Motorsport UK launches self-ID policy

[GreenUp]

"Motorsport UK has become the first FIA-recognised national sporting authority to publish a transgender inclusion policy."

"The vast majority of racing series do not segregate competitors by gender, with the exceptions usually being series that are seeking to promote and increase female participation in motorsport......"

"Motorsport UK’s policy “respects the UK Sports Council’s guidance for transgender inclusion in domestic sport which calls for national governing bodies to enter a decision-making process that best accommodates transgender inclusion, fairness and safety in our sport” and applies to “marshals, officials, staff, committee members” and more in addition to competitors."

"Here is an excerpt from the policy, containing the key details:
Motorsport UK is committed to
• Ensuring that all people are treated with dignity and respect.
• Allowing self-identification of an individual’s gender across our licensing, irrespective of whether an individual has a Gender Recognition Certificate.
• The only event whereby sex observed at birth may be necessary to declare is where relevant in medical assessments to achieve a compliant Motorsport UK medical or in connection with a medical incident at-event.
• Respect the private nature of an individual’s transition and never discuss an individual’s gender status without explicit permission.
• Ensuring that our participants and our stakeholders including coaches, teams and championships are aware of the policy.
• Creating resources and tools to support clubs and championships to support their members of all genders.As the right of self-identification applies “equally across all Motorsport UK activities and all competitions run under a Motorsport UK Permit”, it means that anyone with a racing licence who identifies as male or female can participate respectively in any male or female-only series organised under the permit mentioned above."

https://formulascout.com/uk-gets-landmark-transgender-inclusion-policy-for-motorsport/113228

Wonder if any groups like Fair Play For Women were consulted about inclusion, fairness and safety. What's the point of organising "women only" series to encourage "females" into racing if they are mixed sex?

Zero point. Zero.

Ffs, so the fight continues to get women into f1 and they just opened the door and laid out the welcome mat for some bloke in a dress to swoop in and get it 🤦‍♀️

Well as the UKs Girls on Track (motorsports) Ambassador is a transwoman, Charlie Martin, it's no wonder really. Of all the women out there...they could only find a biological man to be the women's ambassador...strange that innit?!

It's a pity Lewis or George can't ID as women and call this nonsense out.

This is ridiculous considering many events are male dominated to start with. However, I also believe that the female body has physical disadvantages here particularly in F1.

The way the female body responds under g-force will require a female to have to be incredibly strong along with all the other exceptional reaction times. (I have stuck a link here about the g force in formula 1) Therefore this will mean again that a female competitor is exceptional whereas a male competing against them will benchmark as not exceptional but still winning.

For example, a female athlete has weaker neck muscles than a male athlete and neck muscles are vital in this sport to maintain posture and vision. Obviously, arm muscles too with fine control needed under that amount of force.

And I remember Dr Emma Hilton saying that women have slower eye to movement reaction speeds. Obviously an advantage in this sport. As is breathing (under g force). A female body will fatigue that much quicker having to perform under that force in all aspects.

That policy is ludicrous.

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/05/21/f1-g-forces-drivers/

No matter what the organisation, whether it be a sporting body, an NHS Trust, a local authority, whatever - all it takes is for one activist TW and the whole organisation falls. The lack of leadership and the inability to say no to these people means self-id is pushed through the back door and it’s bloody difficult to unpick.

There are several ambassadors. The others are all women (I think).

https://www.motorsportuk.org/the-sport/women-in-motorsport/girls-on-track-uk/girls-on-track-uk-ambassadors/

There's also all the evidence that safety features are designed for males, not female bodies, as researched by Caroline Criado Perez.

https://www.tortoisemedia.com/audio/visible-women-caroline-criado-perez-episode-4-a-deadly-injustice-why-cars-arent-safe-for-women/

Funny that. Just a coincidence eh

Really disappointed by this. I thought FOM and FIA were committed to helping women into motor sport. Susie Wolff got so much undeserved flack for being appointed Managing Director of the F1 Academy a motor racing series for women, despite her racing history and experience.

I asked AI 'what will the inclusion of men in the womens motorsport category do for representation of females in motorsport?'

Its response:
The inclusion of men in a women's motorsport category would likely have a negative impact on the representation of women in the sport. This is because it would create a situation where men would be competing directly against women, which would likely lead to men dominating the category. This would reinforce the stereotype that men are better at motorsport than women, and would make it even more difficult for women to succeed in the sport.

In addition, including men in a women's motorsport category would take away opportunities for women to compete against each other and showcase their skills. This is important for the development of women in motorsport, as it allows them to gain experience and confidence, and to prove to others that they are capable of competing at a high level.

Finally, including men in a women's motorsport category would send the message that women are not capable of competing on their own. This is a harmful and inaccurate message, and it would only serve to further discourage women from participating in motorsport.

For these reasons, I believe that the inclusion of men in a women's motorsport category would be a step backwards for the representation of women in the sport. It is important to create opportunities for women to compete and succeed in motorsport, and including men in a women's category would only serve to make this more difficult.

Yup.

I thought this point was particularly concerning. So presumably you're not even allowed to point out someone is male if they turn up in the female competitions?

• Respect the private nature of an individual’s transition and never discuss an individual’s gender status without explicit permission.

As a former motorsport competitor, who competed against (and beat) a lot of men in a mainly male dominated motorsports discipline,

but one where the physical differences were not so important as in F1 etc (but the social/societal /opportunity biases were still significant.)

I'm appalled.

Wtf is Motorsports.UK thinking?