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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Clothing manufacturer censure woman for liking bad tweets

69 replies

jemari · 28/11/2020 18:28

This is ChloƩ Dygert who is a five-time World Champion at the age of 23.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlo%C3%A9_Dygert

She had a nasty accident in September which required surgery, and a few days later this person was going through her Tweet likes (some 10,000+ of them):

twitter.com/badgerbaroudeur/status/1311219397323878400

She had liked a tweet from Candace Owens (who is black) about not allowing men in women's shelters, and another from Owens about Colin Kaepernick saying that Kaepernick was 'scamming the black community', another from Charlie Kirk saying 'in America hard work & choices determine success, not the color of your skin', and a fourth with Donald Trump tweeting some of his campaign posters.

Anyway, she was signed recently to a new cycling team and made to apologise for liking politically unacceptable tweets, which she did on her Instagram a couple of weeks ago

www.instagram.com/p/CHlPNmBlxV1/

This team happens to be sponsored by Rapha, who make very expensive cycling kit, which sells mostly to men. In 2016, according to Wikipedia they switched from the leading men's team to Dygert's new team

" On 3 November 2015 Rapha announced that their Team Sky sponsorship would end after the 2016 season. In an effort to grow and promote women's cycling, Rapha began supplying clothing to the UCI Women's WorldTour team Canyon-SRAM"

Anyway, Dygert hasn't SAID anything, but she did like tweets which people find offensive.

However, expensive clothing brand didn't like her liking bad opinions, and EMAILED their customers to tell them this.

This email reads as follows:

"As you know, earlier this year we committed to fighting discrimination within cycling as part of our wider effort to promote diversity, inclusion and greater equality in the sport we love. It’s absolutely imperative that as we develop our relationship with this subject, we do so with integrity. So we are writing to you today to clarify our position on the actions of new Canyon//SRAM Racing rider ChloĆ© Dygert who, back in June, endorsed racist and transphobic views on social media. Rapha wholeheartedly condemns these actions as they were offensive, divisive and have no place in cycling or society.

Since we became aware of this incident, we have taken time to fully investigate what happened, consulting with the rider, Canyon//SRAM Racing and other partners in order to take informed action in response. Having undergone that process, we believe that ChloƩ has made very serious errors of judgment, which were compounded by an apology she issued that was not sufficient. However, we also believe that trusting the ability of people to change is key to reaching any form of meaningful reconciliation. Having spoken to her at length, we believe that ChloƩ has the capacity and the will to listen, learn and to change.

All of us, the team and each of its partners, have acknowledged that we need to take action following this incident to ensure that this never happens again. Canyon//SRAM Racing have already taken clear steps to work with ChloƩ and is engaging with an external Diversity & Inclusion consultant in order to develop a comprehensive programme of diversity and inclusion training that focuses on dialogue and education. This is something that we believe will have a considerable impact within the team and beyond. Exact details of the program will be published by the team in the coming weeks.

As a result of our conversations, the willingness that ChloĆ© has demonstrated, and the meaningful actions that Canyon//SRAM Racing is putting in place, Rapha will continue to support the team. Acknowledging that they, like us, must do more to promote diversity, inclusion and equality, Canyon//SRAM Racing has been instrumental in promoting women’s cycling over the last five years, and the continuation of this work should not be jeopardised by the actions of one person. This incident has been an opportunity for all of us to learn and understand how much more we can all do.

Finally, we would like to reiterate our stance on this issue once more. Discrimination has no place in cycling or society, and we are committed to fighting it in all of its forms by promoting diversity, inclusion and equality in the sport. There is no issue we take more seriously, and should there be any subsequent breach of these standards, the team will review the position outlined immediately. As part of this process, we will be reviewing our own working policies and practices to prevent similar incidents in the future. The last two weeks have served only to intensify our commitment to improve, starting with the actions outlined here."

So she will be forced to undergo 're-education', and if she should like any more tweets suggesting that men don't belong in women's shelters, or like tweets they deem to be racist, they may take their sponsorship away from the team.

OP posts:
jemari · 28/11/2020 18:29

I should clarify that the 'bad likes' were made before she had any affiliation with the new team and/or their shirt sponsor.

OP posts:
jemari · 28/11/2020 18:32

It does appear that she now has only 7,900 likes, versus the 10,700 from that screenshot in September. I imagine they've had someone go through and delete all the opinions she's not allowed to have and left only ones about fluffy bunnies and rainbows.

OP posts:
TheGreatWave · 28/11/2020 18:34

That sent shivers down my spine.

FuturePerfect · 28/11/2020 18:37

My DH has received that email. Orwellian.
This is bullying on an industrial scale of a very young woman. For what?

NiceGerbil · 28/11/2020 18:45

Well this is all bonkers.

Whatever you think of the tweets she liked. This response is really OTT.

She's a cyclist not a politician or something. The views that she 'liked' are fairly mainstream. It's not like she's written a long post about how fab the taleban are or how the RC church had good reasons for covering up child abuse or, I don't know. Something like that.

She liked some tweets.

And the clothing manufacturer has a deal to provide attire for ? Her team or USA team or whatever. And this has all happened?

The stamping down of anyone who expresses non approved views (or presses a like button) is really worrying.

That the attire company is bang into TWAW in the context of cycling is not exactly a neutral view...

FFS.

jemari · 28/11/2020 18:46

This is the apology which Rapha deemed 'insufficient':

"Cycling should be for everyone regardless of color, gender, sexuality or background. Like CANYON//SRAM Racing, I am committed to promoting diversity, inclusion and equality in cycling and our wider communities.

I apologize to those who I offended or hurt by my conduct on social media.

I am committed to keep learning and growing as an athlete and a person."

What is she supposed to say? That she doesn't see a problem with men in women's shelters?

And even if the opinions she liked on race are wrong, and race is more important than hard work, then 'liking a bad take' on Twitter is not the same thing as putting out racist statements herself. I mean they let Jeremy Corbyn back in the Labour party, and he is PAID for his political discernment and opinions on various matters, whereas this woman is paid to ride a bicycle, and 'bad likes' surely falls a good way short of 'bringing them into dispute'

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DeRigueurMortis · 28/11/2020 18:50

Utterly chilling....

It's corporate bullying and shaming.

They need to take a long hard look in the mirror at their own actions before criticising anyone else.

jemari · 28/11/2020 18:51

Rapha is owned by the Walmart family, btw.

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SophocIestheFox · 28/11/2020 18:57

Fucking hell.

Is it the ducking stool next?

AuntyPasta · 28/11/2020 19:03

The sponsor pays to have their brand printed all over the clothes cyclists wear in competition. They don’t want their name all over someone who is opposed to their ā€˜brand values.’ If you want to wear their name you stick to their social media guidelines.

From a quick google ā€œShe's a staunch conservative...She doesn't believe in feminism.ā€ (From a profile of her by her sponsor RedBull) If she wants to compete for her current team she’ll need to watch what she says.

jemari · 28/11/2020 19:13

They aren't her sponsor. They are her new team's sponsor, which she recently joined.

The things they are complaining about are 'likes' she made before she joined the new team.

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DidoLamenting · 28/11/2020 19:18

@FuturePerfect

My DH has received that email. Orwellian. This is bullying on an industrial scale of a very young woman. For what?
Will he reply?

Unfortunately sportswear is never going to feature on my shopping list so I can't boycott them.

SophocIestheFox · 28/11/2020 19:24

I think you should get to believe, or not believe in those things, and still be allowed to earn your living in cycling, Aunty.

Outrage archaeology is the absolute worst.

AuntyPasta · 28/11/2020 19:24

RedBull sponsor her. The team sponsor will (presumably) provide the kit she (and her team) cycle in.

AuntyPasta · 28/11/2020 19:27

I think you should be able to believe whatever you want to and if she wants to like tweets that deny the impact of racism on people’s lives that’s her choice, but I wouldn’t expect any brands to be queuing up to link their names with hers.

CaraDuneRedux · 28/11/2020 19:28

@AuntyPasta

The sponsor pays to have their brand printed all over the clothes cyclists wear in competition. They don’t want their name all over someone who is opposed to their ā€˜brand values.’ If you want to wear their name you stick to their social media guidelines.

From a quick google ā€œShe's a staunch conservative...She doesn't believe in feminism.ā€ (From a profile of her by her sponsor RedBull) If she wants to compete for her current team she’ll need to watch what she says.

Do you think this is a good thing for her sponsors/team sponsors to do?

Do you think Republican voters shouldn't be allowed to be professional sportspeople?

What other professions should they be banned from?

(NB for the record I am a lifelong lefty and feminist, but I still don't want to see anyone barred from employment for their political views. How would you feel if the boot was on the other foot, and someone in Tory party central office went through civil servants' Twitter likes and forced anyone who'd liked left wing opinions to offer fulsome apologies?)

Gurufloof · 28/11/2020 19:35

Fucking hell. Off to the reeducation camp peeps.
Surely a profound apology is enough? Well I guess in the current year, then no, only full cancellation will do.
They treat her like a recalcitrant toddler not a full adult.

7Days · 28/11/2020 19:41

This really is quite frightening.

How dare they think they can police someone elses opinions?

It's like having to vote your bosses son in the local elections or 'own your soul' shit like that.

FuturePerfect · 28/11/2020 19:44

@DidoLamenting DH is appalled and said he would never buy from them again.

They sell cycling clothes. They have an 'external diversion and inclusion consultant'.

My DS21 is explaining to DH how this stuff is bloody everywhere. He just said: 'the age that I am, I come across this very often and I am supposed to understand it. I despise it.'

AuntyPasta · 28/11/2020 19:44

I understand what you’re saying and the current trend of pillorying someone for a tweet dredged up from years ago and demanding they’re fired for having a view that opposes yours is repugnant. It is the way of things though and companies aren’t going to be the ones to take a stand against the power of social media power. I think that some voices are heard more than others and if you say anything about trans issues other than TWAW at the moment you’d better be self funding and have a strong stomach to face the avalanche of abuse you’ll get.

FuturePerfect · 28/11/2020 19:44

Diversity

NiceGerbil · 28/11/2020 20:10

So if I said something fucking stupid 20 years ago then I shouldn't be allowed to work...?

Not even that, if I laughed at something stupid that someone else said 20 years ago.

I think that's how it works?

This whole thing is throwing everything up in the air.

It's a really strange situation.

NewlyGranny · 28/11/2020 20:22

Once they think they have the goods on you and demand an apology, you're stuffed, it seems. No apology is ever 'sufficient'; you have to go to the gulag nice re-education place and have your wrongthink bad ideas eliminated.

Dear God, where does this all go and when does it stop?

PaleBlueMoonlight · 28/11/2020 20:44

This is awful. Truly awful. And terrifying.

PaleBlueMoonlight · 28/11/2020 20:46

Can you imagine what meeting must be like where he wording of this kind of email is decided, everyone falling over themselves to not get caught out by saying the wrong thing and actively refusing to allow the idea of any kind of nuanced thinking or alternative ways of looking at things. It must be stifling.