LGBTQ+ football team make history at Dulwich Hamlet FC as the first all transgender female side

A football match that took place at Dulwich FC last night, March 31, made history as the first game involving a team made up entirely of transgender women playing against a team of cisgender women. The game had been months in the making and is set to appear in footie legend Peter Crouch's documentary 'Save Our Beautiful Game' which focusses on grassroots football in the UK today.

The match took place on Trans Day of Visibility and broke down the boundaries in place which often leaves transgender people on the sidelines of mainstream sport. Set within Dulwich Hamlet Football Club's grounds, TRUK United FC took on cisgender female team Dulwich Hamlet Women, in a match raising money for charity.

MyLondon spoke to Paula Griffin, 57, a transgender woman who has been a part of Dulwich Hamlet FC for more then 30 years and stepped onto the pitch last night to make history as the first all-transgender female football team. Paula is one of the few people that was at Dulwich when a young Peter Crouch was on loan there and said their reunion was as if no time had passed at all.

Paula, who lives in East London, said: "Peter goes back 20 years in Dulwich, he came here on loan and I'm one of the few people who was here when Peter was last time. When I met him ahead of this new project we caught eyes and he said 'Hi Paula'. He is such an ally for this game - he's never mistaken my name or pronouns, he's been brilliant with the whole team. It makes me think that if someone of his celebrity can be so accepting and such an ally then anyone can in my book."

The match was set up with the aim not only to platform the transgender sportswomen but also to raise money for TRUK, which offers advice and support to transgender people. The football