CUB enthusiastically welcomes all archers regardless of gender and/or sexuality! However, as with most other sports at the moment, there are still many issues within archery regarding the inclusion of trans and non-binary people. We've outlined here some of the main ones you might encounter while you're shooting with us, alongside the relevant support the club can provide in those scenarios.

Archery GB (AGB) is our national governing body, and all archers are required to be registered with them in order to shoot at any UK-based club. Currently, AGB requires us to specify 'male' or 'female' for each individual during registration.

We recognise that these binary options do not suit everyone and are not inclusive of all genders. We encourage you to choose whichever option you feel most comfortable with when registering. This will be used on your AGB account and some competitions but should not affect your day-to-day experience in the club.

As part of our commitment to be respectful of all our members, our internal club records include a non-binary option, and an additional space to specify your preferred pronouns during registration. We will use these records to ensure that your chosen name, gender identity and pronouns are respected in all our communications and any time you participate in club activities.

At competitions, archery is historically divided into male and female categories, and this remains true of most university competitions. If you wish to compete for the club, you will compete in the gender category under which you're registered with AGB.

Based on the recent Supreme Court decision and guidance from the UK Sports Councils' Equality Group, AGB have determined that male puberty confers a competitive advantage in archery and so, to ensure fair competition, only those assigned female at birth will be allowed to compete in the female category starting from 1st October 2025. Full details and further information about these changes can be found on the AGB website.

We understand and regret that this may hinder our gender non-conforming members from competing. Regardless, CUB strives to remain welcoming to everyone - if you have any concerns regarding the matter, or require any form of welfare support, please do not hesitate to contact our Welfare Officer.

As an alternative, there are often competitions run by local clubs that have an open category, which you might feel more comfortable competing in. While this might be a different experience from student competitions, you are always welcomed to talk to the committee to find out about competition opportunities that may be more suitable for you.