A transgender cyclist is making headlines after boasting about winning a women’s race category against female competitors who seemingly refused to stand next to her at the podium following her victory. Lesley Mumford took to Instagram this week, showing a photo of herself standing on a podium after coming in first place among women in the 40-49 age group in Sunday’s 100-mile Desert Gravel Co2Ut. What seemed to have triggered some people was the accompanying caption, which read, “I have no idea why so many people bailed before the podiums, but they did.”
“I swear I wasn’t the only one in my age group,” Mumford, who was born male, said. Overall, she came in sixth overall in the women’s category, and while the event is also said to have had a non-binary group, she apparently opted not to enter that class. After hearing about Mumford’s win, former female bicycler Inga Thompson, famously known for having won three Olympic titles, took to Twitter, writing, “The silent protests are starting! The women are refusing to stand on the podium with the man! Well done!!!”
RELATED: B5 Member Dustin Michael Reveals He’s In A Relationship With A Transgender Woman
Swimmer Riley Gaines was just as enraged about the news as she hopped onto Twitter, adding, “Empty podium except for the male who naturally finished atop all the women in the women’s category. Despite there being a non-binary/trans category he easily could have competed in. Keep it up girls!” Trust and believe that when Megyn Kelly heard about Mumford’s victory, she also had a lot to say about it.
The issue of transgender women competing in women’s sports has been a heated topic, sparking outrage and backlash from different groups. The debate centers around the fairness of allowing biological males to compete against females, even when they undergo hormonal treatment to suppress testosterone levels. While some argue that it fosters a culture of inequality, others believe it is an important step towards protecting trans kids’ access to sports.
The International Olympic Committee has established guidelines requiring transgender women to maintain their testosterone levels below a certain level for at least a year to compete against biological women. However, former tennis player Martina Navratilova does not believe transgender women should be allowed to compete against ciswomen, as she argues it is unfair and cheating. The debate is complex, with different sports organizations having varying eligibility rules.
RELATED: North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum Approves Law To Ignore Transgender Pronouns
Recently, the Biden administration proposed a rule that forbids outright bans on transgender athletes in schools and colleges across the US while also giving room for schools to develop policies that limit transgender students’ participation under certain circumstances.
The proposal establishes that blanket bans, such as those already in place in at least 20 US states, would violate Title IX, the landmark gender-equity legislation enacted in 1972. While this proposal sparked criticism from conservative leaders and trans rights activists, some transgender athletes welcomed it as an important first step towards protecting their access to sports.