The Kent Cricket County Club is one of the most historic cricket clubs in England. Even though they have been perennial contenders in the men’s division, they are front and ahead of everyone else in the women’s division.
Kent have won 8 Women’s County Championships, more than any other club. They won the Championship in 2019 too, led by their transgender cricketer Maxine Blythin.
Her performances led Kent to the County Championship and she has been rewarded by being deemed the 2019 Kent Women’s Player of the Year.
However, Maxine is still being looked at as an outsider in the women’s game because she was a born a boy and transitioned her gender as a teenager. Trans inclusion in sports has been a contentious topic for a long time, mainly because of the advantages a biological man can have in the women’s game even after transitioning.
However, Blythin does have a different case. The 24-year-old suffers from a condition and failed to go through male puberty as an adolescent because her testosterone levels were too low.
"I was born with a condition that meant I never had any real levels of testosterone, which meant I never went through any form of male puberty," Blythin told Sky Sports.
Blythin’s win as Kent’s women’s player of the year didn’t get a lot of attention at first. However, tweets like the ones made by media personalities like Katie Hopkins have stirred the issue and caused Blythin to receive a lot of hate online.
Blythin also revealed that her medical condition is yet to be properly diagnosed, but she doesn’t enjoy the benefits that other transitioning athletes do because of her body’s lack of testosterone production.
Blythin does stand at over 6 feet tall, which makes her taller than most players of the women’s game. However, this height is something she says is genetic and not necessarily a result of her being born a biological male.
“I’ve got a tall dad, a tall mum – I’m quite normal-sized for my family. My sister’s pretty tall as well. Likewise, there are intersex conditions that can cause you to be a little taller.”Maxine Blythin to Sky Sports
The issues about the possible advantages she has is something that she is looking to clear out through openly discussing and sharing her physiological reports. She has been taking hormones which make her fulfil female puberty.
"I feel that it is important to correct and clarify any conjecture around my physicality and biology,” Blythin said.
“The natural levels of testosterone within my body mean that I am fully eligible to play women's cricket at all levels, regardless of any medical intervention – this has always been the case."
Blythin is eligible to play in women’s cricket despite being born a man because of the English Cricket Board (ECB) and their open policies about transgender inclusion in the sport.
Blythin is also eligible for ICC tournaments, possibly opening up a pathway for a call up to the national team eventually.
While there has been media scrutiny, Blythin's teammates have stood up for her on social media.
Tammy Beaumont, the captain of Kent Women tweeted out a three-part statement supporting the 24-year-old, which quoted the now deleted Katie Hopkins tweet.
Even opponents, like Hampshire’s Fi Morris, have supported Maxine on Twitter.
Blythin doesn’t expect an England call-up anytime soon, but says that she would welcome the opportunity if it was presented.
“If I was invited to, it would be the biggest privilege of my life. Speaking to people who have played at that level, even for just one game, it was one of the biggest occasions of their sporting lives.”Maxine Blythin to Sky Sports
"I would 100% say yes. I'm not expecting it, but I would say yes."
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