Charlotte Royals disband women’s teams to join open division
The Charlotte Royals, a rugby club based in North Carolina, has disbanded its women’s teams entirely, opting instead to compete exclusively in a newly created ‘open’ gender category, reports BritPanorama.
This decision follows USA Rugby’s announcement of revised regulations that restrict women’s competitions to biological females only. In response, the Royals last week chose to transfer all their squads to the open division, which welcomes athletes regardless of their sex assigned at birth or gender identity.
The club, known for its support of transgender and non-binary players, will now participate solely in open division fixtures for all sanctioned matches moving forward. In a joint statement with another club, the Mother Ruckers, the Royals called on fellow organisations to embrace the open category.
“The Charlotte Royals believe that trans women are women,” the statement declared. “Banning trans players hurts everyone in the sport and the larger community.”
The clubs also invoked the legacy of the Stonewall uprising, acknowledging figures such as Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera as pioneers of the American LGBTQIA+ liberation movement. “We will continue to include our trans siblings in our organisation and community, without hesitation,” the statement added.
USA Rugby recently unveiled its restructured competition framework, which now includes three distinct categories: Men’s Division, Women’s Division, and Open Division. The governing body stated that “the Open Division will permit any athlete, regardless of gender assigned at birth and gender identity, to compete in USA Rugby-sanctioned events, whether full contact or non-contact.”
The policy shift comes nearly 12 months after Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating participation in women’s sporting competitions be limited to biological females. The timing of USA Rugby’s announcement is noteworthy, coinciding with the United States preparing to host the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, which escalates scrutiny of American sports governance.
Responses to the introduction of the open category have been polarised on social media. While some have expressed solidarity with the change, others have voiced their discontent, with one critic dismissing the move as “total BS.” The Charlotte Royals have a notable history of supporting LGBTQIA+ rugby, having hosted the 2021 International Gay Rugby North American Championship.
By fully embracing the open division, the North Carolina outfit reinforces its commitment to inclusivity over participation in sex-segregated categories, reflecting a broader conversation around gender and sports that continues to evolve.
