Protests targeting trans women expected at USA Cycling Cyclocross Championships

The cyclocross scene is bracing for a repeat of last year's anti-transgender protests when the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships take place in Hartford, Connecticut on 11 December.

This year, trans women are going to be much more visible and have landed on UCI elite women's podiums. Austin Killips (Nice Bikes) worked her way from top 20s last year to a victory in the Northampton C2 race last month and is considered to be a contender for the title on Sunday.

With improved results comes more attention, and not only the positive kind. Cyclingnews has seen social media posts claiming dozens have signed up for a "secret" protest at national championships.

In 2021, a local feminist group waving "Save Women's Sport" signs reportedly harassed and heckled trans women during the elite women's championship race in Wheaton, Illinois as part of a nationwide anti-transgender campaign that was not limited to sporting events.

USA Cycling was heavily criticized for their lack of a response, with officials standing nearby but not taking action to remove the offending group.

Cyclingnews has been unable to confirm the legitimacy of the protest rumours. Beth Stelzer, the founder of Save Women's Sport, who protesters claimed to represent last year, refused to comment or confirm the plan, saying she has stepped down from the organisation.

Assuming the talk of protests is true, Cyclingnews reached out to USA Cycling to find out what steps they have taken to ensure riders are safe.

"After the protest at the 2021 Cyclocross Nationals and additional questions related to protests at USA Cycling events, our staff and legal counsel reviewed several policies related to conduct by fans, spectators, and participants from other national governing bodies and sports organizations," Chuck Hodge, the Chief of Racing and Events responded. "As a result, we created and published the 'USA Cycling Fan Code of Conduct' this spring.

"We are aware of the possibility of protests at CX Nationals in Hartford and have worked with the relevant landowners and agencies to implement our policy on site, as we have at all of our National Championships since the implementation of the policy in early 2022."

USA Cycling declined to go into specifics about what kind of security would be present to implement the code of conduct, stating: "There are many scenarios that affect our ability to enforce this policy including the type of property (private vs. public), how the event is permitted, and local rules and regulations. In Hartford, we will require that all attendees follow this policy or leave the event site.

"In addition to the Fan Code of Conduct referenced above, USA Cycling members are subject to our rules and policies, including our member Code of Conduct" which may lead to additional discipline.

Elite women respond

Cyclingnews reached out to several riders in the elite women's field and few agreed to go on the record about their views on racing with trans women. Defending US National Champion Clara Honsinger took a diplomatic approach, telling Cyclingnews "it's just a really difficult situation" and "it's up to the UCI to make the proper call."

Raylyn Nuss, the Pan American champion who was second to Honsinger at last year's national championships, described the topic as "the big elephant in the room".

"No one's coming to the athletes and asking us how we feel about it," Nuss said to Cyclingnews. "I almost wish we could just have a panel discussion with [the trans women] in a safe space. And we could all just ask a bunch of questions, and just clear the air more or less, and then just proceed on as normal.”

Nuss says all riders have to race within the rules set by the UCI and welcomed the addition of more competitive riders in a field that has been drained of many of the top riders like Katie Compton, Katie Keough, and Rebecca Fahringer.

"The rules are what they are. So we cannot sit and just think about what advantages she might have. We just need to prepare ourselves," Nuss said. "[Trans women] are just competitors that I want to beat every single time I go to the line, someone that's strong, and is really giving me a run for my money."

She doesn't want protesters spoiling anyone's racing experience and said the controversy detracts attention from all of the women's capabilities and accomplishments.

"If you throw Clara in the men's elite field, I bet you she could get in the top 10. We're strong, fierce competitors," Nuss said, adding that strong riders force her to “be prepared to capitalize on any weaknesses and to race tactically”.

She did not register the hecklers in last year's championships, saying she had tunnel vision during the race, but afterwards, when she heard what happened, she spoke out.

"I don't think there's any room for hate - it was such a great event. The day was amazing and I had a great race. I was around a lot of positivity, but another rider in my field had a totally different experience and was getting yelled at with hate speech and whatever. So I hope that it is not the case [there will be a protest]. It sucks for the sport that there's this negative thing going on."

Killips, who finished 10th last year in her hometown, also did not notice the group during the race, writing in an Instagram post last December, "I had no idea those ghouls were even out there until after the race.

"I was lucky to be on my home turf but that's probably not gonna be the case for the next person if we allow this behaviour to continue. Racers should not be subjected to targeted harassment and I will fight tooth and nail to prevent this from happening to others. Showing up to an event to gin up hate for an individual or minority group is beyond the pale, it's not about starting a dialogue it's about putting a target on our backs and it always has been," Killips wrote.

Uneasy feelings all around

Even elite riders who do not support having trans women in the race don't want to see an organised demonstration against the riders in Hartford.

Cyclingnews spoke to one racer who questions trans eligibility under the condition of anonymity as she said the furore has made her feel unsafe.

"It is a new situation, this explosion of transgender women on UCI podiums. It doesn't affect us when podiums aren't involved," the rider said. "There is way more exposure when they podium and people are more aware of the situation."

The rider said people on both sides of the issue feel unsafe: transgender women and allies are more fearful, pointing to the recent deadly shooting at an LGBTQ club in Colorado Springs that led to the perpetrator being charged with hate crimes. On the other side, she says cancel culture has made riders who question transgender inclusion fearful of expressing their opinions.

"I support LGBTQ people, I'm part of the community and support transitioning - but I'm not sure it's completely fair [allowing trans women in women's fields]. We don't have enough knowledge of the controls, the requirements - we need more education," the rider said.

"But I don't support any hate. It's not OK. I'm against heckling in general - it's not constructive. But it should be OK to ask questions - but I don't feel safe questioning it publicly - I'll become a target and can lose my sponsors or my career. A lot of racers feel this way."

The stakes are far higher for transgender racers who fear recent escalations by small but vocal anti-trans groups could spill over into the cycling community and eventually lead to violence.

Molly Cameron, manager of the Point S Nokian women's team and a transgender racer for decades, said last year's Nationals protest was alarming.

She wants USA Cycling to use more direct messaging supporting the rules, saying anything less indirectly emboldens hate groups and reinforces the perception that any questions remain around the legitimacy of transgender athlete participation.

"The controls, requirements, and rules for transgender athlete participation have been well established and publicly available for decades," Cameron told Cyclingnews.

"At this point, any questions around transgender participation at any level of competition is simply willful ignorance of sporting rules, established science and is discrimination based on a perceived bias or misinformation."

To the protesters, Cameron suggests a more effective course of action would be to address the sporting authorities rather than harassing individual riders who are legally participating in the women's field.

"Fairness is defined by the rules that govern any given sport or competition," she says. "You can have as much hate in your heart as you want, but if you want to affect change, go to the governing bodies. Go lobby the UCI, lobby USA Cycling.

"I know that the people out there who don't want to see trans women in sport are already doing that, and that's the way to do it. I don't have a problem with that."

However, she says the shooting in Colorado Springs "has escalated things".

"It's such a leap for people that are not a part of any marginalized community to understand that anti-trans protesting and harassment is hate. But we can directly tie fearmongering and misinformation to the murder of LGBTQ folks. It's not only the gun violence in Colorado Springs. The cycling community doesn't get that or see it - I know that other athletes don't want anyone to get hurt or assaulted. I just think that they don't understand the direct connection here between these protests and actual violence."