Noa-Lynn van Leuven says World Darts Championship qualification is ‘ultimate center finger’ in the midst of vitriol
Van Leuven, trans lady, in any case, has had an momentous
eventful
year at the Women’s Arrangement. A whereas prior she misplaced at a competition to Lorraine Hyde and unconstrained commendation resulted. “That was so mortifying,” she says in discussion with NU.nl. “I thought:
presently I lose and it’s still not great. Really, I continuously lose, whether I win or not.”
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Storm
The storm around Van Leuven never died down, on the opposite. To begin with Anca Zijlstra and Aileen de Graaf said they not needed to play for the Dutch group as long as Van Leuven was called up. Deta Hedman indeed went one step encourage, denying to play against Van Leuven each time she was called up
For case, Hedman considers it’s out of line that trans ladies do not menstruate. “But there are pills to stifle those menstrual indications,” Van Leuven says. “It’s SO looked for after. I too listen, ‘You have longer arms, so you’re closer to the board.’ Have you ever seen the arms of Phil Taylor (the foremost fruitful shoot player ever, ed.)? They’re half mine.”
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Storm
The storm around Van Leuven never died down, on the opposite. To begin with Anca Zijlstra and Aileen de Graaf said they now not needed to play for the Dutch group as long as Van Leuven was called up. Deta Hedman indeed went one step encourage, denying to play against Van Leuven each time she was called up.
Perused moreover
Noa-Lynn van Leuven makes history as to begin with transgender player at PDC World Darts Championship
Noa-Lynn van Leuven makes history as to begin with transgender player at PDC World Darts Championship
Noa-Lynn van Leuven makes history as first transgender player at PDC World Darts Championship
For example, Hedman thinks it’s unfair that trans women don’t menstruate. “But there are pills to suppress those menstrual symptoms,” Van Leuven says. “It’s SO sought after. I also hear, ‘You have longer arms, so you’re closer to the board.’ Have you ever seen the arms of Phil Taylor (the most successful dart player ever, ed.)? They’re half mine.”
Just before the start of the WDF World Cup (where Van Leuven won gold with the Dutch team and also won the pairs tournament) it was decided at a members’ meeting that trans women will no longer be welcome at WDF tournaments in the future. Although it is not yet entirely clear when that rule will take effect.
Furious
Van Leuven reacted furiously on social media, posting a photo of herself with a large red cross through her face. “I thought the world should know,” she said. “This is discrimination. We have been thrown back 40 years with the sport of darts.”
Robert Lewandowksi: 700 Tore für LewanGOALski
Storm
The storm around Van Leuven never subsided, on the contrary. First Anca Zijlstra and Aileen de Graaf said they no longer wanted to play for the Dutch team as long as Van Leuven was called up. Deta Hedman even went one step further, refusing to play against Van Leuven every time she was called up.
Read also
Noa-Lynn van Leuven makes history as first transgender player at PDC World Darts Championship
Noa-Lynn van Leuven makes history as first transgender player at PDC World Darts Championship
For example, Hedman thinks it’s unfair that trans women don’t menstruate. “But there are pills to suppress those menstrual symptoms,” Van Leuven says. “It’s SO sought after. I also hear, ‘You have longer arms, so you’re closer to the board.’ Have you ever seen the arms of Phil Taylor (the most successful dart player ever, ed.)? They’re half mine.”
Just before the start of the WDF World Cup (where Van Leuven won gold with the Dutch team and also won the pairs tournament) it was decided at a members’ meeting that trans women will no longer be welcome at WDF tournaments in the future. Although it is not yet entirely clear when that rule will take effect.
Furious
Van Leuven reacted furiously on social media, posting a photo of herself with a large red cross through her face. “I thought the world should know,” she said. “This is discrimination. We have been thrown back 40 years with the sport of darts.”
Noa-Lynn van Leuven in action
Noa-Lynn van Leuven in action
On the women’s tour Van Leuven also gets positive reactions, mainly from the younger players. “They secretly tell me that they don’t understand the commotion. But there are a lot of conservative, toxic bitches on the women’s tour. They see me as a threat.”
Van Leuven is also criticized for not being a great talent before as a man, but now competing at the top of the women’s circuit. “I throw well now because I feel more comfortable,” she says. “It’s a matter of putting money and hours into it. Not many women do that, but I do. I’ve proven I can win over men, too.”
Impact
But even apart from darts, all the criticism has had quite an impact on Van Leuven’s life. “People send the most terrible messages and then go on preparing their pasta. They have no idea the impact it has on my life. I didn’t dare go out on the street for several weeks and had panic attacks. It did take a while for that fear to go away.”
Van Leuven, meanwhile, is already looking ahead to participating in the PDC World Darts Championship. But isn’t she afraid of being criticised there, too? “We’ll see. I don’t care. Standing there as the first Dutch woman is already the ultimate middle finger for me.”
