A high-profile campaigner against transgender women competing in female soccer leagues has been hit with a restraining order on behalf of a prominent transgender player.
Kirralie Smith organised a campaign that bombarded Football NSW with 12,000 emails demanding a rethink on trans women playing in female competitions.
‘Keep blokes out of women’s sport!’, the petition page read.
During her lobbying efforts, Ms Smith named a number of transgender players on social media, including a leading goal scorer.
On April 1, police came to Ms Smith’s home and issued the campaigner with an Apprehended Violence Order preventing her from discussing or approaching the player.
The order also covers electronic harassment of the trans activist player, who lives over 300km away.
Ms Smith had her Facebook page with its 47,000 followers removed by the social media company at the request of the eSafety Commissioner on February 20.
Principal Solicitor at the Feminist Legal Clinic, Anna Kerr, also expressed concern that laws intended to keep people safe are increasingly being used to silence women.
‘Too often we see bullies calling out those who dare to stand up to them,’ Ms Kerr stated.
‘AVOs that are failing to keep women safe from male violence are now being used as weapons against them.
‘I am concerned that the eSafety Commissioner and law enforcement agencies must take care that their powers are not manipulated to suppress free speech.’