Transgender football player Riley Dennis won a defamation case in the Local Tribunal in New South Wales, against anti-Trans activist Kirralie Smith.
The magistrate decided that Ms. Smith illegally vilified Ms. Dennis through a series of publications on social networks which were “able to encourage a serious outrage” and which could “severely ridicule” Dennis.
In 2023, Ms. Smith launched a campaign on social networks to block transgender players in women’s football in NSW.
She targeted Riley Dennis, 32, who played at the time with a semi-professional team in Ligue 1. Mme Dennis is now playing with The Flying Bats, a LGBTQI +community team.
Ms. Smith said on Facebook that a “man appropriating femininity” had injured two players in a match, which had both hospitalized.
His post sparked calls from supporters to the ban by Ms. Dennis of women’s football.
However, later in court, Ms. Smith admitted that she had no evidence that Ms. Dennis injured anyone.
“I tried to clarify who it was, what was the game, how it happened and there was evidence … I could not clarify,” said Smith during the counter-examination in April.
Ms. Smith argued before the court that her posts were valid political comments. However, in a 52 -page judgment rendered on Tuesday, the magistrate found that the posts were “disproportionate” and lacked objective good faith.
The judgment concluded that Ms. Smith’s refusal to use Ms. Dennis’ favorite pronouns, and her disdainful attitude towards the impact of her posts, have undermined her claim in good faith.
Speaking of the test publicly for the first time, Ms. Dennis told 7.30 that the court was a last resort.
“My default reaction to all of this was to curl up in a shell and let it pass. But it did not happen and it just worsened,”
She said.
“But at the same time, I knew that if I did not defend myself, that (people) would continue to target other queer and trans people who are just trying to play football or try to play sports.”
Controversy spreads
Born in the United States, Ms. Dennis first drawn the attention of the public via her YouTube channel, where she delivered trans-b ae and others, including information on replacement hormone therapy, for her more than 100,000 subscribers.
Riley Dennis says she was the target of trolls online. (ABC News: Shaun Kingma))
She moved to Australia in 2018 to live with the woman who would become her wife, Fiona, and joined the flying bats to stay active and make friends.
At the end of 2022, Ms. Dennis was offered a place with a semi-professional team in League One of NSW football.
His inclusion coincided with Ms. Smith’s campaign against Trans players on social networks.
Ms. Smith has targeted Ms. Dennis Online, and her supporters would move quickly, sharing the details of Ms. Dennis’s match and saying that she “tried to injure women and girls”.
Shortly after, the men started filming his games and publishing images on social networks.
“Suddenly, I had the impression that there were a thousand eyes on me and that every movement I made was going to be so examined,” she said.
“”Whenever I run with the ball, every time I make a tackle or make a shot or something, there will be a thousand people who hate me.“”
Ms. Smith’s statements have spread internationally and were recovered by a Canadian website.
He published a Riley Dennis game video challenging another player, saying that the player was then hospitalized.
Kirralie Smith turned out to have illegally vilified the Trans Riley Dennis football player through social networks. (X: Kirralie Smith))
No fault has been recorded from the challenge and that football NSW Records shows that Ms. Dennis received only one yellow card throughout the season.
“I did not injure anyone. I did not hospitalize anyone,” said Dennis at 7:30 am.
Ms. Smith also tweeted that Ms. Dennis was the top scorer in the first -year female competition.
“How is it right? This place belongs to a woman,” she wrote.
After Ms. Smith’s campaign, Ms. Dennis did not propose place in the same league.
“For each team I tested, it was just a” no “. There was not really an explanation with that,” she said.
“The teams knew that if I was connected to their team, it would come with all this negative attention and it would be a political declaration they made, what I understand, and I do not want this for a team. But at the same time, I do not try to be a political declaration.”
In a statement at 7:30 am, a spokesperson for Australia football said: “We actively progress on the development of our inclusion policy for transgender people and people in sex, with a particular emphasis on considerations in high-performance environments.”
Ms. Smith said in a 7:30 am statement that her plea had always been addressed to football associations and their policies. She said she had never tried to prevent anyone from playing sports.
Global Strong Point
The presence of trans women in sport has become a flash point worldwide.
In the United Kingdom, fans protested transgender prohibitions in football. (Reuters: Isabel Infants))
International guidelines for sports such as cricket, swimming, athletics, cycling and rugby have all tightened the eligibility rules to effectively exclude transminine sports athletes.
In February, US President Donald Trump signed an executive decree forcing all the sports organizations funded by the federal government to ban women in women’s competition.
US President Donald Trump Gesture because he signs an executive decree prohibiting transgender girls and women from participating in female sports. (Reuters: Leah Millis))
Ms. Dennis says that the debate distorts reality.
“The only time we see trans women in the media sport is when there is a controversy and when (for example) someone came in fifth place, so everyone is crazy,” she said.
“”But when the trans players lose every weekend or do not work as well, no one cares.“”
Return problems on Pitch
In 2024, Ms. Dennis returned to play with flying bats in a social league, hoping that the counterpouis would support.
Riley Dennis (left) has endured a difficult period since he joined the flying bats. (ABC News: Shaun Kingma))
Instead, the campaign has intensified, focusing on its success in the field.
“When I arrived in last place with my team, no one said anything. It is obviously not equity or competitiveness. I think they simply do not like us and do not want us to practice sport,” said Dennis.
His teammate and former ABC journalist, Sam Lewis, says she was also targeted, after being secret and wrongly as trans online.
“It was really frightening. I played all season with an eye on the touch because I was afraid that there were people who showed up images of me and my teammates and my friends,” said Lewis.
She said that neither NSW football nor Australia football had offered support.
“We are a member of Australia football, and yet we do not receive any support,” she said.
Ms. Lewis, is also the president of the Chaures-Souris Flying club and said that when she approached the CEO of football NSW at a conference and asked her to publish a statement of support on behalf of the director organ, he refused.
“He said” no “. I was shocked,” she said.
NSW football did not answer the 7:30 am question on this alleged conversation.
In a statement, NSW football said it was determined to provide a safe, inclusive and support environment for everyone.
Ms. Dennis asked that the court granted him an injunction preventing Ms. Smith from identifying her again. She also asked for public apology from Ms. Smith, the abolition of offensive positions, a direction in which Ms. Smith implements anti-discrimination policy within her organization and up to $ 100,000 in damages if Ms. Smith does not comply with the judicial orders within two months.
The court will hear other submissions on damages later this year.
