Fenix FC, an all-transgender men's soccer team, has made its debut in a regional league in Spain after overcoming administrative challenges and prejudice. The team, named after the mythical bird symbolizing rebirth, provides a safe space for transgender players who previously faced discrimination and violence.
A soccer team consisting entirely of transgender men has made its debut in a regional league in Spain , overcoming administrative challenges and prejudice to become the first all-trans squad to achieve federated status in Europe.
Spain passed a pioneering trans rights bill last year designed to make it easier to change a person’s legal gender identity. But intolerance persists, with a record 302 cases of discrimination or violence against LGBT people in Catalonia in 2023, a quarter of which targeted transgender victims, according to data compiled by the region’s Observatory against LGBT phobia.
The experience prompted Martinez to put out a call online for other trans men seeking to play soccer in a safe environment. Setting up Fenix FC took three years.Captain Luke Ibanez, 19, said he was hesitant about playing for a team with cisgender or non-trans men, as he feared he would not fit in or even suffer violence. So when Martinez told him about his idea for an all-trans side, he quickly jumped on board.
LGBTQ+ Soccer Transgender Spain Fenix FC
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