Cycling champion apologizes for transphobic comments after world championship
What started out like any other sporting competition became a source of contention and transphobia this week.After Dr. Rachel McKinnon won the UCI Masters Track World Championship last weekend, bronze medalist Jen Wagner-Assali, as well as a number of fans, hurled transphobic remarks at McKinnon, who is a transgender woman, The Daily Mail reported. Wagner-Assali has since apologized for her comments.
The controversy started when Wagner-Assali responded to a tweet from British media personality Katie Hopkins. Hopkins shared a photo of the three medalists from the event, writing, “For clarity – this was the WOMENS world championships. I repeat. Women’s. Congratulations to the brave faces of silver & bronze. The world is gripped by a febrile madness.”
Wagner-Assali responded to Hopkins’ tweet on Monday, writing, “I was the 3rd place rider. It’s definitely NOT fair.”
I was the 3rd place rider. It’s definitely NOT fair.
— jen wagner-assali (@jkwagnermd) October 15, 2018
While many people responded in agreement with Wagner-Assali’s opinion, others commented that her words were transphobic.
The replies on this bigoted-ass hot take are obscenely transphobic. While trans athletes in the competitive level of sports is a complex issue, no denying that, you are directly placing a target on trans women for violence with this kind of tweet. Do better.
— Cierra Irish (@cierrairish) October 16, 2018
Not fair how exactly? I honestly want to know what magical advantage transphobes think she had with their complete lack of understanding of how muscle, bone structure, bone density, hormones, and whatever else they think all actually function.
— Emily (@MsEmilyTired) October 16, 2018
On Thursday, Wagner-Assali tweeted that her comments “weren’t productive or positive,” adding that she regretted her initial tweets.
“After having some time to reflect, I realize my twitter comments earlier this week unintentionally fanned the flames on a controversial situation, and that I regret,” Wagner-Assali wrote. “I made the comments out of a feeling of frustration, but they weren’t productive or positive.”
After having some time to reflect, I realize my twitter comments earlier this week unintentionally fanned the flames on a controversial situation, and that I regret. I made the comments out of a feeling of frustration, but they weren't productive or positive.
— jen wagner-assali (@jkwagnermd) October 18, 2018
They were just inflammatory, and that's not who I want to be or am. While I may not agree with the rules, when I pin on a number I agree to race by them. I also respect @rachelvmckinnon 's right to compete within the rules.
— jen wagner-assali (@jkwagnermd) October 18, 2018
The bronze medalist also asked fans to “please stop directing hateful or derogatory comments toward Rachel or trans people in general.”
I'm sure there are men who don't agree with the USA cycling rule that women can enter their races, which I do all the time. I appreciate those that have reached out to support me, but please stop directing hateful or derogatory comments toward Rachel or trans people in general.
— jen wagner-assali (@jkwagnermd) October 18, 2018
At the end of the day, we are all just people trying to find our way in this world. I'm going to continue educating myself and hope this conversation continues in an open and positive way.
— jen wagner-assali (@jkwagnermd) October 18, 2018
Wagner-Assali also took the time to congratulate McKinnon on her first-place win. “I apologize, @rachelvmckinnon, for not properly congratulating you on race day,” Wagner-Assali tweeted. “I hope you accept it a few days late. Congratulations and enjoy your off-season.”
I apologize, @rachelvmckinnon , for not properly congratulating you on race day. I hope you accept it a few days late. Congratulations and enjoy your off-season. Thanks, everyone, for reading. –Jennifer
— jen wagner-assali (@jkwagnermd) October 18, 2018
Still, Wagner-Assali’s last tweet indicates that she may still think the Union Cycliste Internationale rules are “fair.”
“There’s a group of us working on getting the rules changed but we are going to fight it offline, not in the name-calling angry world of social media,” the cyclist tweeted. “I’m choosing to move on in a positive way.”
The second-place medalist from the recent competition, meanwhile, shared her disagreement with Wagner-Assali in a tweet Monday. Silver medalist Carolien van Herrikhuyzen tweeted that athletes don’t identify as transgender because they want to “steal anyone’s medal.”
“We had an honest race under UCI rules. If you compete you accept the rules, otherwise, don’t compete,” van Herrikhuyzen tweeted. “I can only imagine what she had to go through in her life to be where she is now, how hard it is to fit in.”
I totally disagree. No one is a transgender to steal anyone's medal. We had an honest race under UCI rules. If you compete you accept the rules, otherwise, don't compete. I can only imagine what she had to go through in her life to be where she is now, how hard it is to fit in.
— C van Herrikhuyzen (@CforCycling) October 15, 2018
McKinnon, an assistant professor of philosophy at the College of Charleston, has also been active on Twitter this week, sharing plenty of thoughts about her win. McKinnon posted a number of tweets about her testosterone levels, reminding her critics that she was well within her rights to compete in the race.
THREAD: Facts on the physiology of transgender athletics. I'm not sorry if they're inconvenient for your transphobia. https://t.co/GvzLbEe8vB
— Dr. Rachel McKinnon (@rachelvmckinnon) October 14, 2018
There. Is. No. Evidence. that there is a relationship between natural endogenous testosterone and lean body mass.
You're asking me to prove a negative to you. That's not possible. But there isn't a single study supporting what you say.
— Dr. Rachel McKinnon (@rachelvmckinnon) October 19, 2018
No, it doesn't. Endogenous testosterone is not at all correlated with athlete performance. EXogenous testosterone is. If you drop the endogenous level, a person does worse because the body has less than it's used to. But NO relation to endogenous T level and muscle mass.
— Dr. Rachel McKinnon (@rachelvmckinnon) October 19, 2018
McKinnon also tweeted that as a transgender athlete, she’s faced harassment for her cycling participation. In one tweet, the race winner suggested that Wagner-Assali may have violated USA Cycling’s official harassment policy. “I also recommend Jennifer and Sarah go read the @usacycling policy against Harassment, which includes creating hostile environments or disparaging remarks against people *on the basis of gender identity,*” McKinnon tweeted.
Thank you <3 It honestly helps get me through the hard times, including how much harassment I was getting yesterday while trying to focus on competing.
— Dr. Rachel McKinnon (@rachelvmckinnon) October 14, 2018
I also recommend Jennifer and Sarah go read the @usacycling policy against Harassment, which includes creating hostile environments or disparaging remarks against people *on the basis of gender identity.* They could face sanction: https://t.co/rcvI4O69zM
— Dr. Rachel McKinnon (@rachelvmckinnon) October 19, 2018
Here is the relevant @usacycling Harassment policy. I think Sarah's 'protest' clearly violates (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv). I've been humiliated, they make me feel unwelcome at races, and saying that it's unfair (when I follow all the rules) is degrading and disparaging. pic.twitter.com/Ne5pumJrsj
— Dr. Rachel McKinnon (@rachelvmckinnon) October 19, 2018
The first-place medalist also made it clear that she doesn’t accept Wagner-Assali’s apology, given the bronze medalist’s last tweet about “getting the rules changed.”
“This is why the apology is not accepted: she still thinks what she said. She merely apologizes for being caught saying it publicly,” McKinnon tweeted. “She wants to ban trans women from competing. They will fail: the IOC openly allowed us in 2003 and revised their policies in 2015.”
This is why the apology is not accepted: she still thinks what she said. She merely apologizes for being caught saying it publicly. She wants to ban trans women from competing. They will fail: the IOC openly allowed us in 2003 and revised their policies in 2015. #MoveOn https://t.co/JLYvjF9ziQ
— Dr. Rachel McKinnon (@rachelvmckinnon) October 19, 2018
There's nothing "positive" about working behind the scenes to ban trans women from competing as the legally recognized women we are. That's the opposite of "positive." Sport is a human right. Go read the Olympic Charter's Principles of Olympism (Hint: it's #4).
— Dr. Rachel McKinnon (@rachelvmckinnon) October 19, 2018
Wagner-Assali may not agree with the Union Cycliste Internationale’s policy, but it’s nice to at least see her ask her followers not to hurl transphobic comments at McKinnon and others. A Human Rights Campaign report, Violence Against the Transgender Community, found that “fatal violence” led to the deaths of at least 29 transgender people in the United States last year.
Transgender women all too often face violence and discrimination, not to mention things like the harassment and insults directed at McKinnon after her win. Opinions about sporting regulations aside, transphobia is still rampant, and this isn’t an issue that’s going away anytime soon.
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