Breaking news - Emily won't compete

Bridges in the Telegraph.

The irony of saying no one should have to choose between "being themselves" and "doing their sport". Meanwhile...women being female and not being able to do their sport due to males taking their places. Women not allowed to talk about how the approach classifying women as non-men (testosterone levels) impacts them. Those female people who do this sport, they don't count.

www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/2022/04/01/emily-bridges-demands-urgent-answers-cycling-governing-bodies/

Bridges said that she comfortably met the required testosterone levels and outlined her heartfelt desire to race. “No one should have to choose between being who they are, and participating in the sport that they love,” she said.
“I am an athlete and I just want to race competitively again, within the regulations set by British Cycling and UCI after careful consideration of the research around transgender athletes.s.^_
“I have provided both British Cycling and UCI with medical evidence that I meet the eligibility criteria for transgender female cyclists, including that my testosterone level has been far below the limit prescribed by the regulations for the last 12 months.
“I am in contact with British Cycling and UCI requesting clarity around my alleged ineligibility, and I hope that they will reconsider their decision in line with the regulations.”
Bridges, whose testosterone levels had fallen well below the 5nmol/L limit during the past year, was also left out of British Cycling’s squad for the Nations Cup on Friday after initially making the longlist.

And:

Bridges, who was a former British junior champion, finished second from last at the Welsh men’s road race championships last year after treatment to suppress her testosterone but won the men's points race at the British Universities' Championships in Glasgow in February. She also used her statement to criticise her treatment by sections of the media.
“I’ve been relentlessly harassed and demonised by those with a specific agenda to push,” said the 21-year-old. “I’ve had to deactivate my social media to prevent targeted abuse I am receiving, and block websites to stop seeing them. This is despite the fact I have not yet raced in the female category. I have been judged despite a total lack of evidence against me, purely because I am trans.”

They are only mentioning elite athletes still. What about the rest - women’s sport will still suffer as you have to start at the bottom to become elite. Girls will not see the point. Again being decided by men.

It is undeniably a very lovely, wonderful experience for that TW.

The point is: is their wonderful personal experience worth depriving the entire female race of sport for?

@Cwenthryth It is pointless attempting to throw the opposite argument into the mix. Focus on... why are we not protecting women?

Why does no one talk about supporting transwomen to continue to compete after their transition, by making the ‘mens’ competition gender neutral? No more men only section! Everyone can compete together, no matter their sex or gender identity! And then leave womens sports alone?

Absolutely.

They don't need to talk with other sports. To be honest they don't need to speak with anyone because male advantage is self evident and always will be. However if they must talk with someone why not start with all the female athletes they've been completely ignoring at every step?

“”Earlier this week swimming’s governing body, Fina, proposed a new rule that will require trans women to reduce their testosterone for at least 36 months before competing in the women’s category – and put the burden of proof on the athlete to demonstrate they have no retained advantage. The proposal is likely to be voted on in June””

It’s still not enough! We are not men with lower testosterone. We have wider hips, smaller lungs, etc etc. We are made differently we are not non testosterone men. Bloody insult.

@Signalbox... hopefully that is good news.

Oh, that's a shame.

I was anticipating that UCI would be doing a spectacular, ahem, backpedal.

Hope so. No need for more today

[quote ChateauMargaux]@signalbox will you share it if you see it please?[/quote]
No sign of it and Jon has deleted the tweet so perhaps this was a mistake.

@signalbox will you share it if you see it please?

That’s interesting. Maybe he got told off for ruining the surprise?

Ross Tucker was on More or Less and was allowed to speak for a reasonable length of time about the science:

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bnmpld

I was very pleasantly surprised.

Bet the statement is UCI are now allowing EB to compete.

Oooh, I'm so angry I've submitted my first ever complaint to the bbc.

Shockingly hard to find the complaints page, or was that just me?

Another statement on the way this time from UCI 8pm…

Is it completely implausible for BBC to consider interviewing Ross Tucker, Emma Hilton, Colin Wright, Cathy Devine, Linda Blade, Sharron Davies, Carole Hooven (if they must be obsessed with testosterone) or any of the other informed commentators?