Hannah Arensman, a 35-time winner on the national cyclocross circuit, issued a heartbreaking statement in an amicus brief filed to the Supreme Court over the sports transgender policy. She wrote:
“At my last race at the recent UCI Cyclocross National Championships in the elite women’s category, I came in 4th place, flanked on either side by male riders awarded 3rd and 5th places.
“I was born into a family of athletes. Encouraged by my parents and siblings, I competed in sports from a young age, and I followed in my sister’s footsteps, climbing the ranks to become an elite cyclocross racer.
“Over the past few years, I have had to race directly with male cyclists in women’s events.
“As this has become more of a reality, it has become increasingly discouraging to train as hard as I do only to have to lose to a man with the unfair advantage of an androgenized body that intrinsically gives him an obvious advantage over me, no matter how hard I train.
“I have decided to end my cycling career.
“At my last race at the recent UCI Cyclocross National Championships in the elite women’s category in December 2022, I came in 4th place, flanked on either side by male riders awarded 3rd and 5th places.
“My sister and family sobbed as they watched a man finish in front of me, having witnessed several physical interactions with him throughout the race.
“Additionally, it is difficult for me to think about the very real possibility I was overlooked for an international selection on the US team at Cyclocross Worlds in February 2023 because of a male competitor.
“Moving forward, I feel for young girls learning to compete and who are growing up in a day when they no longer have a fair chance at being the new record holders and champions in cycling because men want to compete in our division.
“I have felt deeply angered, disappointed, overlooked, and humiliated that the rule makers of women’s sports do not feel it is necessary to protect women’s sports to ensure fair competition for women anymore.”
According to Fox News:
Arensman was one of 67 athletes, coaches and family members who called on the Supreme Court to vacate the preliminary injunction.
The brief was filed in support of the state of West Virginia and its Save Women’s Sports law.
The legislation seeks to keep transgender student-athletes at all level of competition to play against those with the same biological gender instead of the gender they identify as.
🧑⚖️67 athletes & supporters in our network filed an amicus brief to #SCOTUS in support of WV’s law protecting women’s sports. This is the 1st case to come before the Supreme Court addressing today’s threat to women’s athletics.
Among the 67 female athletes…
— ICONS Women (@icons_women) March 15, 2023
Women & girls deserve safe & fair competition at every age & every level. We will continue to bring their voices to the forefront in the battle for justice for female athletes. #WomensSportsWednesday #SaveWomensSports
*Full brief⬇️https://t.co/MDq6zzeVi2
— ICONS Women (@icons_women) March 15, 2023
Forget the fact that AK is a biological male. He/She should have been DQ for this move which was only one of at least 3 attempts to put Arnesman into the tape. I was standing right there when one of the others happened. You can do better. pic.twitter.com/pySpaOXnty
— Tom Pearman (@TomHPearman) December 12, 2022
