Telegraph: UK Sport to defy Boris and fund transwomen cleared to compete in female sports

[ResisterRex]

www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/2022/04/07/uk-sport-defy-boris-johnson-wish-fund-transgender-athletes-cleared/

The detail will be the clearing, and the rules entailed. Nonetheless:

"Asked whether UK Sport would fund Bridges if she is cleared to ride in women’s elite cycling, chief executive Sally Munday said: “We will support every or any athlete who a sport or governing body has deemed to have future potential and is eligible to compete.”

Munday also said that UK Sport was taking steps to ensure that Bridges was receiving sufficient support while her case is considered.

“I have huge empathy for Emily,” she said. “I have huge empathy for the women whom she would have been potentially competing against. I think this is a complex topic. I think that Emily has shown incredible courage. I think she has shown incredible resilience and huge determination.
“I think that when you are in the centre of something which is of national interest, which this has become, then clearly that creates a pressure. But this isn’t simply about Emily. This is a much bigger topic. We are in regular discussion with British Cycling about the support she is getting. But not just her – everybody who is involved in this discussion. We have to have these conversations respectfully because humans and human feelings and human experiences are at the centre of this.”"

I agree that Emily has shown “huge determination”. Emily could have continued to race with the other men and nobody would object and it would be a fantastic showcase for truly inclusive sport (where no one gets excluded) but Emily is hugely determined to race against women. It says a little about Emily, this huge determination.

*It says a lot!

Obviously human continues to be a synonym for man.

How is it courageous to attempt to cheat in a sport? To ruin women’s sport through your actions? I’m glad EB is getting national attention in the press, maybe if they wanted to avoid that they could have stayed competing in the men’s category and the public would be largely unaware of them unless they went on to win Olympic gold. Surely if you were 100% confident that your actions were fair you would be happy with sunlight on them?

UK sport so keen to fund a man through his difficulties in intruding into female sports. Not so much care and consideration for women going through those tricky female things like pregnancy and breastfeeding. No, leave your ebf baby behind for competitions or you get defunded.

How is it courageous to attempt to cheat in a sport? To ruin women’s sport through your actions?

Well, takes a certain sort of nerve to do it in full public view - to exploit blatantly unfair rules with the knowledge that you will be doing it in front of crowds who know you are doing it.

Arguably more courageous than cyclists cheating privately, Lance Armstrong style?

I guess that's it.

Quite, Molten.

I also saw this which I thought was a good article on the "science":

thecritic.co.uk/the-flawed-science-of-trans-inclusion-in-womens-sport/

It's not in the least complex.

Then I guess we'll see if the female athletes follow through with the boycott.

We are in regular discussion with British Cycling about the support she is getting. But not just her – everybody who is involved in this discussion. We have to have these conversations respectfully because humans and human feelings and human experiences are at the centre of this

Sure, sure, and that’s why the female cyclists were barred from speaking out?

i have a tiny, tiny smidgeon of sympathy for Bridges in that they should have not been lead to believe that it is going to be ok for them to compete as a woman.

I predict a detransition at some point.

I have zero sympathy I’m afraid. I’m done being kind. What kind of person would want to do this to women? Not a nice person that’s for sure. A narcissist maybe.

@Naunet

We are in regular discussion with British Cycling about the support she is getting. But not just her – everybody who is involved in this discussion. We have to have these conversations respectfully because humans and human feelings and human experiences are at the centre of this

Sure, sure, and that’s why the female cyclists were barred from speaking out?

Er, no.... it's males and male feelings and male experiences being meant when the word 'human' is used.

Females are actually humans too?

@CrossPurposes

Obviously human continues to be a synonym for man.

Bingo

We have to have these conversations respectfully because humans and human feelings and human experiences are at the centre of this.”
If this is code for 'We must have this conversation without mentioning Bridges' sex' then they can - respectfully - fuck right off.

@Liveliferun

I agree that Emily has shown “huge determination”. Emily could have continued to race with the other men and nobody would object and it would be a fantastic showcase for truly inclusive sport (where no one gets excluded) but Emily is hugely determined to race against women. It says a little about Emily, this huge determination.

Well, quite.

I'd be entirely pro the UK Lottery funding Emily if Emily were broadening the bandwith of what it means to be a man with the high-profile and full support of Emily's fellow squad members.

There was absolutely no problem a matter of weeks ago when Emily shared the podium with team mates and they rode to a medalling position.

@MoltenLasagne

UK sport so keen to fund a man through his difficulties in intruding into female sports. Not so much care and consideration for women going through those tricky female things like pregnancy and breastfeeding. No, leave your ebf baby behind for competitions or you get defunded.

This says it all really, doesn’t it? Ditto any furious ranting against the requirement to demonstrate testosterone levels under threshold for a period of time before competing as a woman. Many many women have had to manage significant life choices conflicting with their sporting career and take a gap- maternity leave. They make this choice knowing they may never regain their previous achievement level afterwards.

Not so much care and consideration for women going through those tricky female things like pregnancy and breastfeeding. No, leave your ebf baby behind for competitions or you get defunded.

and

Many many women have had to manage significant life choices conflicting with their sporting career and take a gap- maternity leave.

Naomi Folkard, Kim Gaucher, Elena Meyers Taylor, Aliphine Tuliamuk, and Ona Carbonell come to mind.

olympics.com/en/news/elana-meyers-taylor-sport-blog-breastfeeding

www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/08/04/challenges-faced-by-breastfeeding-olympians-reflect-bigger-problem/

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/57679002

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/record-number-of-mothers-prepare-for-tokyo-olympics-9pz6hkwl0

And, there's this, of course, not a problem that I would think an athlete who is a father has ever encountered.

In 2019, the six-time US Olympic gold medallist Allyson Felix revealed that her sponsor, Nike, wanted to pay her 70 per cent less after she had her daughter Camryn. The company had a clause in its contract that listed pregnancy among “offences” such as “doping”, but changed its stance months later.

Dr Claire-Marie Roberts is a chartered performance psychologist who works with Olympic and Paralympic athletes. She began extensive research after working with three Olympians – who she cannot name, and who had fertility issues – who wanted to have a baby between two Olympics.

“The stress involved, some of the sort of structural inequalities in their sports, and just the sheer lack of concern was stark and shocking,” she says. Then there’s the societal judgement of athletes such as the British former long-distance runner Paula Radcliffe who received abuse from the public and press for spending extended periods away from her children to train and compete, even though they were with their father. “There’s that increased pressure,” says Roberts, “because mothers are perceived to be the only possible caregivers.”

inews.co.uk/sport/team-gb-record-number-mothers-tokyo-2020-have-baby-gold-medals-1114514

@AlecTrevelyan006

i have a tiny, tiny smidgeon of sympathy for Bridges in that they should have not been lead to believe that it is going to be ok for them to compete as a woman.

I predict a detransition at some point.

I agree. Anyone who is familiar with the timescales involved - the exit from the GB Academy, the public Coming Out Day 6 months later, the immediate intention to be on hormones and the very public aims of competing in the women’s section. It’s too fast.

The other women racing need to refuse. It's bullshit.

Strange how trans women like Bridges and Thompson only show how very male they actually are with their inborn sense of entitlement intact and functioning.

UK Sport may defy Johnson, but they'll be well aware of public opinion now and will know there is little support in the main population for men competing in women's sport.

I think that Emily has shown incredible courage. I think she has shown incredible resilience and huge determination

Stunning and brave!
Stunning and brave!
🙄