It is not just a question of sport. Eleonora Pescarolo cannot yet participate in the women’s volleyball championship. Which would mean fulfilling her dream. She feels “imprisoned” in a man’s body, but to be able to play in Serie A with women she still needs 12 hormone tests. The level of testosterone in the blood, in fact, must comply with the current regulations established by the Italian Volleyball Federation. For the moment Eleonora participates in the regional Serie C championship of the Polisportiva San Nicolò but she hopes this will be the last year in the men’s club.
“The last exam went well: I don’t experience it as a burden, I have nothing to hide and I am proud of who I am”, the girl told the Piacenza newspaper. Freedom. She has made a transition path (she used to call Nicholas before her) and for two years now she has also been a woman on documents and for the Italian State, but she is still forced to play in a men’s team. “I hope to give my team all my experience and determination”, she adds, giving it my all “and absorbing all the good I can learn on the pitch”.
The 22-year-old transgender made her debut in volleyball with the Juventina of Casalpusterlengo, started the hormonal path in 2015 and underwent surgery in May 2020 to be a woman. Even before the operation to her teammates, she always presented herself to women. “I only received enormous respect – she continues – even if, I must say, uninformed people who stigmatized my path have never been lacking”. Once the transition process has begun, she says, “in every team I have played for, they have always made themselves available to grant me my own dressing room. I can say I was very lucky, she doesn’t happen to everyone ”.
However, this is not an easy path, especially at the beginning. At the age of 14 she was forced to leave home, because her parents “did not understand who I was”, but now “they have great esteem for me, they are proud of what I have become”. “Now I’m waiting for my revenge also in the sports field”, explains Eleonora. She silver medal in the 2015 regions trophy and gold medal in 2016, “I am very proud of what I achieved when I was still in the male body. My past – she concludes – has given me the opportunity to develop the sporting qualities I have now. If it had never existed, I might not have even started playing volleyball ”.
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