Transgender athletes in cycling
Up until very recently, and in many ways still today, the world of cycling has been reserved for those with privilege. Professional racing has found itself in hot water, carrying gender discrimination, transphobia, and elitism throughout its avenues. Those in power are under constant pressure from all sides to make decisions that influence our entire industry.
This work explores the struggles of transgender and gender nonconforming cyclists in the context of competitive racing. Through documentary and design, we aim to bring these conversations to the forefront of the sport, and visualize what the future of cycling may look like for all of us.
Who are transgender cyclists ?
The first and most important thing to remember when talking about transgender athletes in sports is that transgender athletes are real people. Through documentary film, the experiences and stories of the individuals become more easily relatable. Hearing and seeing the real images and voices of these athletes allows for empathy and understanding amongst those who want to discuss transgender rights. This video may also be particularly helpful to educate those of us who may not know any transgender folks.
TRANSGENDER ATHLETES
in school sports
Starting in 2020, a group of well organized anti-LGBTQ+ lobbyists made the decision to target transgender people.7 They are particularly interested in passing laws which ban transgender children from participating in school sports, and in some cases receiving healthcare.
The map to the right illustrates the current situation in the United States as of April 8, 2021. Over 30 states have legislation pending, and four states have already signed such bills into law. Only one state has defeated the proposed bill.
“Where have you learned what
you know about trans people?”
- Izzy Sederbaum, RAR Gravel
Unprecedented TImes
2020 was an extraordinary year; there have been vast changes and events in and outside of our industry, which have directly effected transgender athletes.
The above timeline outlines some of the most significant events around transgender inclusion since the initial policies on transgender athletic participation were set in place by the IOC in 2003. The timeline also graphs each event on a scale of exclusion to inclusion, to give an idea of the overall trend of the public policies and rulings in the United States.
POSTERS HAVE power
Other forms of communication can also be effective tools for change in the bicycle industry. High impact graphic design, distributed through social media channels, has seen a recent increase in popularity. Many individuals and organizations are now creating protest art, printed work, and publications such as zines to highlight issues in the industry that lift up underrepresented and marginalized voices.
Mass Distribution in the
local community
After a large number of “protest posters,” had been printed, they were individually distributed throughout the state. Every bicycle shop in the map of the state of Rhode Island to the right has either a poster hanging in their window, or inside their shop.
The effect of this type of mass communication is not measurable, but we are hopeful that it will have an impact. Whether it makes an individual more comfortable or welcome in these spaces, or simply causes a passer-by to think more considerately about transgender rights, the mass distribution of positive messaging in one’s community can have far reaching social implications.
I want to encourage more people to participate in this distribution project as well. If you are interested in helping to spread our posters, you can click the button below for a printable version of our poster.
Who Am I?
My name is Max Pratt, my position in the industry as a custom bicycle framebuilder and a team manager allowed me the privilege of conducting a number of interviews with transgender athletes from varying backgrounds and with varying perspectives. I do not speak on behalf of these individuals.
Through my conversations, I have learned that many people who oppose transgender participation in sport, do not know a transgender person. Their perception and knowledge of what it is to be transgender is largely colored by archetypes from the media. I believe that through designed communication tools, we can help to educate such people, and create productive conversations about transgender inclusion.