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British Cycling updates transgender policy, introduces new "Open" category

The national governing body announced an "Open" category today to run alongside the female category, transgender women required to compete in the open category...

British Cycling has announced an update to its Transgender and Non-Binary Participation policies by introducing a new "Open" category to run alongside the women's category.

The announcement comes after the governing body suspended its former policies in April last year following the controversy around the participation of Emily Bridges. The new policy comes after a nine-month review period.

> Emily Bridges calls British Cycling "failed organisation", says trans woman have been "banned" as new 'Open' category announced

Here's the full statement by British Cycling:

In April 2022 we suspended our Transgender and Non-Binary Participation Policy so that we could conduct a full review of the available medical science and carry out a targeted consultation with our communities.

We recognise the impact the suspension of our policy has had on trans and non-binary people, and we are sorry for the uncertainty and upset that many have felt during this period.

Our aim in creating our policies has always been to advance and promote equality, diversity and inclusion, while at the same time prioritising fairness of competition. This aim has not changed: it has been central to our review and we remain committed to this vital work.

The nine-month policy review was led by an internal working group, made up of a broad range of representatives from across British Cycling, Scottish Cycling and Welsh Cycling. During these nine months, the working group undertook a targeted consultation consisting of 14 focus groups and a number of one-to-one interviews (including dedicated sessions for female Race Licence holders and trans and non-binary members).

We also conducted a full medical science review, followed by an assessment of the practical changes and support needed to ensure the policy’s successful implementation. The review process was independently audited to confirm the strength of its governance and supported by external legal advice.

The review has led to two new policies being created: Policy for Competitive Activity, which relates to all British Cycling-sanctioned competitive events, and Policy for Non-Competitive Activity, which builds on the long-term commitment to inclusion set out in our equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, Our Ride.

The British Cycling Board endorsed the two new policies in April. We will provide further information on our exact implementation date to our members and event organisers in due course, and expect to have implemented both policies in full by the end of 2023.

Policy for Competitive Activity

The Policy for Competitive Activity covers all British Cycling-sanctioned competitive events. It will see the implementation of an ‘Open’ category alongside a ‘Female’ category. This means that the current men’s category will be consolidated into the ‘Open’ category.

Transgender women, transgender men, non-binary individuals and those whose sex was assigned male at birth will be eligible to compete in the ‘Open’ category. The ‘Female’ category will remain in place for those whose sex was assigned female at birth and transgender men who are yet to begin hormone therapy. At this stage they will be eligible to compete in the ‘Open’ category only, and should ensure that they continue to adhere to the requirements of UK Anti-Doping. Those whose sex was assigned female at birth are also able to compete in the ‘Open’ category if they so wish.

Existing Race Licences held by transgender women will continue to be valid until the point at which the new policy comes into force, and we are working closely with those individuals to support their continued participation in events following the change in policy.

In the case of ‘International Events’ which are delivered in the UK on behalf of the UCI (such as the UCI Track Nations Cup), or events on the UCI calendar owned and delivered by independent organisers (such as The Women’s Tour), the UCI policy on eligibility will take precedence.

Policy for Non-Competitive Activity

The Policy for Non-Competitive Activity builds on our equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, Our Ride, and re-asserts our commitment to inclusion for trans and non-binary riders across our non-competitive activities.

This includes our Breeze programme, a women-only community programme, which will continue to remain open and inclusive for transgender women and non-binary people.

Trans and non-binary people can also continue to participate in a broad range of British Cycling activities in line with their gender identities, including: club and coach-led activities, ability based race programmes (such as Go-Race events), community programmes, Talent Development Centres and non-competitive events such as sportives.

Throughout the implementation period we will be commencing a programme of digital improvements which will widen the gender options available to members and participants across our platforms.

British Cycling CEO, Jon Dutton, said:

“Our new policies are the product of a robust nine-month review process which we know will have a very real-world impact for our community both now and in the future. We understand that this will be particularly difficult for many of our trans and non-binary riders, and our commitment to them today is twofold.

“First, we will continue to assess our policy annually and more frequently as the medical science develops, and will continue to invite those impacted to be an integral part of those conversations. Second, we will also continue to ensure that our non-competitive activities provide a positive and welcoming environment, where everyone can feel like they belong and are respected in our community, and take action to eradicate discrimination from the sport.

“I am confident that we have developed policies that both safeguard the fairness of cyclesport competition, whilst ensuring all riders have opportunities to participate.

“We have always been very clear that this is a challenge far greater than one sport. We remain committed to listening to our communities and working with our fellow sporting bodies to monitor changes in the scientific and policy landscape, to ensure that sport is inclusive for all. We have been open and transparent with the UCI on our decision and will work collaboratively with them to ensure a seamless implementation over the coming months.

“I’d finally like to thank everyone who has supported this process over the past 12 months to ensure that we reached our decision in the right way. This includes the British Cycling, Scottish Cycling and Welsh Cycling staff in our policy working group, and those who participated in our consultation.

"We stand steadfast behind our zero-tolerance approach to harassment, bullying and discrimination, and will not hesitate to take action on any breaches of our Code of Conduct, including our zero-tolerance approach to all cases of discriminatory language or behaviour."

British Cycling had embargoed the release today at 11AM. However, transgender cyclist Emily Bridges broke it beforehand with a scathing attack on the governing body's policies with an Instagram post.

She said: "British Cycling is a failed organisation, the racing scene is dying under your watch and all you do is take money from petrochemical companies and engage in culture wars. You don't care about making sport more diverse, you want to make yourself look better and you're even failing at that. Cycling is still one of the whitest, straightest sports out there, and you couldn't care less."

Adwitiya joined road.cc in 2023 as a news writer after graduating with a masters in journalism from Cardiff University. His dissertation focused on active travel, which soon threw him into the deep end of covering everything related to the two-wheeled tool, and now cycling is as big a part of his life as guitars and football. He has previously covered local and national politics for Voice Wales, and also likes to writes about science, tech and the environment, if he can find the time. Living right next to the Taff trail in the Welsh capital, you can find him trying to tackle the brutal climbs in the valleys.

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23 comments

Avatar
Fignon's ghost | 1 year ago
2 likes

Common sense prevails in the UCI and at BC. Time to move on.

P.S. I'm not ever hateful of any gender class or belief system. Live in peace. Everyone.

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michophull | 1 year ago
4 likes

Hat's off to British Cycling for striking a blow for common sense and the silent majority. I don't care about the tiny and insignificant minority who call themselves "trans". What they should be called is "people who are denying their biology". If you are carrying a Y chromosome you are male. If you are carrying only the X chromosome you are female. It's that simple.

Support women's rights and keep men out of women's sport.

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Seventyone replied to michophull | 1 year ago
9 likes

Clearly it's not that simple. What about those with a DSD? They are more common than you think.

Equally it's pretty obvious that some people feel much happier with another gender than the one their genitalia would suggest. Generally it doesn't matter much to anyone if they transition. So why not let them?

However, just occasionally, there are issues thrown up by this. Sport is one of those issues. Despite what Emily says there is overwhelming scientif evedence that those who get lots of testosterone as a youth get a massive benefit in most sporting endeavours. This is why male and female categories exist. If we are to have female categories at all (and I think we should) then we can't allow people with this benefit to compete in them. The rights of a small group to participate in sport in the way they would like are not more important than the rights of a much larger group to fair competition.

So it's not at all simple, but British cycling have done the right thing in my opinion.

Using words like "genocide" is utterly bonkers

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Robert Hardy replied to michophull | 1 year ago
1 like

Biologically its not quite that simple, but the large majority of people are at birth chromosomally and morphologically either female or male, and will continue to physically and hormonally develop as that sex without intervention.

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Secret_squirrel replied to michophull | 1 year ago
0 likes

michophull wrote:

"people who are denying their biology".

says the hypocrite who would leap at the chance of a heart transplant if their own was diseased.... (Unless by some tiny chance you're a JW or similarity of course - but I'm betting not)

The subtext being "coz biology" gives me an excuse for bigotry.

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Legin | 1 year ago
6 likes

British Cycling are in a no win situation here. When the majority of women athletes are sceptical about the fairness of competing against trans-gender women and the science is new and/or unproven. What are they expected to do?

0.1% of the population identify as trans women and most of them are not bike racers, so do British Cycling bow to a powerful lobby group, or do they respond as the vast majority of their racing members wish?

I do empathise with the position Emily Bridges finds herself in but unfortunately on occasions the majority view must be carried. I also don't think she has particularly helped herself by racing as a male and very shortly afterwards switching to a female, that was bound to cause an issue. I don't know the science but I'm guessing the transition process takes a lot longer than a few months. So she was either racing in the male category incorrectly or the female category incorrectly, which is why an open category appears a reasonable compromise at this moment in time. 

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Welsh boy replied to Legin | 1 year ago
1 like

Legin, your post was quite good up to the point where you admitted that you were guessing.

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Legin replied to Welsh boy | 1 year ago
0 likes

Welsh boy wrote:

Legin, your post was quite good up to the point where you admitted that you were guessing.

As I stated earlier, "the science is new and/or unproven". Everyone is guessing and just trying to do what is fair.

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Adam Sutton | 1 year ago
2 likes

Like everything its always talk of "sensible" and "nuanced" debate, but is always far from that. Sadly in this case it is just feeding transphobes and TERFS with more ammo and making them feel justified in their hatred.  

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Sriracha replied to Adam Sutton | 1 year ago
10 likes

Does it have to be hatred, do you not allow that some, many, people have a principled disagreement with the assertion that trans-women are women?

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Adam Sutton replied to Sriracha | 1 year ago
2 likes

No it's hatred, simple as. Suggest you go look up the suicide stats ask yourself does it really fucking matter, do you really need to drag someone down for trying to live their life now they feel is their authentic self.

Do you sympathise with actual TERFs? As that was my point.

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Brauchsel replied to Adam Sutton | 1 year ago
9 likes

I sympathize with actual TERFs. There is nothing hateful about asserting that men cannot become women (nor vice versa), nor that in some fields (sport being one) the distinction matters. 

I don't sympathise with anyone, including TERFs, who abuses or harrasses anyone based on the way they choose to dress or otherwise present themselves: men and women should be free to wear whatever they want, obviously.

The notion of an "authentic self", especially one predicated on conforming to a particular stereotype of sex-related behaviour, is bullshit though. It's impossible to know what "being a man" or "being a woman" feels like for anyone. Each of us has (or more accurately, is) one body and we have no idea what it feels like from anyone else's body regardless of sex. I don't doubt that some trans people genuinely and seriously believe their bodies are the "wrong" sex, but it's as meaningless an assertion as saying you're the "wrong" colour. These are brute facts, fixed before birth, and we can't change them. We wouldn't try and solve racism by turning everyone white; we won't fix sex discrimination by pretending people can switch to a category they prefer. 

Suicide stats are neither here nor there. Trans people should be treated with dignity and respect, like everyone, but they are the sex that they are and that cannot change. 

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Car Delenda Est replied to Brauchsel | 1 year ago
0 likes

Excellent example of someone washing their hands of a problem they refuse to face good job.

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Rik Mayals unde... replied to Car Delenda Est | 1 year ago
1 like

Typical response. Ignore a perfectly reasoned response and resort to snidey abuse and nastiness. Well done. Your parents would be proud of you.

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Brauchsel replied to Car Delenda Est | 1 year ago
2 likes

The problem I'm facing, as I see it, is that there is one group of people (trans women with sporting aspirations) whose wishes (which are of great importance to them) clash directly with another group's (women with sporting aspirations) wishes. 

One side says some biological males should be allowed to compete in women's sport; the other says none should be. There simply isn't a compromise between those two positions: I'm facing that problem, or trying to.

You've got to pick a side. I'm choosing the one which appears to be backed by science and over a century of different achievement levels between men and women in basically every sport. It's just a bonus that it's also the side which isn't telling women to shut the fuck up and let the men do what they want. 

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Rik Mayals unde... replied to Adam Sutton | 1 year ago
1 like

Adam, why is everyone who disagrees with your views a TERF? Do you know what TERF means? Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist. I have been called a TERF on here in the past for stating that I am uncomfortable with males competing against females. But how can I be a TERF when I am male? 

Is it that the very vocal minority use terms such as TERF to shut down conversation that they do not like?

 

People are free to live their lives as they wish. If someone wants to identify as a vase and walk round with a bunch of flowers stuck up their backside, that's their choice. But I do not agree that a male who was a middle of the road athlete should then state they are a female, and compete against females, battering them in competition. What if Mike Tyson decided to identify as a trans female? Would you feel comfortable watching him beat the shit out of women?

I think the only sensible outcome is to have three categories: Male, female and AN Other.

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Motdoc replied to Rik Mayals underpants | 1 year ago
1 like

I'm a man, and a feminist. You could be a TERF if you wanted to be I think. 

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brooksby | 1 year ago
2 likes

I can (sort of...?) see the basis for the argument about trans women / cis women in a competitive environment, but why does it matter at all in a non-competitive environment?

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Dnnnnnn replied to brooksby | 1 year ago
4 likes

I guess that's why they allow transwomen to participate in women's non-competitive activity.

Unless you mean why have gender categories in non-competitive activity at all? I guess because many women are so under-represented in cycling, in part because they may feel out-of-place - for a variety of reasons - in a male-dominated event. And for your average bloke, there's no such thing as a non-competitive event!

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Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
1 like

Surely the compromise solution was for an Open category (minus biological men) to be run inside Womens races but with seperate points and medals.  That way everyone gets a breathing space to study the results and monitor for better medical data.  It probably wont suit Emily who seems to have gone full nuclear but most people would have thought it a reasonable compromise.

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Rendel Harris replied to Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
4 likes

It's an idea but what would happen if a team enters both transwomen and biological women (sorry if those aren't the right terms, bound to offend somebody) and the transwoman starts giving tows to her biological female teammates or leading them out? Your idea could work with events like the individual pursuit but I can see big complications with it in road races. Also it presumably wouldn't be acceptable to the trans lobby who insist that a transwoman is a woman and should not be treated differently to any other woman.

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chrisonabike replied to Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
3 likes

I suspect the whole "fully a woman" (or "a man" for trans men) thing is an absolute red line for many - if not all - trans people. So it's hard to see how any "compromise" could be acceptable.

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Paul J replied to Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
3 likes

That can't work in bunch racing, because the stronger riders affect the performance of the other riders.

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