On Tuesday, January 20, 2025, newly inaugurated President Trump stood earlier than his supporters and declared, “As of at present, it should henceforth be the official coverage of america authorities that there are solely two genders — female and male.”
His govt order, titled “Defending Ladies From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Organic Fact to the Federal Authorities,” mandates that each one federal businesses and workers implement sex-based rights and protections utilizing these definitions, explicitly excluding the popularity of non-binary and different gender identities.
As we speak, President Trump signed one other govt order, informally often known as the “Protecting Males Out of Ladies’s Sports activities” mandate. This order goals to bar people assigned male at start from taking part in ladies’s sports activities.
“Underneath the Trump administration, we’ll defend the proud custom of feminine athletes. We is not going to enable males to beat up, injure and cheat our ladies and our women. Any longer, ladies’s sports activities shall be just for ladies,” Trump declared throughout the signing ceremony.
The mandate directs federal businesses to interpret Title IX—which prohibits intercourse discrimination in federally funded teaching programs—to exclude transgender women and girls from feminine sports activities classes. The White Home expects sports activities organisations to revise their insurance policies in accordance with the order.
“I am sorry that it needed to go down this fashion with Trump doing govt orders, however we’re on the beginning of bringing equity again to ladies athletes,” Inga Thompson, a celebrated retired Olympic bicycle owner, informed Biking Weekly.
“It is all good for girls athletes. Every thing that [the White House] is pushing ahead. I am sorry that widespread sense could not have prevailed amongst the Democrats for this to occur, but when what it takes is any individual that you simply guys suppose is excessive coming in and doing one thing excessive to deliver again ladies’s sports activities, I’ve to assist that.”
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What the mandates imply for aggressive biking within the U.S.
For the reason that mandate targets establishments that obtain federal funding, the precise implications of this order for aggressive biking stay unsure. Biking Weekly‘s inquiries to USA Biking, the game’s governing physique in america, have gone unanswered for weeks. Equally, race organisers, such because the Life Time Grand Prix, have declined to remark.
But President Trump’s govt orders may have vital implications for transgender and non-binary athletes and sporting establishments alike. And, given the administration’s stance on recognising solely two sexes, non-binary divisions in sports activities are unlikely to obtain federal recognition or assist. This might result in the elimination of non-binary race classes and one other restructuring of transgender participation insurance policies.
“I might hope that USA Biking will get up and browse the handwriting on the wall. [Its policies] will not be honest to ladies athletes,” Thompson mentioned.
Thompson doesn’t agree with USA Biking’s newest transgender participation coverage, because it continues to permit transgender athletes to compete on the non-UCI stage.
On the elite stage, USA Biking aligns itself with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), which bans all transgender ladies from competing within the ladies’s class at UCI-sanctioned occasions.
For non-UCI-sanctioned races, USA Biking has employed a two-tiered system since January 2024, categorising transgender athletes into Group A or Group B based mostly on their self-discipline and race class.
Group A athletes competing on the elite stage (Professional, Class 1 and Class 2) should submit an “elite athlete equity analysis utility,” together with medical documentation about testosterone ranges.
Group B athletes competing at novice and novice ranges should full a self-identity verification request.
Some championship occasions, such because the USA Biking Cyclo-Cross and Gravel Nationwide Championships, additionally provide a non-binary class on the novice stage for racers who don’t completely establish as male or feminine.
“ If it is not a UCI-sanctioned occasion, they have not modified something in any respect. They are going to be one of many final standouts of the nationwide governing our bodies to not see the handwriting on the wall,” Thompson commented.
‘It feels fairly scary and insane’
For transgender and non-binary cyclists, the administration’s govt orders are deeply distressing.
“It feels fairly scary and insane. I’m so anxious about my queer (gravel and in any other case) household within the U.S.,” Rach McBride informed Biking Weekly.
McBride is a Canadian non-binary skilled triathlete and gravel racer with an enormous race calendar in america.
“A part of me would like to keep away from supporting the U.S. in any manner, however on the similar time, I can’t go away my associates behind. Now greater than ever, it’s vital to remain sturdy and visual. I fear in regards to the psychological well being of the group, and I’m deeply involved in regards to the lives of trans and non-binary youth,” they mentioned.
McBride expressed fears in regards to the rising hostility transgender athletes may face at competitions.
“It’s going to change into more and more harmful for trans and non-binary of us to attend these races,” they mentioned, fearing that “hateful rhetoric and violence change into extra ‘acceptable’ with reinforcement from the U.S. authorities.”
McBride referred to as on the racing group to create a secure area for all cyclists.
“We will not battle this battle alone. I feel now greater than ever it is time for race organisers to step up and use their security, privilege, and voice to amplify the rights and existence of trans and nonbinary of us and create an actively secure area,” they mentioned.
At this juncture, the way forward for non-binary race classes and trans participation in home biking stays unsure and evolving. Biking Weekly will proceed to watch and report on any developments.
