feedback on the issue. In April, USA Ultimate backed transgender athletes as anti-transgender legislation advanced in state governments, including laws targeting and restricting the rights of transgender athletes in 21 states.

USA Ultimate then moved to create a formal advisory structure. On July 14, 2023, it appointed four people to a newly formed LGBTQ+ Advisory Council, making the council a sounding board for ideas on how best to support LGBTQ+ ultimate athletes and coaches. The move came after the Professional Disc Golf Association’s transgender decision in December 2022, when an Ultiworld opinion piece warned, “We can’t let this happen to us,”