Women's cycling - major sponsor pulls out as policies are not 'trans inclusive'

[Xoxoxoxoxoxox]

Helen joice has just put this up on twitter.
A new major sponsor is being sought to ensure that the 6th Women’s CiCLE Classic and 8th Junior Men’s edition of the race can go ahead as planned, following the decision of longstanding sponsor Pete Stanton to withdraw his sponsorship of the races...due to the decision to not include trans atheletes.

• A man tries to use his money to force women to accept transwomen in women's races.

I hadn't thought about the trans activism behind sponsorships deals that fund women's sport that must go on behind the scenes but here is an example laid bare. The men's races are not under threat just the women's races of course.

www.velouk.net/2022/04/12/news-sponsors-needed-for-womens-junior-cicle-classic/.

@334bu

Is it only the women's race that this person sponsored? Did they also withdraw sponsorship from the men's race?

Junior men's category race as well, iirc.

Donated. 64%. Good to read that they are near to a deal for 2023.

I can't help thinking that funding the women's race to allow it keep out biological males is going to make it a natural target for harassment, and maybe violence.

@TeiTetua

I can't help thinking that funding the women's race to allow it keep out biological males is going to make it a natural target for harassment, and maybe violence.

What are you suggesting might have happened/ought to happen instead as a matter of interest?

It would be better to have no race?

Interesting sidelight on the (grounded in prior experience) expectation of what happens when women don't just accept coercion or what is meted out to them.

@TeiTetua

I can't help thinking that funding the women's race to allow it keep out biological males is going to make it a natural target for harassment, and maybe violence.

Isn't that how male violence has always worked? No need to break the law and actually commit violence, the threat of it has always been used to intimidate women and coerce us into submission.

Just donated. Heartening to see donations from both Katie Archibald (current GB rider) and Guy Elliott (Race Controller of the OVO Women’s Tour) in the crowd funding list. #deedsnotwords

No interest in cycling at all but donated to fuck over the MAN.

Donated. We have to give the weak sponsors something to think about when they're targeted. To know women will do it by themselves if necessary - again and again ......

74% now. I'm pleased to be pretty sure this very achievable goal will be realised.

What are you suggesting might have happened/ought to happen instead as a matter of interest?

It would be better to have no race?

Of course not! (I mean not have no race. Do have a race.) But keep an eye open for anyone trying to cause trouble. This is the kind of thing that provokes the trans mob.

75% raised now.

78% funded now. Some of the comments from supporters are interesting, one is from one of the competitors (anonymously).

79%
Every little helps

I see there’s an open letter to BC asking for them to reverse the decision

Which decision @Runningslow?

The decision to block transwomen in womens sport

twitter.com/prideoutuk/status/1515973385561464837?s=21&t=l_yqx5XBM8zaI0XfWmF6fA

Aka the decision to protect female only sport and female athletes from mixed sex competition.

Since it really isn't all and only about TW.

@Runningslow

The decision to block transwomen in womens sport

You mean the decision to retain women's sport?

Prideout is just one man with a twitter account. He seemed to use it as a vehicle to establish his inclusivity credentials. Now he’s got a job in the industry, he doesn’t do so much with it.

As an aside, how does revoking the policy affect non-binary people? Surely they raced in their sex category anyway?

What a ridiculous letter. It's so disingenuous saying "trans and non-binary people have been excluded".
Emily Bridges was cycling in the men's category just a few weeks ago.

Wonder why replies are restricted? Could it be that you don't want to know the strength of feeling that males should not be competing in the women's category? Face it, you have lost the argument.

Pippa York is tweeting that FPFW/Sex Matters are a hate group. How exactly is this person allowed to remain on British Cycling’s Diversity Board when they are actively hostile to women? It’s a disgrace

You can see signatories to that letter here:

www.prideout.co.uk/revoke-the-ban-on-trans-and-non-binary-cyclists

No surprise that British Kickboxing Council are on the list, plus a few of the more vocal Twitterati.

@lamujerenfadada

Pippa York is tweeting that FPFW/Sex Matters are a hate group. How exactly is this person allowed to remain on British Cycling’s Diversity Board when they are actively hostile to women? It’s a disgrace

I’ll fix that for York:

“We wouldn’t be in this mess if … BC had consulted women when drawing up its policy in the first place.”