Fisherd

I think it's so interesting that many people on this comment thread have an opinion on what racing categories transgender athletes should compete in when I can assume most of the people that have commented on this topic have not undergone a transition. Frankly, it's disrespect to transgender people and their experiences. To deny transgender people the opportunity to race in the gender that they identify with is an idea that I think has parallels to racism. At its core, this trend is discrimination based on who they are and what they look like. And this is why I personally have a problem with it. Yes, I know that fairness in sports is why people care about how transgender people should compete but I think that most people forget the productive, non-egotistical, and in my opinion real purpose of sports, which is for "relationships, education, social change, health and joy": "https://www.peace-sport.org/opinion/the-purpose-of-sport-and-play/#:~:text=Sport%20encourages%20ongoing%20education%20in,processes%20with%20athletes%20and%20peers.". I sure can seem like I'm virtue signaling but why the hell do we compete in the first place? I've raced for over 10 years and while I can say it was fun to compete and humbly even podium, as a cis-male it was sure as hell fun to race, train, and party around people that I identified with. I can confidently assume that's a strongly encompassing reason for why transgender athletes compete too. I'd also like to answer the concern about "fairness in sport" in respect to money and people's livelihoods. If the main concern is that transgender athlete are winning races and taking away sponsorships from non-transgender athletes, that's why there should be well-researched rules put out by the UCI to reduce any perceived biological advantage. As Kate Weatherly put it, "...with rules in place like that of the UCI, governing bodies can ensure that trans women have successfully undergone a medical transition to reduce any advantage that may be present from male puberty while still ensuring fair and accessible competition.". By making the playing field level, we can ensure that sponsors have trust in the system and therefore continue to pay athletes for fair competition. To make a final point, what the UCI has done today is a step forward to ensure EVERYONE has a fair chance at being included in sports. In my opinion, the only productive way forward is to do more RESEARCH to confirm the MEASUREABLE sports advantages that transgender athletes can have and then make rules to INCLUDE transgender athletes, not put them in a category they don't want to be in. To simply place transgender athletes in the box that you think they should be in and then say "end of discussion" is frankly disrespectful and selfish.

You know these things are going to be as available as hanging out with actual aliens...