Kathleen Stock, Vogue & Bridges - the perfect Sunday morning read

[MrsOvertonsWindow]

A wonderful humorous article in today's Sunday Times about Vogue's inability to find any sportswomen this year to include in their Vogue 25 women "power list". Instead they lauded Emily Bridges and gave Emily space to moan about the unfairness of insisting that women's cycling remains for women & threatening to fight British cycling in the courts & the streets

Well worth a read this Sunday morning (along with articles by Sarah Ditum and Hadley Freeman). Share token to enjoy:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/992bf3e8-43fd-11ee-bf34-ee777f6f2b5b?shareToken=51086949c8a70b63dc73442c3ab8e374

Thanks for that article. I enjoy a good roast on a Sunday made with good Stock.

@Onyerbikethen yes you are correct, the policy only applies to competitive activities which includes any event with an aspect of timing, positions or points. So Breeze rides, and in fact regular club rides are exempt. I think a rule of thumb is if it’s subject to doping control then the policy applies. I don’t really know how it is supposed to work with clubs, whether we can derogate from BC and enforce policy even on club rides. Luckily it’s never been an issue for us and our road captain would give very short shrift to anyone who tried it on.

@Inamuddle36 she specifically explains all that in the article

All the advantages of going through male puberty are listed

The fact that this person still has a penis is mentioned often as it helps MEN understand that these are not neutered, operated males on a complex physical and emotional and hormonal pathway... that they are literally biologically entire males claiming to be women

That a person with a penis can call himself a woman

Many many men don't know this, they think any trans woman has gone through a painful physical hormone process and can be very sympathetic until they learn it's actually as simple as saying you are a woman, to now BE a woman

Honestly, it's taking a really long time to educate men on this. And until men get it, nothing will change, as men are still predominantly in power (at Vogue, at sports bodies, in government)

@MissBiljanaElectronika thank you for your explanation. I understand your points.
I still wonder though, whether by focusing so much on penises, KS might inadvertently suggest that a transwoman withOUT a penis can compete as a woman, even with the physical advantages of having gone through male puberty?

Maybe our strategy from this point SHOULD be to suggest we 'diversify' the male or open competition by allowing cheetahs (for sprinting), what other animals are being unfairly discriminated against due to out and out bigotry? Gazelles for the high jump perhaps? Those men just aren't trying hard enough and should work harder.

The concerns about safety are totally overblown (i.e. it's only a few men who were clawed /eaten).

Silverback gorillas are 98% genetically identical to humans so it's completely fair for them to wrestle / box with human men.

Agree. The protection of women's sport has to start grassroots level.

Positively Swiftian dimorphism 👏👏👏

Late to the party but that was a great article. I love Doc Stock's writing. Clear, readable and entertaining, and very unlike the verbiage that is all so many academics can manage!

@dimorphism i look forward to reading your excellent proposal in The Times! 😉

Thanks for sharing MrsO.

I'm a completely sports numpty, but in the year the lionesses reached the World Cup final and even I am aware of it, it's boggling that Vogue chose to champion Emily.

Even I'm aware of the fact that female football players suffer unnecessary injuries because football boots are designed for male feet, and the players are unable to speak out due to fears of losing sponsorship www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12910076/female-football-boots-could-be-revolutionised-after-findings-reveals-82-per-cent-of-players-suffer-regular-discomfort Even I'm aware that fans of England goalie Mary Earps had to fight for a replica of her kit to be made available (to those who are mostly grassroots girl players, I'd have thought). www.theguardian.com/business/2023/aug/24/mary-earps-and-other-female-goalkeeper-shirts-to-go-on-sale-after-nike-u-turn

But Emily's 'needs' are more important, apparently.

Glad to see everybody enjoyed this so much - as according to their comments, did the readers of the Times. 😊

Thanks.