A trans woman cyclist from South Korea recently participated in a women’s race to prove that biological males are stronger than female athletes.
The timing is ironic because the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has just decided to ban trans women from competing with biological women.
FOX News reports:
Cycling’s governing body bars transgender females from women’s international eventsMore than two months after defending its rules on the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announced Friday that trans cyclists will now be banned from competing in all international women’s events.The UCI, the world governing body for sports cycling, released a lengthy statement updating their policy which will now bar any trans cyclist from competing in women’s events if they “transitioned after (male) puberty.””The meeting of the UCI Management Committee was held following a seminar on the conditions for the participation of transgender athletes in women’s cycling events, organized by the UCI on 21 June, at which the various stakeholders — transgender and cisgender athletes, experts from the scientific, legal and human rights fields, and sporting institutions — were able to present their respective positions,” the statement read.”From now on, female transgender athletes who have transitioned after (male) puberty will be prohibited from participating in women’s events on the UCI International Calendar — in all categories — in the various disciplines.”
Cycling Weekly has some reactions from the cycling community:
“Nobody wins in this” — the cycling community reacts to new UCI transgender policyAs news spread, the cycling community was abuzz with athletes and advocates on both sides of the trans-athlete inclusion debate sharing their opinions.”It’s a step towards the protection of women and also a step toward fairness for transgender athletes,” Inga Thompson tells Cycling Weekly.Thompson is a celebrated American Olympian and vocal opponent of transgender women competing in elite women’s sports. Even so, she does not see the UCI’s ruling as a victory.”It’s good for women, and I know that it’s going to be difficult for transgender women. Nobody wins in this,” she says.Thompson said she believes there’s a place for transgender athletes in sports, but exactly where and what that place looks like is now up to the governing bodies and the athletes themselves to figure out…”I don’t agree with the UCI’s decision to ban trans women from competing in the women’s category. I know this is a complicated topic for many (yes, professional racing complicates this for sure), but I keep returning to what I believe to be the purpose of sport: to offer opportunities for enjoyment, self-betterment, personal challenge, camaraderie (etc.) for all,” writes Haley Smith, a Canadian Olympian and Life Time Grand Prix contestant.”Maybe you believe that trans women racing against those assigned female at birth is unfair or wrong. But I truly believe that a ban is much MORE wrong…I don’t have an answer, but I know in my gut that this isn’t the right decision.
This seems to be the way things are going, and it is good news for girls and women.
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