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/.

I'd donate to a crowdfunder and I have literally zero interest in womens cycling but I would like to send a message about what womens sport should mean

Thanks so much for posting the film @Rubidium - it's fantastic! P-R is my favourite race and I loved watching Lizzie winning last year.

For those of you who want to watch some more female cyclists being awesome this year's Paris-Roubaix Femme is this Saturday and the men's on Sunday. Both incredible races. The best way to watch global women's cycling is on a GCN subscription at £40 a year, and I think they do monthly too. Give them some support!

What an arsehole.

I’ll happily contribute to a crowdfunder.

How dare he blackmail women.

If also be happy to contribute to a crowdfunding sponsorship

It is blackmail I agree and I’m sure that funding can be crowdfunded by women

• I hope it backfires on him.

Thanks for the reminder that it's Paris Roubaix this weekend.
For those interested in cycling, Mumsnet has a cycling board, they usually run threads for the gentleman's Tour de France and other big races, will definitely have one for the women's tour which is being run for the first time (in ages) this year.

Cycling board is here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/cycling

it's not easy to find otherwise.

I'll be happy to go out and dig. Please make sure there's a new gardening thread whoever hears first!

I'd donate too. He can stick his sponsorship.

Can someone who is on Twitter let them know they've got a load of donations just looking for them to set up a crowdfunder for this.

I would absolutely donate to that crowdfunder!

I’d happily add in too .

‘By vipers , for vipers ‘…

@SweatyChamoisPad

Thanks so much for posting the film *@Rubidium* - it's fantastic! P-R is my favourite race and I loved watching Lizzie winning last year.

For those of you who want to watch some more female cyclists being awesome this year's Paris-Roubaix Femme is this Saturday and the men's on Sunday. Both incredible races. The best way to watch global women's cycling is on a GCN subscription at £40 a year, and I think they do monthly too. Give them some support!

It’s a great little film isn’t it? No Lizzie to defend her title at this year’s P-R, although for a good reason 👶

I think this guy is wrong in his opinions and would happily donate to a crowdfunder. Hope a link to one is posted here.
Don't think it's blackmail though sorry, it's his money and he can spend it on what he likes. As a PP says 'he who pays the Piper, calls the tune.' This guy was always a single point of failure, could have stopped paying for any number of reasons.
It's crazy to me that the only reason the women's races were being run was because a man was fronting the money for them every year. Until we start putting the money and support into women's sport more generally, it will always be controlled by those that do put in, and we'll keep seeing things like this happen.
Sorry, just my view.

@Ereshkigalangcleg

It reminds me of the Women's Equality Party, similarly being held to ransom by a donor.

I will never reconcile myself to the relatively tiny sums involved to sell out WEP.

I think it shows just how captured it is, if they had any integrity they would have turned it down.

He's getting a pasting on twitter.

twitter.com/PeteJStanton/status/1512465417578729475

Stanton's twitter is a sight to see :)

I'm really happy to see so many women saying they will contribute to keep this going. As SweatyChamoisPad (great name!) said earlier the difference in funding between women's and men's races is shocking.

... however, this is at least in part because so much more interest is shown in men's cycling. Men (predictably) prefer men's races, and not many women are interested in the women's.
The best way to get P-R and other women's races to an equal level with the men's is to watch it, and encourage other women and men to watch it. If women show no interest in women's sport - and are not prepared to show this financially - it will never be equal.

Of course as women's sport becomes more financially attractive we will see more men suddenly realise they are trans to earn a few quid and some tainted glory, but that's another issue.

I want to give him credit for sponsoring it for the last few years as a private individual.

But I am so baffled at his motivation. How could you have the kind of admirable commitment to women's sport to pay substantial sums out of your own pocket to fund it, and then withdraw your funding when the race won't admit men? Anyone capable of joined up thinking can see the consequences of letting men into women's sport. It's very odd.

Let's give them credit for funding a race that wasn't getting funding but if they no longer want to do that -ok. Women here are used to having to pay out to protect things which matter so I'll donate to this

I'm also happy to donate to a crowdfunder. Will keep my eye out for FPFW in case they start one.

The sports governing body has a role to play here- they could insist that womens and men sports sponsorship come as a package deal- you can't just fund the mens sports; do both or not at all

@ScholesPanda

I think this guy is wrong in his opinions and would happily donate to a crowdfunder. Hope a link to one is posted here. Don't think it's blackmail though sorry, it's his money and he can spend it on what he likes. As a PP says 'he who pays the Piper, calls the tune.' This guy was always a single point of failure, could have stopped paying for any number of reasons. It's crazy to me that the only reason the women's races were being run was because a man was fronting the money for them every year. Until we start putting the money and support into women's sport more generally, it will always be controlled by those that do put in, and we'll keep seeing things like this happen. Sorry, just my view.

I agree that that particular sponsor could have stopped funding at any time, for any number of reasons. Certainly when it was withdrawn due to the donor's desire for women cycling having to facilitate men. Indeed, to my mind, someone (anyone) who will only support women's cycling when biological males take part sounds more like a saboteur of women's cycling that a supporter.

Men's cycling isn't just funded by men though. They receive tax money from everyone, and lottery funding. They can't be touched by women participating in their races, so can run with this ideology. We know there would be no discussion if women had any sports/physical advantage over men. They don't allow the doping, do they? Now they're all pretending it is incredulous that a man's body offers men any advantage. Or if they tweak the net curtains a bit, the whole framework of the building is changed. Women should have their share of that funding. Crowd funders as well, sure. But they need to be given their share of donations from the state and public organisations too. From supporting young cyclists to developing professional cyclists.

Good riddance.

🌱🌾🌿 spades at the ready.