Breaking news - Emily won't compete

[Doyoumind]

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/60934099

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?

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

@Cwenthryth

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?

They do - but are told it's transphobic. We all know that this is a possible solution especially if the transition is social only during in the sporting career so there is none of the pesky Schrödinger's testosterone (it doesn't make a difference between males and females but reducing it in men turns them into women) involved.

@OvaHere

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?

It's unbelievable that all these sports are ignoring their own women competitors while spending £££ of listening to the views of Stonewall, Gendered "Intelligence" and all the other self interested male dominated groups.

@Cwenthryth

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?

Because this would not meet the wanted need for the very wonderful experience of being a male person who has transitioned to being a woman and is accepted as a woman with the right to compete in women's sports with other women. Not to mention being a really rather more successful woman athlete than the others.

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?

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.

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.”

Thanks ResisterRex
It was inevitable that Emily would play the "I'm sad" card. As usual, the rights of women to fair competition never pass the lips of those demanding their wishes are centred by everyone else - all the bloody time.
Still, Emily and Lia have moved mountains in terms of demonstrating the problem to the general population.

I agree. DH has been peaked by Thomas and Bridges. He's furious about the whole thing, and may even write to our MP(!).

@ResisterRex

I agree. DH has been peaked by Thomas and Bridges. He's furious about the whole thing, and may even write to our MP(!).

Good I came down the other morning to DH furiously typing away. Turns out he was emailing our MP, our MSP and our local councillor about women's safety, single sex spaces and fairness in sport.

I had a wonderful conversation with my adult daughter this week - I just listened as she talked about lesbians being hassled into accepting the penis in their dating, removing women's language, JKR, sport, the drivel spouted by Labour politicians (who we'd both like to vote for) and the gaslighting of children.
There's a massive amount of resistance amongst the 20 / 30 year olds. They're just keeping quiet like everyone else because of the bullying but the dam is ready to burst.

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.

But no one is saying Bridges can’t compete, are they? Just in the same group as before.

I'm no fan of Ms Bridges or her ilk competing in the women's event, but what she says about T levels is potentially interesting, if she's talking about having fallen into perhaps the upper end of the regular female range then, whilst it'd by no means eradicate all objections to her competing against women, there'd be a stronger case than with one of these jokers who's barely scraped under an absurdly lax limit such as 5.0 nmol/L, i.e. below the normal male range but well above the female.

I'm pretty sure that if my 6'4" rugby playing DH dropped his testosterone level below 5 (which incidentally is still waaaaaay above the normal level for women) it would be absolutely safe for him to play a contact sport against women. I can't imagine what possible danger he pose. Even if people don't care about fairness how can they not see the danger?

This article makes it clear, based on a review of extensive peer reviewed evidence that fairness and inclusion cannot happen in female sport. It is well worth reading.

equalityinsport.org/resources/index.html

This document sets out clear principles...
Competitive fairness cannot be reconciled with self identification into female competition.
Segregation on the basis of sex is lawful.
Testosterone suppression is unlikely to guarantee fairness between transgender women and natal females in gender affected sport.

If fairness is a priority... no males in female sport.

@MrsOvertonsWindow

I had a wonderful conversation with my adult daughter this week - I just listened as she talked about lesbians being hassled into accepting the penis in their dating, removing women's language, JKR, sport, the drivel spouted by Labour politicians (who we'd both like to vote for) and the gaslighting of children. There's a massive amount of resistance amongst the 20 / 30 year olds. They're just keeping quiet like everyone else because of the bullying but the dam is ready to burst.

This is so reassuring to hear.

Gender has no relevance in sport.

Gender has no relevance in anything.

People can change their gender to their heart’s content.

Sport is segregated by sex for a reason. Women have single-sex spaces for a reason.

The use of the words... 'well within the testosterone limits' is distraction... designed to illicit sympathy and make you think that maybe... if Bridges did approximate female levels, it wouldn't be so bad.. she did come last in that race in Wales after all.. maybe she is not a threat.. it's only one rider..

DO NOT FALL FOR THIS!! The evidence is clear, the advantages cannot be reversed by reducing testosterone. I hope the Equality in Sport Guidelines are shared widely.

@Runningupthecurtains

I'm pretty sure that if my 6'4" rugby playing DH dropped his testosterone level below 5 (which incidentally is still waaaaaay above the normal level for women) it would be absolutely safe for him to play a contact sport against women. I can't imagine what possible danger he pose. Even if people don't care about fairness how can they not see the danger?

We need him to do this, people say female athletes should refuse to participate, I say men should declare themselves as women, they have less to lose and will show this for the farce it is.

@puffyisgood

I'm no fan of Ms Bridges or her ilk competing in the women's event, but what she says about T levels is potentially interesting, if she's talking about having fallen into perhaps the upper end of the regular female range then, whilst it'd by no means eradicate all objections to her competing against women, there'd be a stronger case than with one of these jokers who's barely scraped under an absurdly lax limit such as 5.0 nmol/L, i.e. below the normal male range but well above the female.

T levels are a smoke screen. All they demonstrate is that the male person is taking a lot of drugs which artificially reduce their natural testosterone. It doesn't remove any of the other advantages men have over women.

Also, last month, bridges was competing with men. Happily it seems. Bridges can carry on doing that.

@MrsOvertonsWindow

Thanks ResisterRex It was inevitable that Emily would play the "I'm sad" card. As usual, the rights of women to fair competition never pass the lips of those demanding their wishes are centred by everyone else - all the bloody time. Still, Emily and Lia have moved mountains in terms of demonstrating the problem to the general population.

So fucking self absorbed. I realise a lot of 21 year olds are but this is something else. Pathological self absorption. It's criminal that those in authority don't just say no. It's a word that should be said an awful lot more.

I realise a lot of 21 year olds are but this is something else.

It’s almost male level entitlement.

Has a three male, one natal female team ever placed on the podium at a male championship? If Bridges performance levels have dropped to those of a natal female that should be possible right?

@puffyisgood

I'm no fan of Ms Bridges or her ilk competing in the women's event, but what she says about T levels is potentially interesting, if she's talking about having fallen into perhaps the upper end of the regular female range then, whilst it'd by no means eradicate all objections to her competing against women, there'd be a stronger case than with one of these jokers who's barely scraped under an absurdly lax limit such as 5.0 nmol/L, i.e. below the normal male range but well above the female.

Please see this article for why it's not just about testosterone levels:

If you believe in fair competition, Emily Bridges should not be racing Laura Kenny

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/3081c8c0-af7c-11ec-8b8c-0207c0fd6104?shareToken=7945c6a120d5a220f71fc30adaca4237

A study in 2018 found that 25% of Olympic-level MALE elite athletes had testosterone levels below the 10 nmol/L threshold.

Testosterone levels are complete distraction.

www.biointeractive.org/sites/default/files/TestosteroneAthletes-Educator-DP.pdf

Emily’s sadness doesbt outrank the sadness of the women they are pushing out

Race with the men - we’d cheer you all the way