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news
Emily Bridges on cover of DIVA magazine“Trans rights are human rights,” says Rapha – “all athletes should have the opportunity to race”
Rapha has said that “trans rights are human rights” in a reference to Emily Bridges, the transgender cyclist who is pictured on the cover of this month’s issue of Diva, the magazine for LGBTQI women and non-binary people, wearing kit from the London-based clothing and accessories brand.
> Transgender cyclist Emily Bridges insists she has no advantage over rivals
Bridges had been due to make her debut in a women’s race at the National Omnium Championships in February after her testosterone levels fell within those allowed by British Cycling under its Transgender and Non-Binary Participation Policy.
However, world cycling’s governing body, the UCI, subsequently barred the 21 year old from competing at the event and British Cycling has since suspended its policy.
In her interview with Diva, Bridges insisted that the hormone replacement therapy she has undergone means she does not have a physical advantage over riders she would be competing against in women’s races.
“I don't have any advantage over my competitors and I've got data to back that up,” maintained the cyclist, who has been undergoing testing at Loughborough University.
In response to a tweet from road.cc linking to our coverage of Bridges’ interview, Rapha said: “Trans rights are human rights. We believe that all athletes should have the opportunity to race. We don’t have all the answers to how this should be actioned but we’re standing by our athletes and supporting them.”
Transgender cyclist Emily Bridges insists she has no advantage over rivals
“We're the current punching bag in the culture war,” says 21 year old in interview with DIVA magazinehttps://t.co/hmHRBvf9OD #cycling pic.twitter.com/ejzbaiTM2u
— road.cc (@roadcc) May 26, 2022
Trans rights are human rights. We believe that all athletes should have the opportunity to race. We don’t have all the answers to how this should be actioned but we’re standing by our athletes and supporting them.
— Rapha (@rapha) May 30, 2022
There are few issues in sport right now that are as polarising of opinion as whether transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women’s competitions, and SRS Events said in a tweet: “Can’t understand why Emily doesn’t understand that it’s unfair to cis women if she takes part in women’s cycle racing events?”
In response to that tweet, Bridges' mother Sandy Sullivan responded, saying: "Because she's spent the last nearly 18 months as part of detailed scientific research studies which includes muscular biopsy data amongst other DETAILED scientific testing. Compare [the above] to previous data held by BC (5 YRS WORTH).”
Because she's spent the last nearly 18 months as part of detailed scientific research studies which includes muscular biopsy data amongst other DETAILED scientific testing. Compare ⬆️ to previous data held by BC (5 YRS WORTH)
— Sandy 💜💙❤ 🏳️🌈 Ally She/Her (@sullivansa1) May 27, 2022
Bridges also told Diva that transgender athletes are “the current punching bag populist movements like to go for. We are, at the moment, who the culture war is against.
“There needs to be more positive voices and more education. People are constructing opinions off not the whole story.
“The more studies that are done, the more concrete evidence there will be.
“Sport acts as a microcosm to the rest of society, so with the patriarchal structure that exists in the rest of society, that's intensified in sport,” she added.
Rapha is controlled by an RZC Investments, owned by Tom and Steuart Walton, two of the heirs to the Walmart grocery fortune.
The retailer, founded by their grandfather Sam Walton, is based in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Rapha relocated its North American HQ in 2020 from Portland, Oregon to Bentonville, which in January hosted this year’s UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, with Walmart acting as headline sponsor to the event.
In March, the Republican governor of Arkansas, Asa Hutchinson, vetoed legislation aimed at banning gender-confirming treatments or surgery for transgender youth. His veto was subsequently overturned by the state legislature.
Tom Walton said in a statement published at the time on the website of the Walton Family Foundation that he backed the governor’s position, reports Bike Industry and Retail News, although it noted that Hutchinson had previously signed into law legislation banning transgender women and girls from competing in school sports.
“We are alarmed by the string of policy targeting LGBTQ people in Arkansas,” Walton said.
“This trend is harmful and sends the wrong message to those willing to invest in or visit our state.
“We support Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s recent veto of discriminatory policy and implore government, business and community leaders to consider the impact of existing and future policy that limits basic freedoms and does not promote inclusiveness in our communities and economy.
“Our nation was built on inalienable rights and strengthened by individual differences. Arkansas has been called the land of opportunity because it is a place where anyone can think big and achieve the extraordinary.
“Any policy that limits individual opportunity also limits our state’s potential,” he added.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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169 comments
I'd be surprised if anyone who answers questions with "Google it" actually has much grasp of the answer themselves, to be honest.
But I might look at something that doesn't back Emily's results so please, post the links that you want me to read.
I see you are being open minded. Shame on you.
Well you're not, are you? You keep telling people they can't give their opinion and to leave it to the scientists, yet (without demonstrating any scientific knowledge or credentials yourself) you are happy to share your opinions with everyone.
If the science says no advantage for cycling, Emily should be allowed to race. If an advantage exists, it needs to be removed.
I entirely agree with both those points. However neither you, nor anybody else as far as I can see, has provided any satisfactory answer as to whether she has/had an advantage and if she does whether it will be/has been entirely removed.
Advantage in regards to what exactly? I suggest you leave this to the scientists or read the articles and papers (Google It).
There are no studies or papers that say reducing testosterone removes EVERY advantage a biological male may have over a biological female.
If you know of one, please, post the link.
Wrong again dear. Never mind. Google It.
If I'm wrong, prove me wrong, post the link(s).
How would you remove the many advantages of going through male puberty?
The onus should be on Emily to prove that going through male puberty hasn't bestowed her with any advantages over her biological femal competitors.
Google It. Read the articles and research. You'll find the answers.
I have googled it and I can't find 1 study that says reducing testosterone does anything anywhere near to reducing the advantages a biological male has over biological females. Not one.
Maybe you can post a link to one to back up your obvious scientific qualifications darling?
And yet the science, including biology, isn't to be trusted because it's wrong. But the science backing up Emily's claims is to be trusted.
You are simply wrong again dear. Whether Emily races must be based on science not opinion.
That's what I'm saying. Once the triple blind, multiple subject test results are released there'll be no need for further debate.
Laughing. Your not a scientist but continue to voice your opinions like you are! Oh well, never mind dear.
You're (note spelling) not a scientist, apparently (telling other people "go and google it" doesn't make you a scientist), and yet you continue to voice your opinions as if you are.
I really do think that you're (note spelling) doing Emily's cause more harm than good; there are several commenters on here who are well versed in the arguments and support her right to race eloquently and sensibly, whereas anyone neutral seeing your entire inability to present any scientific argument and your ridiculous pretence of superiority ("Never mind dear", really?) would naturally think if that's all the pro side has to offer as an argument it's weak to the point of nonexistence.
Wrong again dear (regarding scientist). I am asking everyone to stop voicing their own opinions as facts or science. The research exists and you can find it online if you want.
Question. Which exercises have advantage and no advantage after horome thearpy for transgender vs cisgender women? What I am disappointed is commenters, like yourself, giving opinions as fact or science and not spending the time to research the subject. I am telling me, I doing more harm than good, seems like you are trying to cancel me because you not interested in the science, just your own opinions.
Is this google translate ?
Well you keep telling you that and maybe eventually you'll stop.
I am hoping that you are now reading about transgender athletes and your next post will be based off the science.
Well, you certainly have inspired me. Don't need to read up any papers though, following your lead I'm just going to hang around t'internet claiming to be a scientist whilst making unevidenced claims, if anyone questions me or asks for a modicum of proof I'll tell 'em to Google it, job's a good 'un.
sparrowlegs found it. Shame you did not want to invest the time and or effort to understand Emily. Maybe next time.
Still doesn't prove that reducing testosterone removes ALL advantages a biological male may have over a biological female.
Also, after being in the RAF for 9 years and working closely with armed forces from all over the world I would not consider members of any of them to be mostly athletes in any way. Yes, there are fitness tests but you really do have to be unfit not to pass them.
A lot of the content in this link goes on to say the advantages can be reduced but never fully enough to guarantee fair play for biological females competing womens sports
https://m.dw.com/en/fact-check-do-trans-athletes-have-an-advantage-in-el...
So, again, until scientific tests across all sports and competitors is completed, reviewed and published it's probably best and safest that trans competitors not be allowed to compete against non-trans competitors.
I did not say it proves it. I said it is likely a level playing field can be achieved. Regarding fairness, would you stop TUE based on the same reasoning? How do you level the playing field e.g. swimmers cannot have bigger feet or hands than x? Fairness is a very complicated topic and I do not think it is fair or right to boil it down to one element e.g. testosterone. If Emily competed and came last, would your opinion change?
TUEs are completely different to allowing someone who has completed male puberty to compete against someone who hasn't. No TUE in the world can make up that difference.
Now you're using nuance again about differences in foot size etc but this is completely different. You are trying to use exceptions and outliers to show there are differences in make up but the difference between biological males and females is often quite huge. Take the NBA and WNBA for a start.
The fact remains that a biological male that has been through puberty will have advantages a biological female just won't have.
Also, Emily came first in a mens race not long ago. She's probably not a great example to use.
It highlights the argument on fairness is flawed. Sport Bodies create categories to try and level out the playing field, but they cannot do it exactly, so they group and within that group they have margins / tolerances.
Again please stop using simplistics reasoning and anecdotal comments when the science is more complex. It highlights you are bias at best.
But you are comparing males to males and females to females in that example. It's almost like you're going for equity instead of equality when you mention foot size etc.
Take a look at the link below which shows no matter how much Lia's testosterone is reduced, she'll always be 6'4".
https://firstsportz.com/swimming-news-mayo-doctor-confirms-lia-thomas-an...
I hope you can back that up with "science" - I'm sure it's more complicated than that...
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