Gender and pro cycling

[MightyMitre]

From the article posted by singletrackmind:

"Today, we all fight against doping and try to be natural athletes," says 26-year-old French downhiller Anne-Caroline Chausson, who won her seventh world championship in 2003. "Don't we open a door for genetically modified athletes—or worse? Why not clone Carl Lewis to race against Marion Jones?"

Are they suggesting TG folks are genetically modified? That's pretty offensive.


Earlier I was talking about how I thought a TG rider may have unfair advantages, having still got male genes etc, but dope testing - esp. that for testosterone which is VERY easy to spot - just blows that argument out of the water. A TG rider would be required to have the correct levels of testosterone for her sex, along with all the other competitors in her cat.

[annerol]

thanks to all of you for an interesting and thought-provoking thread. when I first read the inital opening comment, I jumped to conclusions. Then, as I read, my thoughts evolved as I read through your comments. I still see it as a many-sided situation, but feel so much more open / educated / tolerant.
Thanks!
Anne

[RoadRaven]

Just thought I'd share with you one of my favourite songs... the lyrics reflect alot of this thread very clearly

Hope all you girls who were small boys on their bikes like it...


I won’t forget when Peter Pan came to my house, took my hand.
I said I was a boy, I’m glad he didn’t check.
I learned to fly. I learned to fight. I lived a whole life in one night.
We saved each other’s lives out on the pirate deck.
And I remember that night when I’m leaving a late night with some friends
And I hear somebody tell me it’s not safe, someone should help me.
I need to find a nice man to walk me home.
When I was a boy, I scared the pants off of my mom
Climbed what I could climb up on
And I don’t know how I survived, I guess I knew the tricks that all boys knew
And you can walk me home, but I was a boy too.

I was a kid that you would like, just a small boy on her bike
Riding topless, yeah, I never cared who saw.
My neighbour came outside to say, “Get your shirt,” I said “No way,
it’s the last time I’m not breaking any law.”
And now I’m in a clothing store, and the signs say Less is More
More that’s tight means more to see, more for them, not more for me
That can’t help me climb a tree in ten seconds flat.
When I was a boy, see that picture? That was me.
Grass-stained shirt and dusty knees.
And I know things have gotta change, they got pills to sell, they’ve got implants to put in, they’ve got implants to remove
But I am not forgetting
That I was a boy too.

And like the woods where I would creep, it’s a secret I would keep
Except when I’m tired, except when I’m being caught off guard.
I’ve had a lonesome awful day, the conversation finds it way
To catching fireflies out in the backyard.
And I tell the man I’m with about the other life I’ve lived
And I say now you’re top gun, I have lost and you have won
And he says, “ Oh no, oh no, can’t you see
when I was a girl, my mom and I, we always talked
I picked flowers everywhere that I walked.
And I could cry all the time, now even when I’m alone I seldom do
And I have lost some kindness,
But I was a girl too.
And you were just like me, and I was just like you.”


By Dar Williams, 1995
From the album (CD) ‘The Honesty Room’
Copyrite; 1995 Razor & Tie Music, LP The Grapevine Label Ltd., 12 Oval Rd., London

[chelle]

Hi all

Just did my first race of the season and I've written bit, it's posted it at the race results section.

Michelle

[LBTC]

Hey, Chelle!

great race report. thanks for keeping us updated!

I finally read the article in Bike. I want to see your movie! Can I rent it from a regular store? I'll have to look....

keep in touch, girl,
~T~