‘Destroying women's sports’: Fury after transgender cyclist Rachel McKinnon defends world title
Canadian transgender athlete Rachel McKinnon defended the women’s sprint title at the Masters Track Cycling World Championships, causing outrage on social media as many labeled the win “unfair” and “discriminatory.”
The 37-year-old produced a dominant performance in Manchester, winning the women’s 200m sprint in the 35-39 category and defending the world title she claimed last year in the same event.
McKinnon, who had also set a new world best time in qualifying, beat Dawn Orwick of the USA and Denmark's Kirsten Herup Sovang, who settled for silver and bronze respectively.
The Canadian cyclist’s triumph caused outrage among sports fans, with the most vocal critics continuing to insist that transgender athletes who were born biological males should not be allowed to take part in women’s events.
“This male cyclist McKinnon has become a world champion racing against woman, and setting a new record time that no real woman will ever break,” one person wrote.
“Another male destroying woman's sports, so useless to compete in male sports they become champions in woman's, it's cheating and unfair.”
This male cyclist McKinnon has become a world champion racing against woman,and setting a new record time that no real woman will ever break. Another male destroying woman's sports,so useless to compete in male sports they become champions in woman's, it's cheating and unfair.
— David Martin (@dmartin20081) October 20, 2019
— david hall (@davidhall1963) October 19, 2019
“This is unfair on the female competitors,” another comment read.
This is unfair on the female competitors #SaveWomensSports
— Fiona Wade (@knit28) October 19, 2019
“Destroying women’s sports , I feel sorry for these female athletes having to compete on unfair playing field , first wave feminism is turning in its grave,” one more person added.
Destroying women’s sports , I feel sorry for these female athletes having to compete on unfair playing field , first wave feminism is turning in its grave
— Jamie Anderson 🇬🇧 (@AndersonJamie17) October 20, 2019
— Chris Bone (@Lincoln_Hornet) October 19, 2019
— Śâmī Güł (@Samigul69) October 19, 2019
Some users suggested that McKinnon intentionally chose the women’s category after being unable to compete against male competitors.
“Man who can’t beat men in his chosen sport, beats woman in her chosen sport,” a user fumed.
Man who can’t beat men in his chosen sport, beats woman in her chosen sport
— jon fearn (@yp56) October 19, 2019
“Women who used to identify as men shouldn’t be allowed to compete against women,” one more user added.
McKinnon claims that they just train harder. For context, here’s McKinnon celebrating their win, dwarfing female competitors on the left, but the winners of the male race in th same age group on the right. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions why McKinnon wants to race women pic.twitter.com/6u2xRkILd6
— inji duducu (@injiduducu) October 18, 2019
— Matthew ╰)"All Saints' Day is coming"(╯ Randall (@Matthew_Randall) October 18, 2019
Before the race, McKinnon defended her right to compete alongside female rivals, insisting that “preventing trans women from competing is denying their human rights.”
