Transgender athlete Rachel McKinnon, a biological male who identifies as female, won the women’s Masters Track Cycling World Championships sprint title for the second year in a row.
“The 37-year-old, competing in the female 35-39 sprint category, had set a new world best time in qualifying,” according to the BBC. “The Canadian beat American Dawn Orwick for the gold, with Denmark’s Kirsten Herup Sovang claiming the bronze.”
McKinnon also took silver in the 500m time trial earlier in the week, BBC notes.
The athlete celebrated the win on social media and made a point of citing critics who’ve spoken out against biological men participating in women’s sports.
“This jersey, these medals, and this world record mean a whole lot more to me than my first,” McKinnon wrote via Instagram on Monday. “There were many more barriers this year, a much bigger spotlight, truly incessant hate and people doing everything in their power to have me banned, make me fail, and make me quit. But I didn’t. And I won’t.”
“I will be back next year,” the cyclist added. “I will be stronger and faster than ever. You can count on it.”
McKinnon also suggested via Twitter on Monday that being biologically male does not inherently offer him an advantage over biological women in the sport because “my body doesn’t produce testosterone anymore.”
“I’m just going to come out and say it: My body doesn’t produce testosterone anymore. And it hasn’t for nearly a decade. Draw your own conclusions,” the cyclist wrote.
I'm just going to come out and say it:
My body doesn't produce testosterone anymore. And it hasn't for nearly a decade.
Draw your own conclusions.
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Some biologically female athletes in the sport have spoken up about McKinnon’s participation. “The decision to let McKinnon race alongside cis female (people whose gender identity matches their biological sex) competitors has been criticised by some track rivals, including Victoria Hood,” reported The Independent.
“The science is there and it says that it is unfair,” Hood said.
Additionally, Jen Wagner-Assali, who placed third behind McKinnon at last year’s World Championships, called McKinnon’s first place finish “unfair.”
Responding to Hood, McKinnon posted a lengthy statement on Twitter Sunday, which deemed Hood transphobic and argued that “fairness in sports” means transgender “inclusion.”
“Ms. Hood has expressed an irrational fear of trans women. An irrational fear of trans women in the dictionary definition of transphobia. Transphobia has no place in sport,” McKinnon wrote.
“Dr. McKinnon supports trans people’s right to compete in their legally recognized gender,” the now two-time Masters Track Cycling World Champion added. “Fairness in sports means inclusion and respect of every athlete’s right an identity. #SportsIsAHumanRight.”
Poster girl label for transgender athletes unfair - McKinnon bbc.co.uk/sport/av/cycli… via @bbcsport
After last year’s victory over biological female athletes, McKinnon, who has conceded that biological men could have an advantage over biological woman in sports, similarly branded critics as transphobic.
Amid critics pointing out that there are basic, biological differences between men and women that give men advantages in some athletic competitions, McKinnon slammed detractors, The Daily Wire reported following McKinnon’s 2018 win.
“Lots of transphobic bigots are responding to my world championship win saying that ‘Next up, the paralympics.’ Hey women, you realize that ALL of these people (many of them women) are comparing you to disabled people…right? Women = ‘disabled men’ they think. Wow. Offensive,” McKinnon posted.
Lots of transphobic bigots are responding to my world championship win saying that 'Next up, the paralympics.' Hey women, you realize that ALL of these people (many of them women) are comparing you to disabled people...right? Women = 'disabled men' they think. Wow. Offensive.
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