A 13-year-old girl has revealed she has been called a lesbian when playing football against boys and has even had parents shouting abuse from the sidelines.
Darcie, from Monmouthshire, Wales, says she has been told by PE teachers that she cant play the boys sport and should choose hockey and netball instead because they are better options for girls.
She plays in the centre midfield position for a local football team, and says that when she has played against boys, she has heard other parents shouting dont let a girl tackle you during matches.
But Darcie, who wants to be a professional football player when she grows up, is having absolutely none of it.
She told the BBC she takes the criticism in her stride.
Why Grenfell Tower effigy burners might not face prosecution
It doesnt bother me, it doesnt make me feel insecure about myself, she said.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Ill keep playing football, no matter how many people put me down, Ill keep going for it.
She said the criticism she has faced is immature and argued: They all think this world is just boys first with aggressive sports and girls can play little sports and cant handle the aggression.
But some girls can.
Sally Holland, the Childrens Commissioner for Wales, said the gender stereotyping was depressing.
She told the BBC: Girls say that theres often very little opportunity to take part in football and rugby, she said.
Sometimes they have clubs where they can take part but it is not part of their core PE lessons.
It makes girls and boys think their life has got to be constrained perhaps into one pathway or another and it is just a real harm that they can be turned off sport and exercise.
More: UK
Football is the top participation sport for women and girls in England, according to the Football Association (FA).
The FA reports that some 900,000 girls aged between five and 15 played football in the 2017/2018 season.
According to the FA, there are more than 3,800 affiliated girls youth football teams in England.
Advertisement
Advertisement
[contf]
[contfnew]
METRO
[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]