Page 5 | Reality Rules Parkrun Launch 3 October 2026

IwantToRetire · 2026-08-30T23:48:13+00:00

^Today was another Parkrun Saturday and like every weekend the achievements by women was demoted by men running in the female category.^ ^We are hoping to change this! In only a few weeks time, we will debut Reality Rules Runners UK at Parkrun. We hope that many hundreds (hopefully thousands) of you will join us to send a clear and strong statement to Parkrun about the huge support there is for fairness and sex-based categories at their events.^ ^All sports events are responsible for putting on fair events. This includes free, volunteer run, community events like Parkrun.^ ^So ^*^please tell people about Reality Rules Runners UK, as we are hoping to attract lots more supporters before our debut at Parkrun on 3 October.^* *^Thank you! 🙏 ^* [[https://realityrulesrunnersuk.substack.com/p/another-parkrun-down-only-a-few-weeks https://realityrulesrunnersuk.substack.com/p/another-parkrun-down-only-a-few-weeks]] Came across this by chance, so dont know more than this! They are also on X for anyone on X [[https://x.com/RRRunnersUK https://x.com/RRRunnersUK]]

ArabellaScott · Today 09:25

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:24

I didn’t for one minute expect to be unchallenged. But let’s not insult each other. I know that looking for a middle ground in this subject gets shot down from both sides. That is why we don’t hear voices from the middle very much and the middle ground is probably the majority. I have actually made lots of points that agree with they general feeling on this board but just feel that parkrun is perhaps a place where making everyone feel welcome is the most important. As I say there is a really strong feeling from lots of the volunteers that parkrun has this right at the moment. HQ are between a rock and a hard place.

But it DOESNT MAKE WOMEN FEEL WECOME.

Why does 'inclusion' mean its ok to exclude women?

ArabellaScott · Today 09:25

Why aren't women included in 'everyone'?

Wishesandhorses · Today 09:28

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:24

I didn’t for one minute expect to be unchallenged. But let’s not insult each other. I know that looking for a middle ground in this subject gets shot down from both sides. That is why we don’t hear voices from the middle very much and the middle ground is probably the majority. I have actually made lots of points that agree with they general feeling on this board but just feel that parkrun is perhaps a place where making everyone feel welcome is the most important. As I say there is a really strong feeling from lots of the volunteers that parkrun has this right at the moment. HQ are between a rock and a hard place.

This is about a separate new running club

How does it affect parkrun??

TheKeatingFive · Today 09:29

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:24

I didn’t for one minute expect to be unchallenged. But let’s not insult each other. I know that looking for a middle ground in this subject gets shot down from both sides. That is why we don’t hear voices from the middle very much and the middle ground is probably the majority. I have actually made lots of points that agree with they general feeling on this board but just feel that parkrun is perhaps a place where making everyone feel welcome is the most important. As I say there is a really strong feeling from lots of the volunteers that parkrun has this right at the moment. HQ are between a rock and a hard place.

When you say ‘everyone’ here - you really mean men.

Why isn’t it important for women to feel
included and valued?

Wishesandhorses · Today 09:29

And again - please define your 'middle ground'.

What are the two extreme positions?

How does your view sit between the two with equality of compromise? I'm all ears.

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:33

I literally said that they should be. And that there is no solution.

I literally can see your point of view. If I were chief executive of parkrun I would probably make the change.

I think there would be consequences which would be that there would be transactivist protests which the volunteers would have to manage, Lots of volunteers would quit in protest and lots trans people would feel unwelcome. Would parkrun survive all of this? Maybe? It’s not 100%. But I would probably do it anyway because I believe it is the right thing to do and it is the law. I can understand why they don’t though,

RowsOfFlowers · Today 09:33

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:13

Please don’t call me silly just because I can see a middle ground. Loads of trans people would feel excluded if they changed the registration as suggested. Of course they wouldn’t actually be excluded (in my opinion) but they would feel that they weren’t welcome any more.

Everyone should feel welcome at parkrun - yes that does include competitive women. There is no solution that will achieve this.

They are welcome.

They are welcome to use their correct sex. Not a fantasy gender that impacts and disadvantages one biological gender.

RowsOfFlowers · Today 09:34

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:33

I literally said that they should be. And that there is no solution.

I literally can see your point of view. If I were chief executive of parkrun I would probably make the change.

I think there would be consequences which would be that there would be transactivist protests which the volunteers would have to manage, Lots of volunteers would quit in protest and lots trans people would feel unwelcome. Would parkrun survive all of this? Maybe? It’s not 100%. But I would probably do it anyway because I believe it is the right thing to do and it is the law. I can understand why they don’t though,

You’re making such exaggerated predictions. It wouldn’t necessarily be up to volunteers to police that anyway, and I doubt it would even happen.

ArabellaScott · Today 09:35

Sorry for all caps. It just frustrates me. Why does the inclusion of 'trans people' (lets face it, men), mean it's okay to exclude women?

BirdLandedonmyHead · Today 09:35

The middle ground would be separate Transgender and Non binary categories. Everyone runs together anyway.

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:38

I guess in this case my middle ground is that parkrun is an event that allows registration by Ideford gender where other events don’t.

TheKeatingFive · Today 09:38

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:33

I literally said that they should be. And that there is no solution.

I literally can see your point of view. If I were chief executive of parkrun I would probably make the change.

I think there would be consequences which would be that there would be transactivist protests which the volunteers would have to manage, Lots of volunteers would quit in protest and lots trans people would feel unwelcome. Would parkrun survive all of this? Maybe? It’s not 100%. But I would probably do it anyway because I believe it is the right thing to do and it is the law. I can understand why they don’t though,

So what you are saying is they shouldn’t deliver fair opportunities for women, because bullying men will object.

Do you see the problem there @CroatiaSailing?

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:39

TheKeatingFive · Today 09:38

So what you are saying is they shouldn’t deliver fair opportunities for women, because bullying men will object.

Do you see the problem there @CroatiaSailing?

Show quote history

Yes so do see the problem as I said further up thread.

TheKeatingFive · Today 09:40

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:38

I guess in this case my middle ground is that parkrun is an event that allows registration by Ideford gender where other events don’t.

As we’ve said already, that’s not a middle ground.

That's giving men everything they want at the expense of fairness to women.

Can you not even see you’re doing this? Why are men more important to you than women here?

ArabellaScott · Today 09:41

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:38

I guess in this case my middle ground is that parkrun is an event that allows registration by Ideford gender where other events don’t.

Thats not legal.

TheKeatingFive · Today 09:42

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:39

Yes so do see the problem as I said further up thread.

Show quote history

So why is that okay?

Is your idea of compromise always to just let the bullies win?

Or is it just in this instance?

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:46

Okay, I’m running out of time. I’m not leaving the thread because I won’t talk to you all. It’s because I have to go out.

In general, the two extreme positions seem to be that the trans activist say trans women should be treated as women in all circumstances including prisons, hospital wards, women’s prizes, women’s sport and that the only care available for anyone with gender dysphoria no matter how young they are is affirming care with medical and surgical treatment.

Any deviation from this and you are a hateful bigot.

I actually agree that the general gender critical position is not an extreme position. It is just based in reality.

However, any slight deviation from hardline of trans women are men. Any empathy for trans women - maybe looking at things from their point of view and trying to understand how they feel - or willingness to use she/her pronouns and the person is now considered a trans activist and needs correcting.

TheKeatingFive · Today 09:51

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:46

Okay, I’m running out of time. I’m not leaving the thread because I won’t talk to you all. It’s because I have to go out.

In general, the two extreme positions seem to be that the trans activist say trans women should be treated as women in all circumstances including prisons, hospital wards, women’s prizes, women’s sport and that the only care available for anyone with gender dysphoria no matter how young they are is affirming care with medical and surgical treatment.

Any deviation from this and you are a hateful bigot.

I actually agree that the general gender critical position is not an extreme position. It is just based in reality.

However, any slight deviation from hardline of trans women are men. Any empathy for trans women - maybe looking at things from their point of view and trying to understand how they feel - or willingness to use she/her pronouns and the person is now considered a trans activist and needs correcting.

Edited

Why do you think women should be full of empathy for men who want to take their stuff from them and show zero empathy towards women?

You are coming across as someone with a massive amount of internal misogyny.

You seem to think women should just give up fighting for their rights when male bullies start being difficult.

I suggest you reflect a bit on why that’s your position.

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:57

Why do you think women should be full of empathy for men who want to take their stuff from them and show zero empathy towards women?

Why does anyone show any empathy towards anyone else? Because we are decent human beings and don’t assume that all people in particular group think the same way? I don’t engage in tit for tat empathy? I just care about other people? Yes that does include women.

TheKeatingFive · Today 09:59

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:57

Why do you think women should be full of empathy for men who want to take their stuff from them and show zero empathy towards women?

Why does anyone show any empathy towards anyone else? Because we are decent human beings and don’t assume that all people in particular group think the same way? I don’t engage in tit for tat empathy? I just care about other people? Yes that does include women.

But you have nothing to say about the men who show NO empathy towards women. Nothing

Why are these men just muscling in and trying to bully women into submission? Why do you support that?

Because everything you’ve said here shows you support it.

TheKeatingFive · Today 10:01

Also ‘empathy’ doesn’t mean giving into someone’s demands no matter what the consequence to others.

I can be empathetic towards these men, but at the same time think it is 100% wrong for them to expect women to give up with single sex rights to accommodate them.

BirdLandedonmyHead · Today 10:07

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:57

Why do you think women should be full of empathy for men who want to take their stuff from them and show zero empathy towards women?

Why does anyone show any empathy towards anyone else? Because we are decent human beings and don’t assume that all people in particular group think the same way? I don’t engage in tit for tat empathy? I just care about other people? Yes that does include women.

How about empathy for women and gjrls gaving their achievements overshadowed by cheating males?

SwirlyGates · Today 10:29

It's really very simple. I'm middle-aged, female, and not particularly fast, so I'm way down the field at ParkRun. But I can compare myself to other women of the same age, and see if I'm relatively fast or slow; in that group I might be 4th out of 10, which is an incentive to keep participating, or maybe to try running a bit faster to see if I can be 2nd or 3rd. Once I even won my category.

I don't compare myself to 20-year olds, and I don't compare myself to men. And if a man were running in my category (or a 20-year old, come to that), I'd be well pissed off.

PriOn1 · Today 10:32

CroatiaSailing · Today 09:24

I didn’t for one minute expect to be unchallenged. But let’s not insult each other. I know that looking for a middle ground in this subject gets shot down from both sides. That is why we don’t hear voices from the middle very much and the middle ground is probably the majority. I have actually made lots of points that agree with they general feeling on this board but just feel that parkrun is perhaps a place where making everyone feel welcome is the most important. As I say there is a really strong feeling from lots of the volunteers that parkrun has this right at the moment. HQ are between a rock and a hard place.

“I also know that this doesn’t mean the most aggressive side should ‘win’

And yet, that is exactly what you are arguing for…

CroatiaSailing · Today 10:34

I do have something to say to men who show no empathy to women. I think everyone should show everyone else empathy.

I think the two extremes have become purity spirals. Even J K Rowling fell foul this when she tweeted something mildly empathetic towards trans people.