Dear Members of the NFFLA Board of Directors,

It has come to our attention that a long-time member and referee in our league, Mark Henry, has engaged in unkind, belittling, and threatening behavior toward a member of the NFFLA’s Women’s, Trans, and Non-Binary (“WTNB”) Division and toward this Board. For those of us who have been in this league for many years, we know that there is unfortunately a pattern of behavior of Mark Henry responding to challenge and disagreement with false accusations, intimidation, and bullying. This has long been normalized. But we are here to say: enough is enough. We will not tolerate this behavior, toward WTNB members, or toward anyone. This letter is an expression of solidarity and support for the WTNB Division and Board members who have been impacted by Mark Henry’s pattern of behavior, as well as a demand that action be taken to address the behavior and to prevent it from continuing, including but not limited to preventing Mark Henry from holding any leadership positions within the NFFLA until he has taken accountability for and attempted to repair the harm cause.

Each of us signing this letter has read the linked emails that Mark Henry sent in response to Cooper’s expression of hurt and anger about Mark Henry’s comments during the July 11th skills clinic co-led by Mark Henry. We share Cooper’s concerns about the insensitivity of Mark Henry’s comments during the clinic. Indeed, Mark Henry’s email referring to the trans-inclusive practice of sharing pronouns during group introductions as “standing in a circle and proclaiming whatever” suggests that Cooper’s interpretation of his remarks was correct. Moreover, these comments do not stand in isolation, as some of us are aware of comments that Mark Henry has made in the past about trans women not being “girl girls” or belonging in the Women’s+ Division at the national level.

However, this letter is not about whether Mark Henry or his behavior is transphobic. This letter and our demand for accountability is about Mark Henry’s belittling, mockery, and threats of litigation in response to a trans player expressing hurt about comments that many others witnessed and found concerning. This letter is about protecting trans and non-binary members of our division who speak up about their experiences. It is about how we respond to one another when we are being challenged or questioned by individuals who hold marginalized identities different than our own. It’s about how people who unapologetically behave as Mark Henry did in his communication to Cooper and the Board should not be placed in positions of leadership or hold power over others, particularly in a league filled with marginalized individuals who already endure their fair share of cruelty and unkindness in the broader world. It is about the members of the WTNB division—and all league members, for that matter—feeling safe to say, “What you did or said is not OK with me” without being mocked or belittled in return

Mark Henry’s behavior here is unacceptable to all of us. He is responding to being questioned about his allyship to trans folks by sending a bullying email to a trans member of our league and threatening litigation against our Board, half of which is made up of women, trans, and non-binary folks. If this behavior goes unchecked, it will have a powerful silencing effect. Many of the trans and non-binary folks among us regularly experience ignorant and insensitive comments, as well as frequent misgendering, particularly during the all-gender season in the Spring. Without accountability and action here, women, trans, and non-binary folks will not feel safe to speak up about how we are impacted by others, and our leaders will not feel free to hold people accountable for insensitive and hurtful behavior without fear of unkindness, bullying, and the threat of lawsuit in return.

The WTNB Division is a strong and active part of the NFFLA, and we have grown exponentially since our inception. Our players have been leading the charge in travel fundraising, leadership, social media outreach, and building relationships among the NGFFL at the national level. Please listen to us when we say that Mark Henry’s behavior here is unacceptable and unsafe. Please do not allow this person to hold a position of power within the NFFLA unless there is acknowledgement that this is not how we treat one another in response to expressions of hurt or disagreement, and a good faith attempt to repair the hurt already caused.

Sincerely,

Concerned Members of the WTNB Division and Allies