Women who do object have been called to meetings where the agenda includes ‘transphobia’ and ‘hate crimes’, making them genuinely afraid that the police might arrest them. A university student was warned by a friend that it would be ‘social suicide to make a fuss’. Complaining might also put her at risk of being kicked off her university course.

Perhaps it will take a court win to force things to change. The first such legal action is now underway in pool, where there are few female events and clear male advantages (especially in the break shot). After males began showing up in women’s competitions, female pool players are now crowdfunding a legal case against pool’s organising bodies. One of the claimants, Jo, says: ‘It feels daunting. But we know we have support, and we have to do it. I see young women deflated before they’ve even started. I think if this continues they will stop entering competitions. If it continues it will destroy women’s sport.’

The betrayal of women’s sport has been long in the making. The fightback to restore fairness and sanity is only just beginning.

[‘Colonization’ is exactly the right term here — both in literal terms and in highlighting progressive hypocrisy on women’s rights. Let’s keep using it here, too. — Ed]