Noa-Lynn van Leuven, who transitioned in 2021, says ‘conservative’ players who oppose her participation see her ‘as a threat’
The transgender woman allowed to claim one of two female spots at the PDC World Darts Championship has branded players who oppose her participation “toxic b—–s”.
Noa-Lynn van Leuven booked her place at Alexandra Palace on Saturday with a dominant 5-3 victory over world No 1 Beau Greaves to win the Women’s Series 21.
Her claiming of a female-designated spot at darts’ flagship event will be a point of contention within a sport in which disciplinary action has been threatened against those who refuse to play trans opponents.
Van Leuven, 28, told Dutch website nu.nl that younger players “secretly tell me that they don’t understand the commotion”.
Speaking before taking one of two World Championship qualifying spots available from the Women’s Series Order of Merit, she added: “But there are a lot of conservative, toxic b—–s on the women’s tour. They see me as a threat.”
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Deta Hedman, who has twice refused to play trans opponents, pulled out of a match in May against Van Leuven over the effect that being forced to play someone born male had on her “mental health”.
Van Leuven, who has won four titles this year, put her success down to hard work.
She said: “I throw well now because I feel more comfortable. 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.”
Van Leuven said she had been the victim of online abuse that had left her afraid to leave her home.
‘I didn’t dare go out and had panic attacks’
“People send the most terrible messages and then go on preparing their pasta,” she said. “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.”
But she said she was not afraid of the criticism she would face in becoming the first trans player to take part in the PDC showpiece.
She added: “Standing there as the first Dutchwoman is already the ultimate middle finger for me.”
The Dutchwoman transitioned in 2021 and joined the Women’s Series the following year. She also created history by becoming the first transgender woman to play in a televised darts tournament in July when she appeared at the Women’s World Matchplay in Blackpool.
Hedman has previously called on the PDC and the World Darts Federation to exclude trans women from women’s tournaments.
