Dr. Eric Vilain on Transgender Athletes in Sports | The Forward with Lance Armstrong

In the third part of this series, Lance sits down with Eric Vilain, M.D., Ph.D., a physician-scientist and professor with a background in genetics of sexual development. Together, they explore the intricacies of transgender athletes in sports, discussing the problem with outright bans, the notion of a level playing field in sports, and the possibility of a scientific verdict on this topic.
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[@napskate]

As a 50 year old male I competed in races that were open to both male and female athletes. These competitions were attended in some cases by some of the most elite competitors in the sport both male and female. When the race starts we are staggered at the start in groups but the grand vets (50-60) men started right behind the pro women's (18 - 25 year old) group. We always beat the women. Even with our much diminished testosterone levels.

[@darringrey4329]

What event are you competing in??? I'm guessing triathlon

[@Dunks27]

How long have you been on a T blocker and Estrogen? Oh you haven't! Guess what. Your experience as a cIs man is entirely irrelevant.

[@HolmsOnBikes]

I'm sorry, but his argument is absolutely ridiculous. Saying that we don't know that all these "trans women" are winning competitions solely because they're biological men....that is PRECISELY why they are winning. Leah Thomas was a below average men's swimmer...."transitions" to a "woman" and then dominates the women's category. Road cyclists are doing it too. Absolutely terrible mens cyclists identifying as women and then destroying the competition and becoming national champions. That is absolutely embarrassing and people better put an end to it soon. Women deserve to have their own space. A better solution has to be found.

[@adamjd7645]

If you recognise the need for separate men's & women's competitions, you have to recognise the advantage trans athletes have.

[@1vaneligbruker]

Trans women are not competitive in the men's division after 1 year on HRT.

[@ingeniousmechanic]

No such thing as 'trans', but yes, you are right.

[@lydiasoltis7666]

Funny. I sure seem to see the existence of trans people proven by science a lot...@@ingeniousmechanic

[@nuttynut722]

come on, we need an interview with Dr Ferrari

[@MS-un9zq]

Wow....yes....

[@AngelGonzalez-hc4zw]

Agreed!!

[@cmfall1986]

Lance- PLEASE have an actual biological woman on to discuss this. They are the people actually affected by this.

[@lydiasoltis7666]

Hello- biological woman here. Are you a woman? If not, maybe leave it to us as you said. :D

[@bspoynter]

Dr Eric Viain’s arguments that people’s fear over transgender athletes competing against women were pretty weak. I was not very impressed by him. He seemed to be unaware of all of the recent cases of transgender men dominating women. It is only going to get worse if something is not done. I think Lance has a better grip on the issue than Dr. Vilain.

[@milhouse53]

I agree with you. This scientist did not sound scientific. Also during conversations like this there must be an impartial logician present to call all the logical mistakes

[@lydiasoltis7666]

"only going to get worse"? What, will trans women start suddenly popping out of the ground? There are not many trans women; and not many trans women want to play sports. Women already have very different levels of skill, and different skillsets. If everyone played equally in sports, we wouldn't watch them.

[@djseitz425]

Lance…I wish you would ask the following question. “Why is it then, that we never see a female transitioning to a male competing in male sports?” The answer is obvious but it’s never asked because the answer is so obvious. This is a genuine question.

[@michaelmacmillan6915]

Chris Mosier (tri-athlete Olympian), Schuyler Bailor (Harvard Swim Team)... but also, who cares, the numbers are so small on both sides. Let people be who they want to be and let them compete. It's sport, that's it.

[@CrazyCanuck55]

@@michaelmacmillan6915 I agree with your examples that their are clear examples of trans-male athletes competing in their sport and performing well. The "who cares" comment is dismissive as clearly lots of people care. The issue is more complicated than saying its a sport move on.

[@ingeniousmechanic]

Because they don't want answers to THOSE questions, lol. Boys can't be girls.

[@lydiasoltis7666]

Is it obvious? Okay, then you must have noticed that cis women at the mercy of the politically powerful stand even less of a chance than trans women at being safe and actually being accepted. Women grow up at a disadvantage in more ways than physical strength, you know. We are also not expected to be as good as men. As such, I think that trans men are probably not taken as seriously, the debate is not as heated, and therefore they were not covered in this video.

[@lydiasoltis7666]

*Shoot, I miswrote that first line. I meant trans men... stand less of a chance than cis women at being safe and accepted by men in the field.

[@suzannemccaffrey3814]

So grateful to Riley Gaines! I am a Hall of Fame Women's Basketball Player. Title IX opened doors for me to attend college on a full scholarship. I worked HARD for years to rise to the top. Where are women's sports going? I do not care who you love. I care who competes against whom. Where are the WOMEN? It’s so sad that a few voices must speak for so many! How many women are asking to play in men’s games? ???? This shouldn't even be a conversation. Testosterone for men starts in the womb. Do your research! Look at the scientists who lost their jobs because they spoke out and stated the facts. (Carole Hooven)- she was teaching at Harvard. Men athletes "Took A knee" to have their issues addressed. And change happened. It was done in men's sports, so why not WOMEN! I have three amazing sons. This isn’t about hating sexes; it’s about fairness. "Women, please don't lay in any game where women aren’t playing against another woman. “Let’s call it take a KNEE.” “Women Take A Knee.” Bring your VOICES!

[@lydiasoltis7666]

"I don't care who you love"? Trans has nothing to do with love; it's about how someone identifies as an individual. Please do your research before coming on here. Additionally, women's sports seem to be getting on fine. My cousins just started watching women in soccer with more enthusiasm than they watch our annual superbowl. Women in sports get more recognition now than they have before. A couple trans people into the mix won't change that. Yes, women need to be recognized for the sports they worked very hard on. But I wouldn't try to exclude trans women from the picture on a national scale. Leave it to individual teams to decide how to choose the best players.

[@stephenbetley9596]

Incredibly frustrating. That Dr. Vilain repeatedly used cis firmly plants his flag on the mast. His guiding of the argument confirmed it. Repeatedly, as in this case, the discussion is done firmly from the male perspective, and wholly from the direction of males in female sport, and not the other direction. And nowhere in this was discussed the fundamental physiological differences between male and female athletes independent of the post-puberty phenotypical and biomechanical advantages. The reductionist viewpoint is seemingly all that is important, and relegating women to a relative absence of testosterone. That is somewhat a result of the Semenya period which has now been reversed to accommodate trans identifying males in female sports. An advantage doesn't have to be insurmountable, it just has to be differential. If we used that logic then what difference just a little bit of doping, just a little bit of growth hormone or epo. Competitive women are invariably of peak reproductive age. Performance is a result of training, rest & adaptation. The female menstrual cycle, that is too often ignored in this discussion, invariably has a significant effect on all these factors. It is a fundamental advantage that trans identifying males have over biological females. Orla Chennaoui chaired a podcast discussion on the topic of menstrual cycles and the effect on elite performance. Some real fallacies in the Drs logic re Bolt. Simple fact that all competitors have the same biological basis as the starting point. All sporting arenas filter out the creme during the competitive process. It doesn't have to be all the podiums for this to be an issue. It just has to be one.

[@11denco]

Thank you, did not anyone else's flag go up in regards to his comment about whether being a trans athlete gives an insurmountable or overwhelming advantage. Any advantage is an advantage.

[@milhouse53]

You are spot on. This Dr. villain lacks logic in many points

[@lydiasoltis7666]

Ah yes. I did notice that only Male-to-Female was mentioned, too. But if you think that him using terminology that is now scientifically relevant ("Cis") is "planting his flag on the mast" then you're in for a very rough life ahead of you, @stephen.

[@lydiasoltis7666]

Tell all that to the teammates of trans women who are happy to support their new teammates across many countries in different competitions. They are the only ones who should have a say in this. Who else is really affected? Are you??

[@stephenbetley9596]

@@lydiasoltis7666 You mean like the girls on the Lia Thomas swim team that were told to keep quiet and get on with it? Or the teams with woke TiM loving coaches who put them on the team because it's fashionable and gave them an advantage over their opponents depsite the clear case of increased physical threat to their opponents, such as in volleyball, football/soccer, rugby teams, and MMA, where direct physical injuries have happened. Who else is really affected? Their opponents and the teams the TiMs insert themselves. The girls and women who have lost scholarships, lost places on teams, lost titles to TiMs. The physical advantages are clear. You may state outliers of weedy blokes pretending to be women, but overall puberty gives a significant advantages to boys/men, and even before then before that skeletal differences give boys an advantage over girls. So, yeah calling BS on that.

[@kiely4561]

usain bolt could transition, go through all the neccesary testosterone reduction periods, put on a dress and some high heels and still oblitorate the best 100m female atheletes around right now, lets not pretend he woudn't even if we hurt some feelings here.

[@CFCMahomet]

Agreed. That is why it is a good thought experiment and also why it got the Professor fired up.

[@MrAgglo]

Assumptions and beliefs are not facts and should not be used for decision making.

[@kiely4561]

@@MrAgglo science, endocrinology and the understanding of human anatomy on the other hand is fact.

[@karenwiz259]

I saw that FloJo , the fastest female on the planet, would rank 7000 among the fastest men in the world that are training today. These people pushing for transwomen in women's sports keep saying that they aren't stopping women from competing but they are. For every space they occupy on a team, someone is being turned down.

[@lydiasoltis7666]

I think you're missing the "hypothetical" label here. If that were to hypothetically happen, maybe it would be fair to let Her competitors say if its fair or not. In the meantime... How are we to test the hypotheticals if we cut trans women from playing? Not good science to do that.

[@goldbean3491]

Men’s group. Woman’s group. Trans men group. Trans woman group. Unidentified group. There you go - problem solved. The problem will be funding the events for those groups. iE: the wage gap amongst woman and men sports… it’s been an uphill battle for woman sports, it still is. But the blueprint is right there. It seems that would be spun as some kind of disadvantage towards the said groups… but that just is what it is… trans cyclists or any sport, they need to represent the group, grow the brand… to be on that level. That’s just an opinion. There is no place for allowing born men to compete with woman.

[@djvincekline7338]

Fully agree with you. I think that these 3 other groups would be very boring to watch as there will always be one who is much stronger than the other people within that group. The 50/50 groups (men/women) have less issues with that. Although, eg. with women's cycling there are basically only 2 cyclists who win the races, Annemiek van Vleuten or Demi Vollering :-D I completely agree with the last sentence. A born men who exercised a lot will always win if they change to being a woman. Eg. Tania Pogacar, Johanna Vingegaard, Martina van der Poel..... Nope. Not fair.

[@djvincekline7338]

Although there are 2 women who play in football (soccer if you are from the States :-D . Both quite good. One is Antonia who plays for Man Utd and Susan Tadic who plays for Ajax :-D

[@1vaneligbruker]

And all of those groups should have equal pay

[@goldbean3491]

@@1vaneligbruker it doesn’t work like that.

[@1vaneligbruker]

@@goldbean3491 better hope it's not based on level of play, then the bio women wouldn't earn anything

[@kiely4561]

They say that the acceptable rate of testosterone in a trans athlete is 2.5 nmol/L which is around 72 ng/dL, Just as a example of how effective a male athlete can be even on low testosterone Ryan hall an American Olympic marathoner suffered with extremely low testosterone while he competed even to the point of hypogonadism as his levels dropped to the low 100s, yet he was still able to run marathon times well surpassed what any elite female runner could achieve, the residual affects of going through puberty as a male and all the benefits that gives the cardio vascular and skeletal muscular system meant he could still perform to an extremely high standard even with levels of test in his body bordering on what is deemed acceptable for trans athletes.

[@reflectionsdetail]

one could also argue that T is not as valuable in a Marathon event as it is in say a 100m.

[@kiely4561]

@@reflectionsdetail one can’t argue unless one can prove that with scientific evidence, if testosterone is not as “valuable” why are we not seeing elite women running 2:05 marathons?, the fastest elite female marathoners are over 10 minutes slower than men. testosterone is highly valuable because it changes the development of our cardiovascular and skeletal muscular systems.

[@matthewedwards2794]

"why exclude without science" .. why include without science???

[@Dunks27]

Trans women have already been included in women's sports for 45 years. The Olympics for 20 years. If you want to change that the burden of proof is on those seeking to exclude.

[@1vaneligbruker]

Strange pro discrimination take

[@matthewedwards2794]

@@1vaneligbruker is it though?

[@1vaneligbruker]

@@matthewedwards2794 yes. Excluding a minority is discrimination.

[@matthewedwards2794]

@@1vaneligbruker men are 50.4% of the global population, men should be excluded (as a majority) to allow the minority (women) their athletics. yes, i agree.

[@llaniray3722]

Thanks for having a nuanced conversation free from vitriol. There’s so much that needs to learned about fairness and justice for women’s sports. If biological males can compete in women’s sports, one wonders why have women’s sports at all?

[@jimklages3570]

I appreciate the conversations but claiming Norwegian and Singaporean winter athletes have the same access to training, etc. is ridiculous

[@glennoc8585]

I thought that too.

[@CFCMahomet]

I think that this Professor’s bias is very clear and his arguments are fair, fair to the trans community, but they certainly are not fair to CIS genders women’s athletics. The jury is still out on so many of these arguments because we haven’t had the time or even the pool of athletes to understand the argument and more importantly, the outcomes. But we do have good examples, and the Usain Bolt thought experiment is very compelling because Michelle Bolt would likely win by a large percentage again a CIS gender women’s field.

[@lydiasoltis7666]

I understand where you're coming from- but fairness should be up to the teammates, not the audience sitting on their couches. If you play with a trans women, then you have the right to speak your opinion and say it doesn't seem fair. If it doesn't affect you, is it really the biggest concern to worry about right now? Let it go.

[@JH-bq9zr]

Thanks Lance I hope there is a study. Caitlin already gave us the answer she drives the golf ball 100 yards further than other women golfers she plays with. If this was so easy why aren’t we discussing women transitioning to men

[@1vaneligbruker]

She also played as a female in a golf tournament.

[@reflectionsdetail]

I don't feel like I understand any better the Dr. arguments on this subject. It was a. difficult interview to listen to.

[@jimgraves665]

Thanks for diving into this Lance. I have always admired you.

[@JimChap]

@@abcxyz2927 Some people like to obsessively continue on with something pointlessly and without reward for themselves for years - even when no one else cares. Such people are often found in the comments sections of people they hate....Because they have nowhere else to go - ladies sure don't want to hear that shit, as they well know.

[@jvogel431]

Lance, please interview Dr. Ross Tucker and Dr. Emma Hilton if you want to understand the science and the differences in performance between men and women. It’s crystal clear. It is not nuanced. If you changed your name to Lacy Armstrong and started racing bikes again as a woman, you would win every event at every level of the sport. There are a few women who can be many men but there are many men who can beat every single woman. And T level is not relevant in the differences in performance. The differences are simply too profound to science away.

[@Dunks27]

Both your suggestions are widely debunked well known transphobes. Interview Harper, Hamilton, Cheung, Alvarez, Roberts, Cicchiarelli...

[@stephenbetley9596]

@@Dunks27 Transphobic as in fighting for womens rights? Typical labelling response to disagreeing with their standpoint. Hilton is a developmental biologist.

[@jvogel431]

A completely predictable reply. Label someone and you automatically discount them.

[@lydiasoltis7666]

Not untrue. I have seen some labelling higher up that caused my blood to boil a little as well :) For example, using terminology like "cis" is not choosing a side. It's just speaking scientifically. If you have one group called trans, you need a group name for the other that is not just "women". @@jvogel431

[@jeyel4722]

Blud is literally called villain 😭😭😭

[@OakleafOrganic]

Bruh!

[@vladpanov9121]

What a great guest! He really understands it and looks at it from a science perspective and you both make a great case that science and not politics should lead the way. Comparative advantage is so nuanced and we should avoid ‘imagining’

[@adamjd7645]

Sure, but then why isn't he arguing for getting rid of separate men's & women's competitions?

[@OakleafOrganic]

He's a tool and mouthpiece of the pro-trans thought-police gestapo

[@ingeniousmechanic]

'science perspective'?? 😂 No, he ignored ALL the science

[@lydiasoltis7666]

Thank you!! Friend. :D There was some real science discussed in there- especially the study that was partially ignored by the sports authorities. And this group in comments is ignoring that study in favor of hypotheticals a little too much.

[@S_Edward_Burns_ArtsEditor]

Also, there is the psychosocial part of sports competition which naturally requires a need for the competitors to know when they're going up against a male or female athlete, definitively.

[@Remi116]

Please interview women & girl's. Noone seems to care about what they think.

[@kyleshenk4756]

100%

[@brownknightr2208]

@@kyleshenk4756 not even women care

[@CFCMahomet]

Agreed. I want to hear from a feminist who is now finding her position turned against her by culture.

[@farty81]

Pielke and Vilain certainly don't.

[@Dunks27]

Yeah interview actual sports women like Sascha Acheson, Becky Sauerbrunn, Maddie Groves. Also interview trans sports women, amateur and elite.

[@tasonice9148]

I wish Lance wasn't the "I'm not scared of the w0kE mob" type because this conversation that he says he's trying to have is not matching the content we're seeing.

[@thisismyhandle999]

Dr. Vilain is rather disingenuous. Hubbard won the 2019 Pacific games, the 2017 and 2019 Commonwealth Games, the 2017 and 2019 Oceania Championships, the 2020 Masters Games and got silver in 2017 at the World Championships. The poor performance on the last Olympic games was due to coming back from an injury. If Laurel lifted a PB of 285kg that would have resulted an Olympic silver too. All of that is at being at least a decade older than all of the other competitors. So yes, sure, we don't know if there is an advantage... And that is just when we concentrate on winning. What about the women who lost their place, their chance to compete because of Hubbard? That matters too, not just the medals. And for the Aussie rugby GPS measurements...Dr. Vilain, these athletes suddenly become very gifted after transition despite the fact they were nothing like that before. Isn't that interesting?

[@roadglide]

7X never forget!

[@everythingturns]

not enough *eye rolls* to go around...

[@joelederer]

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a big Armstrong fan. Not because of the doping, everyone at that level was doing the same stuff, more due to the bullying, and the damage he’s done to the perception of the sport I love. But I’ll admit that I’ve been impressed with this series, and the intelligent and well-reasoned takes from the various guests. I’m glad someone is finally having these conversations..

[@milhouse53]

One has to define bullying. Why is it ok with you if everyone did transfusions and EPO then Lance is fine but if he did everything to win including intimidation then it is not? You are actually ok with him breaking the rules but not ok to breaking gray areas of sport ethics?

[@lydiasoltis7666]

@joe, Yes I agree :D This seems like a good series so far, I am learning a lot from both perspectives. Its been pretty neat. :)

[@wilkiebaggins]

Dr. Villain’s look’s definitely scream a lifetime of playing competitive sports….

[@taylorstover3931]

Dr. Eric Vilain, MD, PhD is such a knowledgeable and kind man to listen, I learned a lot...like you Lance I'm trying my best to be informed on this issue. Thank you for this series!!

[@ingeniousmechanic]

😂 he's a clown. XX and XY. ANYTHING else is a medical abnormality.

[@jobispot]

LA keep looking. You still haven't found those 3 "smarter people in the room".

[@1vaneligbruker]

Yeah he should have Jordan peterson and Matt Walsh

[@benjaminfranklin8412]

Gays and lesbians are not misogynistic and want women to have single-sex categories in sports.

[@bigjohnjo]

Bit of a frustrating conversation this one. He repeatedly said follow the science. But then says there is no science. Then says we need to be inclusive and admits we don’t have the science to be inclusive. He didn’t seem to want to give the issues with genetic testing and didn’t seem very happy with using testosterone as a valid metric to measure even though that seems to be the only settled scientific gauge as giving trans athletes the upper end of the women’s testosterone as the limit for the trans athlete to have. Says that’s not scientific as diseased women can have testosterone at up to 3.2 not 2.5. Thanks for putting this content out there guys to inform discussion, brings up some interesting perspectives to see the issue from, but from his approach I wouldn’t want to see him put in any serious position of influence on the issue.

[@lydiasoltis7666]

I think you misheard intentionally. He said that there was ONE study done and then NOT FOLLOWED- Maybe in some events men outperform women, but when these events were found in the study, that information was then NOT used to choose events that were inclusive or should be separated by biological strength. Maybe if the science was actually followed, we wouldn't be having this argument because there would be no sense of unfairness. The science was meant to separate men and women where it actually had an effect, not be mushed into whatever the sports authorities wanted it to be.

[@lydiasoltis7666]

Additionally, in events where trans women were able to play, at least one mentioned here went very smoothly. I'm no expert, but lets leave it to the person's teammates, eh? Not grous about something that really has no effect on us while pretending to care about women as our main purpose. Again. Woman here. :D Thank you!

[@cyclingninja6780]

“Breaking news!!! Steven Seagall is transitioning and wants to compete in MMA… 🤐” Great pods hombre… good shit.

[@napskate]

He would get crushed. his old fat body and fake aikido would never last.

[@adw802]

The problem with all of the pro-trans arguments is that it ignores the central, unprovable issue - had Thomas been born a female, grew up with a female body, trained with a female body, how likely is it that she would have achieved the same success in the female field? Would she have even pursued swimming to this competitive degree? It is observable fact that boys participate in sports at higher rates than girls. Girls that seriously pursue sport have exceptional drive and commitment, arguably more so than a male equivalent. We will never know. That means we must assume that if Thomas was born a girl, he would have reached female elite collegiate levels, which is unlikely. Male socialization, male training but then switch over to female as a mature athlete. Unfair on every conceivable level. Beyond that, what they want us to accept is that it is fair for females that must train up to female competitive levels to compete against males that sandbag down with artificial hormones to elite female levels. Nothing fair about it. Tired of males concluding what is fair/unfair in situations that only females must accommodate for.

[@1vaneligbruker]

It's only a issue if you make it one.

[@adw802]

@@1vaneligbruker Typical narcissistic bad faith take - males eliminating female sports is an issue whether I raise it or not. Reality doesn't cease to exist when one elects to ignore it.

[@lydiasoltis7666]

I love that you recognize the "sandbag" females face compared to males "male socialization, male training" but then turn around and use it to keep another minoritized group off the field (sarcastically)

[@imageitinerary]

interesting. this dr notes you can't compare M vs F, it has to be X vs F and he is saying there is no advantage in the later scenario. some may see X as M, and thus assume X carries the same advantages as M, but he is saying the stats don't support that claim.

[@RoelCyborg]

Example : If you hold a marathon with mixed men , women , trans-men ,trans-women , then the winners would be noted separately ,in the 4 categories , logic then says if in a swimming competition of women a trans-men joined in an she wins that she'll be the fastest trans (Champ in her category ) number one , and the second place winner a biological women (CIS ) she is the fasted number one of the women competition ,she still be the number one ,the champion ,the gold medal for the women's league --- I think the best thing trans supporters can do is make their own trans sports and compete all together , but if compete in the wrong category then the win should be an Uncredited

[@vincewega171074]

Great interview Lance! Great hardhitting and gripping topic of the day!

[@dieddf]

This is the best episode of the series so far, thx. Science to demystify popular toxic beliefs.

[@farty81]

Vilain (and Pielke's) logic is so moronic it's actually kind of exhausting to rebut. Women's sport does not exist to determine the genetic outliers that happen to be male. It exists to determine the talented women. There can be no level playing field in women's sport with men (however they identify) in women's sport because they are in a category that was specifically created to exclude them. This is not the same as growing up in a house where your parents bought you a basketball hoop and little Johnny in the block across the road didn't have one.

[@1vaneligbruker]

What about intersex people?

[@farty81]

@@1vaneligbruker All humans are either male or female. DSDs are male and female specific. Anyone with a Y chromosome or SRY gene is male and has male advantage because they androgenise testosterone. With the sole exception of CAIS (complete androgen insensitivity) individuals, which is an astoundingly rare condition. They are genetically male, but phenotypically female. They do not enjoy male advantage because they don't androgenise testosterone at all.

[@1vaneligbruker]

@@farty81 that is not how it works in sport any more. You would have to go back to the 90's

[@farty81]

@@1vaneligbruker it literally is how it works and why we separate sport by sex: male and female. That's why federations are, finally, sorting out their rules after letting the protections of the female category be eroded by ideologues.

[@michellevey9608]

Stay with this Lance! It goes beyond sports! Being who you feel you should be!

[@sarahkinum9900]

Honest question - if science has determined the genetic markers of a man and a woman, why is this not sufficient? And, as I asked yesterday - could LA PLEASE include bio-females in this conversation? I know JB said there were more interviews coming. Why don’t born-female women have a seat at the table?

[@jbhager8662]

It's coming

[@sarahkinum9900]

@@jbhager8662 🙏🏻🩷🙏🏻

[@glennoc8585]

Give him a chance

[@janholding5206]

Women with PCOS are not normally comprting at a high level due to the other issues that occur with this condition. Does the doctor have any evidence that some women athletes have PCOS...if not, he's using his "thinking" rationale which he talked about with the Usain Bolt example? Muddled!

[@RoelCyborg]

The one sport where you'll find out if its wrong or right to mix trans with biological women (in the women's category )is the fight sports , boxing ,MMA (mixed martial arts ) Cage fighting .

[@milhouse53]

Another interview with people who either cant or dont want to define the terms and concepts. If there is a category in a competition e.g. female, there has to be a definition of what it is, a criteria of how to define it and a measuring metrics. As a scientist, the gentleman from Paris must understand it. Sepastian Coe at least tries to define, set criteria and measure it.

[@jimklages3570]

Hoping for an interview with Riley Gaines and/or Hannah Arensman

[@hilltop1972]

Men who beat up on women, even after they cut their junk off, are dishonorable woosies.

[@lydiasoltis7666]

bit grisly. Also very rude.

[@ShawnStradamus520]

This is nonsense. Women's sports should be exclusionary to people with XX chromosomes, while everyone who want to can compete in an "open" category. Problem solved.

[@jimklages3570]

He may be very intelligent. Not sure that he is very wise.

[@JimChap]

I always wondered what the most unf%ckable guy from high school thought about gender identity. Thanks Lance.

[@lydiasoltis7666]

Well, that's just plain rude. Insults to physical appearance are the lowest form of insult one can give. Anyone can do that. Try harder.

[@brianharris706]

Lance, always a huge fan of yours . You once said instead of school you got a degree in Suffering. These girls are getting that same degree with there unbelievable hard work. But they are losing. I started getting into women s cycling because of The Move and your dedication and passion for them. I know you know that this is not fair brother. See you on TDF coverage.

[@farty81]

More lies about Semenya. Semenya is a 46XY male, who has fathered 2 children and lives as a dad outside of athletics. Semenya knows it, everyone who know him knows it.

[@miguelteixeira4134]

Please tell us more deplorable

[@farty81]

@@miguelteixeira4134 tell me where I'm wrong. I'll wait.

[@OakleafOrganic]

France has Nsxis too

[@janholding5206]

This doctor is muddled! Why are there no transmen athletes....maybe because they wouldn't be able to compete with high level athletes with any real chance of doing well. This issue affects women, not men. Women athletes need to refuse to compete if there is a transgener male in the field.

[@lydiasoltis7666]

Maybe leave the opinion to the competitors, then. :D

[@brownknightr2208]

I stoped listening to the podcast because Lance is not a fan of cycling like johan, is all stupid jokes ,Lance should try to be a comedian if that is what he is into ,now he wants to be a journalist, please give me a break ,Johan bruynel should have his own podcast with people yhat really love cycling.

[@brownknightr2208]

@@freddyjisp3146 and i free not to watch

[@jaymutina3843]

And yet you are here.

[@brownknightr2208]

@@jaymutina3843 and i didn't watch, just leave the comment. karen

[@glennoc8585]

Fair enough but Johan makes cycling his job and interest but doesn't ride a bike much if at all whereas Lance still bikes and does other stuff too so can't be as professionally interested as he might be able to.

[@MrTbayles2]

If they don’t have an advantage why are we not talking about Trans Men

[@1vaneligbruker]

Because you don't see them. Media doesn't care about them

[@lydiasoltis7666]

trans men?

[@Servicevelo]

The examples of Norway and Singapore alongside those of Usain Bolt are wrong. Neither Norwegians or Singapore nation as is along with Bolt asked or chose their physical attributes. Trans athletes do make alterations. Thomas was a very mediocre swimmer as a male but world class as a female. Forget science, Occam’s razor answers the question. And, there is no female on earth today that would be even close to Bolt. Sorry but there you have it. Maybe Mark Cavendish should identify as a woman, he’d clean up for another ten years as well as bettering Mercxk’s record in Le tour avec Zwift.

[@1vaneligbruker]

Norway has a huge advantage in winter sports.

[@KimoPollock]

I think Lia Thomas learned the art of sandbagging after beating XX women athletes by 200 meters in a race.

[@josephvansmirren9346]

Matt Walsh cmon lance

[@misspollyanna]

Laura Hubbard is 42... show me 42 F weight lifter of olympic standard or any 42 woman competing at that level? Hello perimenopause!

[@rachelbriggs8915]

The female lifter in new zealand retired because there was no point.

[@MaudMargretheRex]

The more I see, the less complicated..😂 and funny if its men not standing up for womens sports, hindering biological fairness in ALL sports?

[@molgur]

Common sense, men vrs men, women vrs women

[@lydiasoltis7666]

Too bad the world isn't just men and women (sarcastically)

[@glennoc8585]

Semanya very much looked like a man in features and shoulder width or a woman bodybuilder on the roids. That was an unusual case but highlighted how the dominant hormone have her an unfair biological advantage in womens athletic competition. Some sportsmen and women can or could compete together that isn't about athletic performance such as shooting, hang gliding, diving, hurling etc.

[@tarnw3301]

Do you mean Semenya? The XY runner who had male gonads (which produce sperm) and was allowed to participate in female sports because he has an intersex condition? Dude banked on other countries allowing him to cheat, like, unless you're South African, you should be furious that a man won over female athletes from your own country.

[@TimSchmidt_art]

The Doctor sounds just like ISMO, but only half as funny.

[@kyleshenk4756]

Not a single interview so far from a female…. This gentleman in the interview refuses to face the facts.

[@jbhager8662]

this is only 3 out of 7. More coming

[@southwestlegends6912]

@lancearmstrong or Juan Pelota…..when am I going to meet you??!! Invite me to Aspen to ride 🚲. Porfavor. 37 year old who went from looking up to you as a teenager to being disappointed to now seeing you as a hero again. Give me a fuckin chance to ride with you. I’ll fly to Aspen. I’m in Las Cruces, NM. Message me.

[@teachermatt]

This guys arguments are disingenuous.

[@TheLineOfBestFlat2]

Instead of using Usain Bolt as an example, why don't you try using Floyd Mayweather Jr instead. 🙃

[@Dunks27]

Or we could go with Patricio Manuel?

[@brippie]

The transphobia in these comments is downright visceral. Like there's an army of trans cyclists in the wings, waiting to take over. Don't worry citizens, I'm sure Lance will invite someone with more dogmatic views on the subject.

[@brippie]

@@abcxyz2927 Donald Trump is not arguing my cause.

[@brippie]

@@abcxyz2927 tsk

[@OakleafOrganic]

Why is everything honest, logical, and balanced referred to as "transphobic?"

[@OakleafOrganic]

@@abcxyz2927 what have you ever won in your whole life? Tell the truth, troll.

[@brippie]

@@OakleafOrganic That's possibly because your definition of "everything" is slightly skewed. This may warp your perspective a bit.

[@Calatriste54]

Psalm 2: 1

[@alaindenis509]

Yes Yes having thicker palms would have an athletic advantage in a competition

[@LarsRyeJeppesen]

There is no God. Get over it. Next..

[@alottaforchina6457]

what an intellectually dishonest PoS.

[@christopherandstephaniehil5782]

Had enough. STOP

[@MrAgglo]

Or just stop watching and wait for TdF content that won't force you to think about uncomfortable topics?

[@Jessicajanelove]

I smell BS

[@OakleafOrganic]

Michelle Bolt-Obama

[@scottgarvin4411]

Lance is a “bow down to the mob” punk

[@glennoc8585]

Hes trying to hold a neutral position and that's not easy to do in a podcast blog situation. I think he's doing his best

[@jobispot]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caster_Semenya