Transgender Women and the SheRACES Trail Series
Shane Ohly, CEO of Ourea Events
INTRODUCTION
We launched the new SheRACES Trail Series yesterday, inadvertently initiating a debate about transgender participation at our events. I recognise that the language on the SheRACES Trail Series website was not considered enough at first. I want to clarify our approach to transgender participation and, at the same time, apologise for any offence that we might have caused.
We have two core objectives at the SheRACES Trail Series:
We want to facilitate a female-only race so that competitive women can race against each other without the presence of male participants diluting their race-day experience.
We want to facilitate the participation of underrepresented females of all backgrounds and ethnicities at trail and ultra-running events with a program of outreach and inclusivity.
We are acutely aware that transgender women are already a marginalised minority group and that restricting their participation conflicts with the goals of objective two above. However, to actively include other groups of underrepresented women, we need to exclude those who are not cisgender women.
The key values of sport are safety, fairness, integrity, and inclusivity. On this occasion, the values of fairness and integrity in women’s sports conflict with the values of inclusivity, and whatever choice we make, we will marginalise another minority group.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AT OUREA EVENTS
Ourea Events is committed to ensuring that our events are accessible to as many people as possible. We are committed to fostering an environment where all participants feel welcome and valued and can compete fairly and equally. Our mission is to create world-class running events that are inclusive, respectful, and sustainable while upholding the core values of fairness and integrity in sport.
We recognise that participating in mountain and trail running events means challenging yourself, achieving big objectives, exploring new places, meeting like-minded people, and enjoying the natural world. These activities are key to feelings of self-worth, confidence, life satisfaction, and mental well-being. Ourea Events believes that these experiences should be equally accessible and enjoyed by all.
TRANSGENDER ATHLETES
We have always followed UK Athletics policy regarding the competitive participation of transgender athletes and continue to do so. In March 2023, the World Athletics statement on Transgender and DSD Regulations was published, and the UK Athletics Policy was comprehensively updated to reflect this.
Additionally, Ourea Events complies with the Equality Act 2010 and its protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity). The Equality Act 2010 and Gender Recognition Act 2004 support the position of UK Athletics and sporting federations worldwide, which routinely distinguish between men and women in sports and competitions.
UK Athletics has stated that it has, “…received the required assurances from relevant bodies that the sporting exemption in the Equality Act 2010 applies to the Gender Recognition Act 2004”.
In a recent news story, BBC News helpfully added this explanation, “That [the] exemption states sporting organisations can discriminate on grounds of sex in a "gender-affected activity" and discriminate on grounds of gender reassignment where necessary to secure "fair competition" or "the safety of competitors".
FEMALE ONLY EVENTS
While most of our events are mixed-gender (and we welcome transgender participants), the SheRACES Trail Series is designated as “Female Only.” Across our whole portfolio of races, we want to encourage participation from all members of society and respect the diversity of the running community. However, we also recognise the complexities of gender identity and that some individuals are only comfortable participating in more restricted conditions, such as same-sex environments.
With this in mind, our “Female Only” races are limited to cisgender women (that is, individuals who were assigned female at birth and continue to identify as female).
We recognise that we have used the phrases women and female interchangeably in some instances when discussing the SheRACES Trail Series, but they have technically different meanings. For clarification, when we have stated, “A woman’s place is on the start line”, we are talking about cisgender women in this context.
WHY ARE WE RESTRICTING TRANSGENDER WOMEN FROM THE SHE RACES TRAIL SERIES?
Research carried out by SheRACES clearly shows demand for female-only events. In this instance, please accept that this means cisgender women. In the survey, 12% of respondents said that they ‘would not enter a race’ if they allowed transgender women to compete. This 12% represents groups of cisgender women who currently feel unable to participate in trail and ultra-running events (for a variety of reasons such as religious beliefs or having been victims of gender-based violence).
On social media, our policy has been described as transphobic. I want to reassure everyone that it is not. I am open-minded to the suggestion that this 12% statistic represents an underlying transphobic attitude, which is unacceptable. However, asserting a right to a female-only space is not in itself transphobic and is legally protected. When creating this female-only trail series, we have sought to balance three key principles, which we hope will open up participation opportunities for the widest possible cross-section of women:
1. Fairness in Competition
Fair competition is the cornerstone of all sports. Our female-only races recognise the physical advantages that can arise from biological differences, particularly in endurance events such as trail and ultra running. Our female-only races are structured to ensure a level playing field for participants assigned female at birth. This decision is based on the latest scientific research and the overwhelming opinion of sports scientists whilst aligning with broader discussions in international sports.
2. The Integrity of Women’s Sport
Female-only categories play a vital role in promoting and safeguarding opportunities for women in competitive sports. Establishing these categories ensures that women are celebrated and supported in their athletic achievements, free from disparities that may arise from physical differences between sexes. This focus helps to maintain the integrity of women’s competition.
3. Inclusivity and Respect
We deeply value the diversity of identities within the running and outdoor community, including transgender athletes. While our female-only events follow eligibility criteria based on biological sex, we welcome and encourage transgender women to participate in either a non-binary category or as a non-competitive participant in the women’s category at all our other events. At the SheRACES Trail Series, we have made the difficult decision that the inclusion of transgender women excludes some cisgender women who would only, or would prefer, to participate in a same-sex environment.
This policy has not been adopted lightly. It reflects careful consideration of the current scientific understanding (in terms of competitive sport), ethical debate, feedback from our participants, and primary research by SheRACES. We continue to review and evolve our approach in line with emerging evidence, changes in guidance from governing bodies, and dialogue within our community.
Ourea Events believes that fairness, inclusivity, and respect are not mutually exclusive but must be thoughtfully balanced. We are committed to maintaining open communication with all participants to foster an environment that celebrates the shared joy of sport while respecting the values that underpin it.
We do not intend to change this approach for the SheRACES Trail Series. However, Ourea Events is a business that has grown over many years by carefully listening to the running community. I welcome any comments and feedback you might have about how we can do more for transgender participants who are welcome at all our other events.