Another women’s sporting event has been dominated by biological males who believe they are females. It is the latest development in the debate over transgenders and sports.
Two transgender women won first and second place in a women’s cycling event, beating out their competition, which is made up of actual women.
This is not the first instance in which these two individuals have won victories in women’s cycling events, and their participation has ignited even more controversy this time around.
Two transgender cyclists have once again snagged first and second place at a major women’s competition — with some calling their victories “outrageous” and an “assault” on the rights of biological female riders.
Tessa Johnson, 25, took first place in the women’s Single Speed category at the Illinois State Cyclocross Championships on Sunday, while Evelyn Williamson, 30, placed second.
The two — who previously sparked outrage when they took the same positions in the Chicago CycloCross Cup in October — were pictured on the podium with Kristin Chalmers, the sole biological female to medal.
Johnson also came in third in the women’s half race, winning $100 in prize money, records show.
She previously competed in men’s categories at Clemson University, but it was only after switching to compete as a transgender female that Johnson started picking up wins.
The participation of biological males in women’s sports has been a hot-button issue in the debate over transgenderism. Those supporting the practice argue that it promotes inclusivity and equality. They insist that transgender athletes should have the right to compete in the category that aligns with their chosen gender identity.
On the other hand, those who see how wrong this trend is argue that this should not be allowed because of the unfairness and physical risks to female athletes. It’s obvious that those born as men have a distinct physical advantage over women, which means that these individuals are far more likely to dominate in these sports. This deprives actual women of opportunities to make significant athletic accomplishments, given the unfair advantage men have over them.
Moreover, the physical risks to women cannot be understated. There have been several news stories in which female athletes are injured by men competing in their sports. Just recently, a California father reported that his daughter suffered a concussion during a girls’ volleyball match against a team that had a biologically male player.
In this story, one can see not only the danger facing female athletes but also the environment intended to keep dissenting voices silent about the matter.
A concerned father in California has come forward to reveal that his daughter sustained a traumatic concussion after playing high school volleyball against an opposing team with a trans-identified male student. Luis, whose name is being anonymized at his request due to fears about repercussions against his family, alleges his daughter had a ball spiked into her head so hard that she experienced blurry vision.
The incident occurred in October during a match at Half Moon Bay High School. Luis was in attendance to support his 17-year-old daughter, who was playing on behalf of a visiting high school Reduxx has chosen to withhold the name of in order to protect her identity. Luis explains that volleyball had been one of his daughter’s passions from an early age.
“My daughter has been involved in volleyball since she was in 4th grade,” he says. “She has always been a kid with her eye on the prize. When she first started asking about playing volleyball she began practicing in the backyard. For hours at a time, she’d hit the ball on the sloped roof. Eventually she was able to be a Team Captain at her school.”
Other athletes like former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines and tennis legend Martina Navratilova have been outspoken critics of the participation of transgender females in women’s sports. Gaines posted a tweet arguing that female athletes should refuse to participate in competitions in which they will face men. She offered to personally compensate any female athlete who chooses not to compete against these individuals.
Two men take 1st & 2nd at the Illinois State Cyclocross Championships yesterday. @usacycling has 2 categories for men and none for women
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) December 4, 2023
Any woman who concedes and doesn't compete, I will personally pay them the prize money they're missing out on. Stop participating in the farce pic.twitter.com/MbFc2av95y
Perhaps Gaines is right. Others have also argued that women should push back against the effort to push transgenderism in women’s sports by refusing to participate. If female athletes refuse to compete against men in their sports, then at some point, there will be no reason for men to continue trying to invade their spaces. After all, what’s the point of trying to dominate female athletes if there are none to dominate?
