Tifanny Says She Has To Improve To Be 1st Trans Player In Brazil’s NT

  0 Liam Smith | March 24th, 2018 | Brazilian League, Brazilian Volleyball, FIVB Nations League - Women, International Volleyball, News, Pro Indoor, South American Volleyball

2017-2018 BRAZILIAN WOMEN’S SUPERLIGA

Background

Tifanny Abreu made volleyball history when she became the first trans female to play in Brazil’s Superliga. Since then, she broke the competition’s single game scoring record, and has dominated the league’s offensive statistics. Such performances has drawn the ire of many teams, players, and fans, who have asked the Brazilian Volleyball Federation (CBV) to find a “solution” to the situation. Although CBV has not yet taken any action on the matter, as it will probably wait for FIVB’s future decisions, clubs have taken action by agreeing to tag Tifanny with a maximum score in Superliga’s parity system for next season, one of only two players who are not Olympic gold medalists, but yet were singled out with the distinction (the other being Gabriela Guimarães).

Story

After leading Superliga with a 5.4 points per set average, Tifanny Abreu anxiously awaits the opportunity to be called by José Roberto Guimarães for Brazil’s national team. She knows, however, that for now her participation in the team may be a far shot (Globo.com):

“All players dream of one day making it to the national team. I am not different, but it will be up to the coach to choose me or not. I still have a lot to learn and improve as a player. As for prejudice, I feel that even if I am inside the rules, people don’t want me to be a good player. If you are a good player, people will look at you differently. I think I am a victim of prejudice for being a good player. But this fades away after time, I don’t take it home. You need to be prepared for this from the moment you decide to transition. I have been prepared from the start to accept myself as a woman. If people will accept me or not, it doesn’t concern me. If I accept myself, I’ll be always happy.”

Guimarães should announce his national team in the upcoming weeks. The volleyball world will await anxiously to see if he decides call Tifanny up for her first caps.

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