Bearded women cause uproar in Spanish women’s soccer league as politicians demand answers

Two women with masculine facial hair have sparked controversy in a Spanish women’s soccer league as their team claims they are facing “violence” and “fascism.”

Alex Alcaide Llanos and Nil Alcon Labella play for Club Esportiu Europa B, a women’s team in Barcelona. The duo have been reported as biological women by multiple outlets, including the Daily Mail, which noted that the women are in the middle of gender transitions and are still ineligible for men’s soccer.

‘It was clear from an early age that I wanted to be a boy.’

You can view images of the players in question — Alex and Nil — on the team’s website. Both sport fully grown facial hair, likely from testosterone treatments.

Alex can be seen in a 2022 Beteve article without any facial hair.

The women’s facial hair appears to have caused confusion, specifically following a recent 3-1 win over Terrassa.

After the game, Alicia Tomas — a councilor from the conservative Vox party — called the players “two guys with beards who consider themselves women.”

“It is as unfair for men who perceive themselves as women to participate in a women’s competition as it is for women who are undergoing male hormone therapy to participate,” Tomas reportedly said. “They want to erase us from public spaces, from sports and from all areas.”

The politician later asserted that institutions are carrying out “violence against women.”

Tomas also said, “A man who perceives himself as a woman cannot play in a women’s category. A woman up on testosterone and male hormones (doped) cannot play in a women’s category. Only sexists can defend this encroachment on our rights.”

Alex reportedly said, “As long as my ID card still has the F for female, I’m playing in the category that corresponds to me.”

Alex went on that “it was clear from an early age that I wanted to be a boy, and that I wanted to be called Alex.”

The striker then claimed, “I started the transition of my body early, it hasn’t changed that much, I’ve always had this male body and hormones help me to build muscle sooner, not to build more muscle. The moment I feel superior, with advantages, I’ll quit, I’ll step aside.”

CE Europa responded to the political backlash by saying it stands for values of “sportsmanship,” “fair play,” and “compliance with current sports regulation.”

As reported by Marca, the team also likened criticisms to violence and fascism and said it fights for the right of people to live lives “free from all kinds of violence.”

“Combating hate crimes and transferable violence is a collective duty that challenges us throughout society,” the team reportedly added. “Therefore, we reiterate and say very loudly that we remain firm. Against aggression and fascism, we say ‘not a step back.'”

Councilor Tomas responded by accusing the team of inflicting violence against women.

At the same time, despite both players being born women, playing on a women’s team, and having identification that labels them as female, CE Europa still chooses to refer to them as males.

“Alex is developing as a player, he has obvious technical shortcomings, he is a fast player, but we have four or five more like him. He is not the fastest,” team coordinator Nany Haces said in 2022.

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