Noa-Lynn van Leuven says World Darts Championship qualification is ‘ultimate middle finger’ amid vitriol
Noa-Lynn van Leuven has become the first Dutch woman ever to qualify for the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace. Van Leuven finished second at the PDC Women’s Series and thus may book her ticket to London.
Van Leuven, trans woman, however, has had an eventful year at the Women’s Series. A while ago she lost at a tournament to Lorraine Hyde and spontaneous applause ensued. “That was so humiliating,” she says in conversation with NU.nl. “I thought: now I lose and it’s still not good. Actually, I always lose, whether I win or not.”
Storm
The storm around Van Leuven never subsided, on the contrary. First Anca Zijlstra and Aileen de Graaf said they no longer wanted to play for the Dutch team as long as Van Leuven was called up. Deta Hedman even went one step further, refusing to play against Van Leuven every time she was called up.
For example, Hedman thinks it’s unfair that trans women don’t menstruate. “But there are pills to suppress those menstrual symptoms,” Van Leuven says. “It’s SO sought after. I also hear, ‘You have longer arms, so you’re closer to the board.’ Have you ever seen the arms of Phil Taylor (the most successful dart player ever, ed.)? They’re half mine.”
Just before the start of the WDF World Cup (where Van Leuven won gold with the Dutch team and also won the pairs tournament) it was decided at a members’ meeting that trans women will no longer be welcome at WDF tournaments in the future. Although it is not yet entirely clear when that rule will take effect.
Furious
Van Leuven reacted furiously on social media, posting a photo of herself with a large red cross through her face. “I thought the world should know,” she said. “This is discrimination. We have been thrown back 40 years with the sport of darts.”
Noa-Lynn van Leuven in action
On the women’s tour Van Leuven also gets positive reactions, mainly from the younger players. “They secretly tell me that they don’t understand the commotion. But there are a lot of conservative, toxic bitches on the women’s tour. They see me as a threat.”
Van Leuven is also criticized for not being a great talent before as a man, but now competing at the top of the women’s circuit. “I throw well now because I feel more comfortable,” she says. “It’s a matter of putting money and hours into it. Not many women do that, but I do. I’ve proven I can win over men, too.”
Impact
But even apart from darts, all the criticism has had quite an impact on Van Leuven’s life. “People send the most terrible messages and then go on preparing their pasta. They have no idea the impact it has on my life. I didn’t dare go out on the street for several weeks and had panic attacks. It did take a while for that fear to go away.”
Van Leuven, meanwhile, is already looking ahead to participating in the PDC World Darts Championship. But isn’t she afraid of being criticised there, too? “We’ll see. I don’t care. Standing there as the first Dutch woman is already the ultimate middle finger for me.”
I can imagine van Leuven will indeed be booed out of the building and championship, the crowd will be on his back reminiscent of when Justin Pipe played Phil Taylor. The crowd are usually boisterous and out of control at the best of times.