Analysis: Lance Armstrong, Trans Athletes and the Policing of Women’s Bodies in Sports
thegavoice.comThere are only about 100 trans women athletes competing in the U.S., but trans women and girls in sports is one of the hottest topics in the country.
GOP presidential candidates are discussing it, GOP state legislatures are passing laws over it and on June 24, disgraced former world-class cyclist Lance Armstrong, added his commentary to the “debate.” Armstrong launched his new podcast, “The Forward Podcast with Lance Armstrong,” on Twitter where he tweeted, “Have we really come to a time and place where spirited debate is not only frowned upon, but feared?
Where people’s greatest concern is being fired, shamed or cancelled? As someone all too familiar with this phenomenon, I feel I’m uniquely positioned to have these conversations.” Attached to the tweet was Armstrong’s opening episode, in which he and Caitlyn Jenner, Trump-supporting former GOP candidate for governor of California and, many decades pre-transition, an Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete, “delve into the compelling topic of transgender athletes in sports.” The podcast declares, “As both a trans woman and athlete, Caitlyn provides her invaluable insights and impassioned viewpoint, shedding light on the crucial aspects of the subject.
Together, they [Armstrong and Jenner] thoughtfully discuss the effects transgender athletes competing in women’s sports has on women’s sports as a whole.” Well, not really.
