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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

Apparently, women aren't allowed to enter the Tour de France.

72 replies

MirandaGoshawk · 17/03/2019 21:21

My immediate thought was why the hell not, in this day and age. My second thought was that if it was a women's race I'd be pretty pissed off if it was opened to all and blokes kept winning. Thoughts?

OP posts:
UnderMajorDomoMinor · 17/03/2019 21:22

Cycling is sex segregated, there’s a separate women’s tour. It’s v good, I’d recommend watching it.

UnderMajorDomoMinor · 17/03/2019 21:23

Sorry should add, I think cycling, particularly road cycling, is a sport where the sex differences really show. Women’s cycling is v different and in many ways more interesting as it’s often much closer. Bit like tennis - v different games.

NicoAndTheNiners · 17/03/2019 21:25

is it that women aren't allowed to enter or is it that there's a threshold you have to hit to be eligible and no woman has made the grade?

NicoAndTheNiners · 17/03/2019 21:27

Because if they could enter and never had a hope in hell of winning (and they wouldn't) then what's the point?

Women play against women in loads of different sports, tennis, football, etc so what's the difference?

One sport I'm not sure why there's sex segregation though is golf. I don't play golf but isn't it a technique thing rather than a power or speed thing?

IStillMissBlockbuster · 17/03/2019 21:28

Women wouldn't be able to compete with the men, but there is absolutely no reason why there shouldn't be a comparable women's tour de France event and there really isn't. The current women's tour is no comparison at all. It's called La Course and is one or two days compared to the men's race which is 3 weeks...

IStillMissBlockbuster · 17/03/2019 21:28

But to be clear, women are not allowed either.

Unescorted · 17/03/2019 21:28

Road cycling is a team sport. The teams have to be selected to ride, not the individual.

shaggedthruahedgebackwards · 17/03/2019 21:30

Like the majority of professional sports, there are separate men's & women's events in cycling

I'm not sure what your point is OP

Horsewithnopatience · 17/03/2019 21:32

.. if it was a women's race I'd be pretty pissed off if it was opened to all and blokes kept winning.

Are you just making stuff up?

S1naidSucks · 17/03/2019 21:33

Men can identify as women and enter women’s cycling, so I don’t see why a woman can’t self identify as a man and enter. Good for the goose and all that.

Bigonesmallone3 · 17/03/2019 21:33

Umm
And?
Are there many mixed sport competitions?

BadPennyNoBiscuit · 17/03/2019 21:34

Horsewithnopatience
No. havent you heard of Rachel Mckinnon and all the other biological men winning womens sports?

There is no womens category in the Tour De France.
Women are not permitted to enter the Tour de France.
Men can enter womens races if they self ID as women.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 17/03/2019 21:38

The women's Tour de France used to be bigger than it is now - it has shrunk down to just a couple of days.

The Giro Rosa (women's Giro d'Italia) is more of a proper race.

Last year, a group of women rode the course before the men's race - to show it could be done, and should be done, I guess.

www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/inspiring-women/womens-tour-de-france/

Unescorted · 17/03/2019 21:39

Men can identify as women and enter women’s cycling, so I don’t see why a woman can’t self identify as a man and enter.

Because the team is selected. If you are a good enough cyclist & can secure a professional contract & keep it in a team that is selected for the Tour then there is no reason why they couldn't. Hitting all of those is very unlikely..... a woman would have more chance playing for Man United's men's premiership team

EndoplasmicReticulum · 17/03/2019 21:39

I'm assuming the OP means there should be a women's race as well, not making it mixed.

SpeakUpXXWomen · 17/03/2019 21:42

The question is could a transwoman enter?

DpWm · 17/03/2019 21:46

One sport I'm not sure why there's sex segregation though is golf. I don't play golf but isn't it a technique thing rather than a power or speed thing?
Men have longer arms and larger hands and a stronger grip which gives men a golfing advantage.

shaggedthruahedgebackwards · 17/03/2019 21:48

Unescorted is right

Individual riders can't just choose to enter the TDF, they need to be selected by the pro team that they ride for

The possibility of a transman getting a contract with a mens pro team us 0%

DpWm · 17/03/2019 21:49

Women would have no chance of qualifying for a Tour de France team so it's best women aim for women's cycling events.
Sports are sex segregated for reasons.

BadPennyNoBiscuit · 17/03/2019 21:51

But men can self ID as women and enter womens competitions.

KatyMac · 17/03/2019 21:51

Wasn't there a women's race last week that had to be stopped because they caught up with the men?

Or am I misremembering?

I think I was cross when I read it

Unescorted · 17/03/2019 21:52

If they convince a team that they have the cycling pedigree - it starts on the European cross circuit when kids are 10 - 12 years old which aren't sex segregated. They will be scouted by a low ranking feeder team. As they improve they will be offered contracts with higher ranking teams.

If the team is good enough and the trans person is good enough to retain the position ( and doesn't piss off the team owner) to get a contract in one of the 10 teams selected ( there are 30 - 40 riders in each team ...only 11 go to the tour).

The cycling community had a few high profile trans pros - although they transitioned once their riding careers finished ( both men to women and men to women). I guess the margins on the biological passports precludes them transitioning before their riding careers end.

KatyMac · 17/03/2019 21:52

here

BadPennyNoBiscuit · 17/03/2019 21:53

The lead female rider was forced to stop to 'keep the gap' between the women and men.

www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/2019/03/04/womens-cycling-race-forced-halt-leader-catches-mens-race/

DpWm · 17/03/2019 21:54

But men can self ID as women and enter womens competitions

Women can also self ID as men to compete in men's sport but the point is they rarely qualify or win anything
I'm sure nothing's stopping a transman from trying out for the TDF.