Photo: Lana LawlessThe LPGA Tour is close to getting rid of its stipulation that anyone who wishes to join the most lucrative women's professional Tour must be "female at birth".
The policy change would bring the LPGA into line with every other major women's golf organisation, including the Ladies' Golf Union and the International Olympic Committee, which all allow transgender participation. It will be voted upon by the Tour's membership in two weeks' time, according to this report by the US-based Golf Channel.
News of the proposal comes after the LPGA Tour was sued last month by Lana Lawless, a former police officer in California who had transgender surgery five years ago and won the women's world long-driving championship in 2008. The rules of that event were subsequently changed to exclude transgender participants from competing. In her suit, Lawless claimed she was being discriminated against because of her transgender status, in violation of Californian law.
The Golf Channel reported: "In a special 'one-agenda item' meeting at the Hana Bank Championship in South Korea at the end of October, LPGA players were briefed on the upcoming vote and the vital nature of it. According to sources familiar with the meeting, LPGA players were told the 'female at birth' provision was created 'in a different time' and would be a significant challenge to defend legally today.
"LPGA commissioner Mike Whan and the LPGA's executive committee are expected to recommend the change to the association's bylaws."
A two-thirds majority is required to enforce any change to the Tour's rule book. It is expected to pass. If it does not the LPGA might still find itself in legal jeopardy.
Lawless's attorney Christopher Dolan told the Golf Channel he had already been notified by the LPGA of its proposed change. He seemed less than impressed.
"When they told me they were going to put this up to a vote of their members, I said that's insane," Dolan said. "To put whether you want to continue to discriminate to a vote, that's insane. It would be similar, in another time, to voting on whether you want to let black people into your organisation. From my perspective, the law's perfectly clear.
"If the members vote to continue to act unlawfully, we will seek to stop them from doing business in California."
This year the LPGA has staged three events in California.
The policy change would bring the LPGA into line with every other major women's golf organisation, including the Ladies' Golf Union and the International Olympic Committee, which all allow transgender participation. It will be voted upon by the Tour's membership in two weeks' time, according to this report by the US-based Golf Channel.
News of the proposal comes after the LPGA Tour was sued last month by Lana Lawless, a former police officer in California who had transgender surgery five years ago and won the women's world long-driving championship in 2008. The rules of that event were subsequently changed to exclude transgender participants from competing. In her suit, Lawless claimed she was being discriminated against because of her transgender status, in violation of Californian law.
The Golf Channel reported: "In a special 'one-agenda item' meeting at the Hana Bank Championship in South Korea at the end of October, LPGA players were briefed on the upcoming vote and the vital nature of it. According to sources familiar with the meeting, LPGA players were told the 'female at birth' provision was created 'in a different time' and would be a significant challenge to defend legally today.
"LPGA commissioner Mike Whan and the LPGA's executive committee are expected to recommend the change to the association's bylaws."
A two-thirds majority is required to enforce any change to the Tour's rule book. It is expected to pass. If it does not the LPGA might still find itself in legal jeopardy.
Lawless's attorney Christopher Dolan told the Golf Channel he had already been notified by the LPGA of its proposed change. He seemed less than impressed.
"When they told me they were going to put this up to a vote of their members, I said that's insane," Dolan said. "To put whether you want to continue to discriminate to a vote, that's insane. It would be similar, in another time, to voting on whether you want to let black people into your organisation. From my perspective, the law's perfectly clear.
"If the members vote to continue to act unlawfully, we will seek to stop them from doing business in California."
This year the LPGA has staged three events in California.
