Jessica Millaman, who had been prevented from playing field hockey by her provincial federation governing the sport, told EFE in an interview that she was happy about the recent decision by the Argentine Field Hockey Confederation (CAH) to allow transsexual people to participate in women's tourneys.

Millaman launched a media and legal battle last September, when the Field Hockey Association of southern Chubut province refused to let her play on the Germinal team in Rawson, a fight that culminated with the association reversing its decision last Friday in what she called "a small step."

"I'm happy over the fact that we can play sports," the athlete said, going on to ask that the CAH respect the gender identity law that has been on the books in Argentina since 2012 and for it to guarantee that all athletic rules should respect people's self-perceived gender identities.

The CAH decision corresponds with the International Olympic Committee proposal, which establishes that for a man transitioning to a woman to be able to play it must be shown that the total level of male testosterone in the athlete's blood has been below 10 nanomols per liter for at least a year prior to competing.

According to the transsexual community, this principle goes against Argentine legislation that prevents any institution or athletic event from restricting, excluding or supplanting a person's right to exercise their preferred sexual identity.

Millaman says that demanding that athletes take hormones violates their bodily integrity.

Natalia Lazart has adopted the same stance. The Tucuman TK player completely rejects the CAH document that, in her opinion, is "a slightly more elegant way" of prohibiting transsexuals from playing in official competitions.

"They speak of the player (masculine) and they should be saying player (feminine). It's completely discriminatory," she said, adding that she is planning to file a lawsuit along with other athletes to ensure that the CAH definitively complies with Argentine law.

Mia Gamietea, a trans player with Delfines Hockey, agreed with Lazart in expressing her rejection of the CAH pronouncement because it doesn't conform to the gender identity law and because she feels the hormone criterion is unnecessary when determining whether a player may officially compete or not.

Although Millaman understands her colleagues' position, she insisted that the decision is a small step in the right direction and it's necessary to continue the struggle so that no trans girl suffers what - she said - all the people like her in her generation have suffered.

"In reality, what is being suffered is due to ignorance on the part of the federation," she said, adding that "practically all of Argentina" supports her and that she feels "more strongly than ever" about continuing the fight "for the generations to come."