Transgender cyclist Anna Skinner has been cleared to compete in the Hunter Civil mountain biking event in November. Photo: 123rf
Cyclist Anna Skinner says competing in the Hunter Civil six-hour mountain biking event in November is "of huge significance" after doing a lot of self-advocacy to compete.
Skinner is transgender and had to prove her eligibility to compete in the women's category at the event.
Skinner told Morning Report that this is her third time competing in the women's category at events, and it has been a long journey for her to get to this point.
Trans woman excited to compete in mountain biking event
"What I've had to do is state my case on three separate occasions, and the support I've had and the reception I've had has been really amazing."
But Skinner has faced push-back along the way, and believes it has to do with the public opinion of trans women competing in sport.
"For me to be able to compete in this upcoming event in November is another step in the right direction, and it's important that the message is put out there that there's no advantage being born a biological man to now compete as a woman."
At an elite level, the UCI has a blanket ban on anyone competing in women's events who have transitioned after male puberty, which is a stance that Skinner agrees with for now.
"There was a great deal of work done around that decision last July, and they had stakeholders attending that meeting in Europe to discuss the whole subject around trans women.
"Given the knowledge they had at the time and the research that they'd done, they came to that decision.
"But that's not to say that in the future, with further research and knowledge that things will change."
At an amateur level, Skinner believes it is important that she can compete as a woman after being a trans woman for 10 years and does not believe she has a biological advantage.
She also has to provide evidence of testosterone levels to be able to compete.
Skinner has been on hormone replacement therapy for seven years, and her body has undergone changes during that time, including a loss of muscle mass, which has had an impact on her strength.
"It does come down to a case-by-case basis, and I've done everything I can to follow the guidelines of the event.
"I meet all those requirements. My testotorone is under one nanomole now which is hardly anything at all."