Philippa York doesn't think transgender cyclists are problem but rather the lack of transgender education

Philippa York spoke extensively about the topic that's been moving heads lately - transgender cyclists - in an article published at Cyclingnews. According to her, the physical advantages of male-born athletes are completely cancelled by the treatment male has to undergo to become eligible to race against women.

"Austin Killips winning the Tour of the Gila, a 2.2 race, is a scandal for transphobes and while it was kind of OK when she was mediocre, the step up to average is too much to contemplate. Forget that Miss Killips has progressed because she's not working in a bike shop anymore and has more time to train, her improvement is 'cheating'. I learn a new term: 'Gender doping'. "

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The topic has recently come afloat once again because of Killips' win at the Tour of the Gila. Online harassment at large scale took place after it, the criticism included institutions and the director of the race itself who believes it harms women cycling.

"I'd be tempted to laugh but people believe this rubbish. Even the Tour of the Gila's race director says the transgender issue needs attention and the sport has to do something otherwise girls are going to be put off by these trans women being in the same place at the same time. It's fear-mongering at its most insidious. He blames the UCI for not sorting this out at their level because women and girls are scared to speak out and say the wrong thing."

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"It doesn't matter how polite they are when they say they 'have concerns' or talk about being 'born a man' or 'male-bodied'. As far as I can remember, I was born a baby like everyone else and if I had wanted to be a man, I like every other trans woman wouldn't have transitioned to female and gone through all the issues associated with that process. It is a process which has had only one performance enhancement and that's my own mental wellbeing."

"It's not trans exclusion that cycling needs, it's education that we are all different and if you are trying to sell the sport as something for all, then that means everyone."

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