Transgender golfer gets death threats

Gill underwent male-to-female gender reassignment surgery. The 42-year-old competitor finished first in the Women's Classic on April 2. It was the first time she won the cup after eight years of playing professionally. As is customary to celebrate his victory, Gill was congratulated by many colleagues and showered with champagne on the 18th green of the Bonville Golf Resort in New South Wales.

However, according to Golfweek, her joy was short-lived by the sudden stigma that arose after the organizers announced the Women's Classic results on Twitter. That content, within 24 hours, attracted seven million views and thousands of comments. The management side did not mention which faction Gill belonged to, both at birth and after medical intervention, but she received dozens of insulting messages, including death threats.

Karen Lunn, managing director of the Australian-Asian women's golf tournament (WPGA) expressed her support for Gill on The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. "It was the biggest victory of her life that she couldn't fully rejoice in. It was a sad situation." Lunn said that he and several members of the board of directors were also threatened with death.

WPGA removed the news that Gill won and blocked comments to relieve her mental pressure. As for the golfer himself, he closed his personal accounts on Twitter and Instagram.

The WPGA has accepted transgender players since 2004. The same policy has also been opened at seven major systems in international women's golf. In order to enter the WPGA, a golfer must complete surgery, take adjuvant hormone therapy for at least a year, and provide documentation of a legal new gender identity. Gill met all the conditions and has had no objections since joining the WPGA with 300 member players.

In contrast, in the past 12 months, at least two international sports bodies have tightened their policies on transgender athletes.

In June 2022, the World Federation of Water Sports - World Aquatics (formerly known as FINA) announced that it only recognizes transgender athletes before the age of 12 at women's tournaments. In March 2022, the World Athletics Federation (World Athletics) began to ban transgender women who have passed male puberty from competing in international events.

In the US alone, there are 20 states that are banning transgender women from competing in school sports.