Skateboarder Taylor Silverman joins Riley Gaines, rails against trans cyclist racing in women’s championship
Transgender cyclist Austin Killips will compete in the women's division of the 2023 USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships.
Trans athletes in women’s cycling championship division is ‘simply unfair’: Taylor Silverman
Female skateboarder Taylor Silverman sounds off on governing sports bodies allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s divisions ahead of the 2023 USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships.
One female skateboarder will join former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines in protest of transgender cyclist Austin Killips competing in the women's division of a cycling championship event this weekend.
"I will be joining Riley and other female athletes this weekend in Knoxville, Tennessee at the Pro National Women's Championship cycling," Taylor Silverman said on "Varney & Co" Thursday.
"I hope that UCI and USA Cycling hears us and decides to change the rules that currently allow male athletes like Killips to compete in the women's division because it's simply unfair. And it is not right that the women have to miss out on their opportunities because of one person's feelings."
The UCI and USA Cycling did not return Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Killips is racing in the 2023 USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships this weekend in Knoxville, Tenn. Earlier this month, however, Killips won in the women's division of the Belgian Waffle Race North Carolina.
The runner-up in the women's division was Paige Onweller, who finished four minutes behind Killips. After her defeat, Onweller discussed the controversy that surrounded Killips crossing the finish line first with a positive message for cycling.
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"For those following women’s road cycling, you are aware of the UCI rule that this is currently allowed. Rather than sharing my personal opinions about the UCI rule, I think it’s most important to recognize that all athletes, no matter how they identify, should have a space to compete and race," she said in a news release, via Cycling News.
"Additionally, underneath all helmets is a face and a person who deserves respect, dignity and a safe space to ride bikes," Onweller stated in a news release, via Cycling News.
Silverman has experienced competing against biological males three times in the skateboarding world. On two occasions she was "bumped out" of first place.
"Two of those times I actually got bumped out of first place into second, and I've also lost out on prize money. I understood that this was not fair. It was wrong, so I reached out to contest organizers after the third contest and it was with Red Bull. So I reached out to them and raised my concerns and they completely ignored me, which led me to share my story on social media, where I truly began to understand how big of an issue this was," Silverman told host Stuart Varney.
Female skateboarder Taylor Silverman is protesting a transgender athlete competing in the womens division at the 2023 USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships. (FOX Business)
Since she first made a stand against transgender athletes in women's sports, Silverman said she has received some backlash but has predominantly found immense support from other athletes, parents and coaches.
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"I've gotten a little bit of backlash – online hate and bullying. But for the most part, and especially in real life, I've received nothing but support. I get hundreds of thousands of messages every month from people thanking me for speaking up, whether that be female athletes, parents, coaches, and I've gotten everything from job offers to marriage proposals. So there are people who are very grateful that I'm using my voice on this issue."
She also encouraged others who are thinking of speaking out to "use their voice."
"I think a lot of people are scared to use their voice, but I really want to encourage people to speak up too, because you will receive support."
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There have been several proposed solutions to the controversy around transgender athletes including some calling for a separate league and others saying the athletes should compete in the gender division of their biological sex.
After losing in North Carolina, Onweller said she feels a separate category for transgender athletes is an "appropriate" solution.
"In the future, I feel a separate category is appropriate, but event promoters are also learning what is best to preserve both female cycling while also creating an inclusive space for all to ride. These things take both time and grace to resolve," Onweller said.
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Silverman agreed with Onweller that a separate category could be a solution but affirmed that the current rules in many sports allowing biological men to compete in women's divisions in "not working."
"I think that's one possibility, or it could possibly be a solution in people competing in the category that aligns with their sex. But what we know for sure is what we're doing now is not working, and that female athletes should not lose out because of male athletes in their division."
Fox News' Scott Thompson contributed to this report.