USA Cycling criticized for inaction following anti-trans protests at national cyclo-cross championships

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USA Cycling has come under fire for not taking enough action to stop an anti-trans group from protesting, shouting and holding placards opposing trans participation at the USA Cycling National Cyclo-cross Championships held on Sunday in DuPage County, Illinois, in the Chicago area. Trans rights supporters have expressed concern that the sport’s governing body failed to facilitate a safe and inclusive environment for trans women at its own flagship event.

“There’s an active cycling scene in Chicago with a vibrant queer, transgender, and BIPOC presence, and these local people would come to me and ask me what was going on and why no one was doing anything about it. There were a lot of locals, kids and toddlers, transgender and non-binary kids, along with their parents and families, running around. They are mortified and hurt so much, ”said Molly Cameron, transgender cyclist and founder of RIDE Aiming to Create a More Inclusive Cycling Industry and Sport.

“These are coordinated and targeted attacks. They only went out for the women’s race and then they left. The problem here is that these actions have an impact on the athletes who run, it impacts the whole stage and damages the whole community. “

The anti-trans protesters represented a group called “Save Women’s Sport,” and according to her biography on Twitter, is a “coalition that seeks to preserve biology-based eligibility standards for participation in women’s sports.” The group said in a post on its social media platform that representatives from across the United States gathered for protests in Chicago over the weekend to “respectfully raise awareness of a man competing in a national championship feminine”.

Cameron told Cyclingnews that she saw the group target transgender athletes who were competing in the elite women’s race and use a flag and other signs to disrupt their races at three locations along the circuit. CyclingTips reported that representatives of the anti-trans group held up signs that read “Say no to men who compete as women” and “woman = adult human woman.”

“The women were at the bottom of the race holding ‘Save Women’s Sports’ banners and they were targeting women who are known trans athletes. They got really loud and aggressive when these athletes were [racing] par, and they were on a part of the course that the runners would pass a few times, as that was a section of the course that looped on itself. They had signs and they put them in [the athletes’] faces and cries. There was also a group standing in a more remote part of the course with a large flag they were waving on the course, in addition to the signage, and they were actively trying to disrupt and target the individuals who were running, ”Cameron explained. .

Cyclingnews has contacted Save Women’s Sport for comment.

Trans rights supporters have taken to social media since the incident to speak out against anti-trans groups and many in the cycling community have questioned why USA Cycling had not done more to prevent the anti-trans protest. trans at the site of the US National Cyclocross Championships. on Sunday.

Cameron confirmed that she informed USA Cycling members at the scene of the incident as it happened and that two members of the organization had been dispatched to stand next to the protesters to “prevent a incident”.

“My phone started to explode while this was happening and people were asking me what they should do to report the protesters and how to get them evicted from the place. I went there to witness what was going on. I asked the woman to run and tell a USA Cycling member what was going on. At the same time I sent a text [USA Cycling leadership members], most of the board members were there at the time, to let them know that this hate group was there and that they were actively intimidating and harassing the running athletes. USAC responded by text to say that Chuck [Hodge] and Tara McCarthy “approached them to avoid an incident”. I responded by saying “this is the incident, are you asking them to leave?” “And I received no response,” Cameron said.

“It was a private, paid-entry event and everyone in attendance, unless they were VIP or given a pass, everyone had to pay to enter. The promoter of the race was allowing a hate group to come and protest, as long as they didn’t start a physical fight … despite all the talk about diversity and inclusion, I don’t understand how they can’t see that they are don’t build a community. It’s a long conversation, but how can they fail to see how much this damages the credibility of cycling? “

In a written statement to Cyclingnews regarding the incident, USA Cycling confirmed that it had been made aware of the anti-trans protest at the elite women’s competition and that it had taken steps to ensure that the protest did not interfere with those running.

“During Sunday’s Elite Women race at the 2021 US National Cyclo-cross Cycling Championships, a group of spectators waved Save Women’s Sports signage along the course. USA Cycling staff have been alerted to their presence and have posted staff members around their location to ensure the group does not interfere with the race. The group left the site at the end of the race, ”USA Cycling wrote.

“Since 2017, USA Cycling has championed the participation of transgender people in cycling by adopting a multi-level policy to ensure safe, fair and inclusive competition. This policy addresses race participation for transgender athletes, allowing riders at the local level to participate in the gender they identify with while following the guidelines of the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on participation in national and international competitions. level.

“USA Cycling recognizes that its policies do not provide for monitoring of protests or demonstrations at its events. Creating and evaluating our policies is a high priority in the coming weeks, and the organization is working diligently to address the concerns of the cycling community.

Cyclingnews asked USA Cycling if they could have asked the anti-trans protesters to leave the event, but they did not respond.

Transgender women are permitted to participate in sanctioned events if the athlete declares that her gender identity is female, demonstrates that a total serum testosterone level has been below 5 mol / L for a period of at least 12 months, and remains below 5 nmol / L throughout the desired eligibility period to compete in the female category, in accordance with USA Cycling’s Diversity and Inclusion Policy as set forth in the Code of Conduct and the statutes of USA Cycling.

“Trans women are women and this is fundamental to any conversation we will have. The IOC, UCI language and rules now specify that anything that can be done to reduce damage and increase access, and recognize that marginalized communities, intersex, non-binary and transgender people have so much barriers to entry into all sports. We have to figure out how to recognize it, and that’s the first thing we should think about. I want to find common ground. I’m always looking for solutions and to be a positive catalyst for change, ”Cameron said.

USA Cycling official Flyyn Leonard wrote and posted an open letter to USA Cycling demanding more action, including the resignation of the organization’s president, Rob DeMartini. The open letter received more than 100 signatures.

“As a member of USA Cycling, MTB coordinator for the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference and official of the USAC, I would like to express my outrage at the lack of response and the implicit allocation of an anti-transgender hate group to USA Cycling’s Cyclo -cross National Championships on Sunday December 12, 2021 in Wheaton, Illinois, ”Leonard wrote.

“I am ashamed to wear my USA Cycling official clothes and to be a visible member of this organization. Myself and others are less safe at sanctioned events due to your continued refusal to act on the repeated cases of participation and fundraising by the hate group Save Women’s Sport on the back of USA Cycling events, as well as continuing cases of transphobic behavior online by athletes, promoters, and even government officials.

“USA Cycling has now allowed this hate group to harass, make others uncomfortable and attempt to gain support for their exclusionary mission at two separate national championships – first at the marathon, and now at the national cyclo-cross championships. “

USA Cycling President and CEO Rob DeMartini stepped down this week and was replaced by Board Chairman Brendan Quirk. While at USA Cycling, DeMartini formed a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee in January 2020.

However, he has been embroiled in a controversy related to the state of Arkansas and its legislature’s stance on anti-transgender laws that many see as an attack on the LGBTQ community. The state will host the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships scheduled from January 29 to 30 in Fayetteville.

In the wake of Sunday’s incident, Cameron encouraged members of the cycling community to write to event promoters and sport governing bodies to voice their concerns.

“Email the event promoter and let them know what you think about what happened at #cxnats and how it affected you, your loved ones and your communities. your sponsors, teams and employers to sign with you Be polite, be specific and concise: the more the powers that be hear speaking in unison, the better. Remove these conversations from Twitter and send them directly to e- mails to sports governing bodies and their sponsors and their paying clubs and teams. “

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