Teachers who become aware that a child intends to transition will be expected to tell their parents, the UK government’s long-awaited guidance on the topic is expected to say.
After months of speculation, the government is expected to issue guidance this week on how schools should respond if a child says they plan to socially transition.
According to The Guardian, teachers in England will not have to “out” children to their families if they are simply asking questions about gender identity – the Tories’ right-wing faction apparently pushed to make this a feature of the guidance.
In the end, the government seemingly decided that children asking questions about gender at school was fine – but the guidance will draw the line at transition plans.
“Children can be very confused about these things and just want to have a conversation about it and what it all means with a trusted adult,” a government insider told The Guardian.
“That shouldn’t necessarily mean it is automatically flagged to parents.”
Tories initially wanted to ban social transition at school
The guidance is set to be issued after months of delays, leaks and backlash from both those in favour of improving trans rights and those opposed.
The government’s schools guidance first made headlines months ago when it was reported that ministers wanted to ban social transition in schools entirely.
Social transition generally refers to changing a name, pronouns or presentation – a young person who does so may dress differently, but social transition varies from person to person.
However, after months of internal wrangling – and warnings that doing so could be unlawful – ministers apparently realised that they would have to introduce new legislation to ban social transition in schools.
A Tory insider told The Guardian that women and equalities minister Kemi Badenoch “was not planning any change” to equalities legislation but that she “would generally like to go further” on the guidance.
However, they said she is not currently planning on amending legislation.
“If you open up the equalities act then lots of other groups would want to make changes and you’re also likely to have people pushing for stronger protections on trans issues than we already have,” an insider said.
In addition, the government’s guidance is expected to advise schools that they should have separate toilets and changing facilities for boys and girls.
However, another part of the guidance has been dropped – the government reportedly wanted the guidance to say that children who want to socially transition should have to see a doctor before doing so. That will no longer be a part of the guidance after the NHS said it didn’t have capacity.
A gay man has expressed his horror and hopelessness after learning that he will be deported back to Uganda after living in Canada for five years.
The 25-year-old man, who came to Canada in 2018 as an international student, and has since worked in Edmonton, Alberta as a nurse, ran out of options this year when his work visa expired and his application for refugee status was rejected.
Uganda has become one of the most dangerous countries for LGBTQ+ people this year, with the introduction of its harsh Anti-Homosexuality Act.
A gay man is set to be deported to Uganda after failing to obtain refugee status in Canada because he cannot definitively prove his sexual orientation. (Getty)
Despite the inherent danger that awaits him at home, the man, who remained anonymous when speaking to Canada’s Global News to protect his identity, has had his refugee application and all subsequent appeals rejected.
The man, who is identified by the news outlet as “Sue”, explained that his refugee application was rejected because they couldn’t prove his sexual orientation.
“I don’t know how to prove… How am I supposed to prove that I’m a gay man? I just told you I am a gay man,” he said.
Lawyer Michael Battista, who also spoke to the publication, said that Sue had done his best to verify his sexual identity, providing evidence of his participation in the LGBTQ+ community in Edmonton, and an affidavit from a well-known Ugandan LGBTQ+ activist to verify that he is gay. But so far, this hasn’t made a difference in Sue’s case.
“I have nowhere to go,” Sue said. “I’m stranded and even the place I thought would comfort me is forcing me out.
“It’s hard to explain the feeling, but right now I feel like I have nowhere to go.”
Sue admitted that he had presumed that in Canada he would be “comfortable” and “fine as I am”.
He continued: “The fact that I have to prove my sexuality beyond reasonable doubt is quite ridiculous to me.
“This whole thing is a horror. I feel like I’m in a nightmare and I really want to wake up, but I cannot. I’m just praying and hoping that the government can intervene.”
If nothing changes, Sue, who began his application process back in April 2022, will be deported on Tuesday (19 December).
Battista noted that he couldn’t understand why Canada hadn’t put a moratorium on the deportation, which he said could be done for people who would be returning to communities where they’d be put in danger.
“Given the deterioration of the human rights situation in [Uganda], it would be, I think, a very good policy move on the part of the government of Canada,” he said.
While he waits in limbo for the next few days, it’s hard for Sue not to think about what might await him in Uganda.
“My whole family abandoned me so even if I reach the airport, I don’t know where I’m going to stay. I don’t know where I’m going to go. I’ve run out of options.”
“There is a very high chance that I’ll be arrested and tortured, just for identifying as a gay man. This is really something very, very disheartening that a fellow human being can treat someone harshly.”
Sue has also written to Alberta MP Randy Boissoneault about his case, the office of whom told Global News that they were aware of his situation and working with immigration officials.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) told the outlet that the “decision to remove someone from Canada is not taken lightly” and “all individuals who ae subject to removal have access to due process and procedural fairness.”
Their statement read: “Canada is monitoring the situation in Uganda and remains committed to offer refugee protection to those who need it, including individuals who have been persecuted on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, and sex characteristics.”
Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill has sparked an enormous outcry from LGBTQ+ rights and human rights groups around the world, with the US going as far as to revise travel guidance to the country and imposing sanctions against Ugandan officials.
Still, the country has insisted that it won’t sway, and has accused the US of pushing “the LGBT agenda in Africa.”
Three Florida teachers are taking matters into their own hands and suing the state over a law that forbids them from using their preferred pronouns at work.
In a legal complaint filed against the state government in Tallahassee, the plaintiffs argued that not only is the law designed to “stigmatise” the trans community, but legislators have not explained how the law is supposed to “protect children” as they have claimed.
“Through all these laws, Florida intentionally sends the state-sanctioned, invidious, and false message that transgender and non-binary people and their identities are inherently dangerous, especially to children,” the complaint states.
“Florida’s goal behind these laws is to stigmatise and demonise transgender and non-binary people and relegate them from public life altogether.”
The state law, which took effect in July, forces school employees to use pronouns that do not match their gender identity, and bans them from requesting that students to refer to them by their preferred pronouns.
One of the plaintiffs, a transgender maths teacher identified as Ms Wood, was told by Lennard High School that she could no longer be referred to as “Miss” despite having legally changed her name and gender marker years prior.
While most students still call her Ms Wood, some have opted to call her “Teacher Wood” to prevent potential punishment for breaching the law. She is not allowed to correct a student if they misgender her.
Fellow plaintiff Mx Schwandes, who is non-binary, was fired from their job in October after they refused to stop using they/them pronouns or gender-neutral honorifics such as “Mx”
The plaintiff’s lawyers argue in the complaint that the law is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as well as Title IX of the Education Amendments and the 14th Amendment.
“Florida has stigmatised plaintiffs, threatened their psychological wellbeing, upended the respect that is owed to them as educators and that is necessary for a safe workplace and functioning classroom, and put their professions and families’ wellbeing on the line,” the complaint reads.
Under Ron DeSantis, the state has enacted a number of anti-LGBTQ+ laws that target schools, including the reviled ‘Don’t Say Gay‘ bill banning the discussion of LGBTQ+ issues and idenities in the classroom.
Florida extended thisa censorship in April after voting to ban classroom instruction on LGBTQ+ topics in all public school grades.
New data shows a record-breaking number of businesses are displaying true LGBTQ+ allyship to their employees, proving they “aren’t buying” mounting anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation issued its Corporate Equality Index (CEI) this week, and determined that the workforce is “more allied than ever before.”
The CEI, launched by the HRC Foundation in 2002, is a survey that measures company policies and practices regarding LGBTQ+ equality.
In its first year, 319 businesses participated to determine if their policies were up to scratch. This year, 1,384 companies took part in the review – and the results were overwhelmingly positive.
The CEI reports that a record-breaking 95 per cent of businesses reviewed have non-discrimination protections in place specifically regarding gender identity. That’s an exceptional jump from 2002’s five per cent.
A record-breaking number of businesses are displaying true LGBTQ+ allyship to their employees. (Getty Images/PinkNews)
Equally as promising is the 94 per cent of businesses that offer transgender-inclusive health insurance coverage to employees, compared to 0 per cent in 2002.
Noting that these exceptional figures come at a time when the LGBTQ+ community is under attack by people “hoping to eradicate our identity and push us back in the closet”, HRC President Kelley Robinson said that it looks like “businesses aren’t buying it.”
“The future workforce is more out and allied than ever before in our nation’s history, and this year’s CEI shows a business community looking for ways to further support LGBTQ+ workers and their families,” she added.
This year’s review also found that 70 per cent of CEI-rated businesses have guidelines and supportive policies and guidance in place to pro-actively support employees going through a gender transition, as well as their managers and colleagues.
And 63 per cent of the businesses have policies that ensure a safe and affirming environment for transgender and non-binary employees, including trans-inclusive or all-gender restrooms, gender-neutral dress codes, and how an employee’s information, such as name and pronouns, is displayed.
Of the businesses reviewed by the HRC Foundation this year, an impressive 545 companies scored a perfect 100 and will be honored with HRC’s Equality 100 Award as Leaders in LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion.
Companies that took part in the CEI rating range from Fortune magazine’s 500 largest publicly traded businesses, American Lawyer magazine’s top 200 revenue-grossing law firms (AmLaw 200), and hundreds of publicly and privately held mid- to large-sized businesses.
Among the companies that earned a perfect score were household names like Apple Inc., AMC Entertainment, Dominos Pizza Inc., Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Google Inc., Mars Inc., Paramount, Pfizer Inc., Visa, and Warner Music Group – to name but a few.
Commenting on this year’s optimistic findings, Rashawn Hawkins, the HRC’s Senior Director of Workplace Equality, said: “For well over two decades, businesses have played an important role in furthering LGBTQ+ equality by centering employee needs and voices when it comes to workplace inclusion.
“While there is much more work to be done, year-over-year growth in CEI participation is evidence of a business community that recognizes the responsibility and value in upholding equity and inclusion.”
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has come under fire for endorsing Starbucks, despite the coffee chain’s alleged anti-union and anti-LGBTQ+ actions over the past year.
As part of its 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index report, the human rights group listed Starbucks Corporation among several other companies to gain a perfect score of 100 for its LGBTQ+ rights protections.
The HRC wrote that the score was given to companies that it believed “took concrete steps to establish and implement comprehensive policies, benefits and practices that ensure greater equity for LGBTQ+ workers”.
But the decision has been met with widespread criticism from LGBTQ+ activists who have argued the company has used LGBTQ+ rights as a threat in its anti-union campaign over the past few years.
Following a string of Starbucks locations unionising throughout 2022 and 2023, staff have alleged that gender-affirming care benefits under the company’s healthcare plan could be dropped if unionisation continued.
Speaking to Bloomberg in June 2022, one trans member of staff claimed that her manger used a “veiled threat” to prevent unionisation, suggesting that trans-healthcare-related benefits could worsen if a union was formed.
A spokesperson for Starbucks told CNBC at the time that the claim was false.
A similar story in June this year had the report that Starbucks workers had alleged that the company prevented staff putting up Pride decorations in one outlet.
“If Starbucks was a true ally, they would stand up for us, especially during a time when LGBTQ+ people are under attack,” a statement from Starbucks Workers United (SWU), which first aired the allegations, said.
“A company that cares wouldn’t turn their back on the LGBTQ+ community to protect their already astronomically high profits.”
In a statement given to PinkNews, Starbucks said that no change to corporate policy on Pride decorations had taken place and that it was still “unwaveringly” supportive of the community.
“Starbucks has a history that includes more than four decades of recognising and celebrating our diverse partners and customers – including year-round support for the LGBTQIA2+ community,” the statement read.
Strike action was scheduled in June after the SWU claimed that unfair labour practices and a “refusal to bargain over changes in Pride decoration policies” resulted in “hypocritical” treatment of queer workers.
Starbucks award
At the time of reporting, more than 366 Starbucks outlets, with more than 9,100 employees across the US, have unionised.
Workers are currently pressing for a higher minimum wage to help tackle the cost of living crisis, as well as fighting for “fair scheduling procedures” and guaranteed minimum hours for workers.
The company has been accused by several groups and political figures of employing union-busting tactics.
In March, senator Bernie Sanders clashed with ex-Starbucks chief executive, Howard Schultz, after the former presidential candidate accused the coffee giant of “the most aggressive and illegal union-busting campaign in the modern history of our country”.
In response, Schultz said he was confident that Starbucks had not broken the law and that officials “want to treat everyone with respect and dignity”.
The HRC gave the company five out of five for workforce protection criteria and a perfect score for corporate social responsibility.
HRC also awarded top marks to the Walt Disney Corporation, which just last year was heavily criticised for removing a same-sex kiss from the animated film Lightyear.
When he made the tough choice to flee Uganda, in the wake of the country’s draconian anti-LGBTQ+ law being passed, activist Henry Mukiibi thought: “What have I left behind?”
Mukiibi, the executive director of LGBTQ+ group Uganda’s Children of the Sun Foundation (COSF), has been on the run and living in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, since earlier this year, after receiving information that the authorities at home wanted to arrest him under the new anti-homosexuality legislation.
The Anti-Homosexuality Act, which was enacted in May and carries the death penalty for certain same-sex acts, has unleashed a torrent of abuse against LGBTQ+ people in the country. Several queer individuals have beenarrested. Others, including Mukiibi, managed to escape as their government enacted one of the harshest anti-LGBTQ+ laws in the world.
Mukiibi tells PinkNews that the situation in Uganda is worse than it has ever been.
COSF’s services, which provide healthcare and legal assistance as well as shelter for vulnerable people, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, have been affected by the legislation.
Mukiibi says he witnessed people become “so homophobic” that they “started attacking” COSF committee members, “beating them because of who they are”.
He adds: “What we did was ask the people who are close to them to bring them to the clinic, and we are giving them healthcare services to see that they get treatment.
“Evictions have become too many because the bill had a phrase which said landlords should not give LGBT people shelter or houses to rent. Many people were evicted.
“Those whose landlords knew their identities, they were evicted because the landlords fear they will also be taken to prison.
“We welcomed those people into our shelter, but unfortunately, our shelter’s landlord wrote me an eviction letter since they know I’m a queer person.”
Henry Mukiibi fled Uganda, but life is ‘really hard’ in Kenya as he waits to be resettled in another country. (Henry Mukiibi/COSF Uganda)
Under Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act, queer people can face life imprisonment or even the death penalty in cases involving so-called “aggravated homosexuality”, which can include having sex with a minor or vulnerable person, having sex while HIV-positive or engaging in incest.
Someone simply advocating for LGBTQ+ rights could be jailed for 20 years, and individuals renting to LGBTQ+ people face up to a seven-year prison sentence.
Mukiibi says life is really hard in Nairobi as he waits to be resettled in another country. While fearing for his own safety, he still thinks about the LGBTQ+ community trying to survive in Uganda.
“If I’m evacuated, what am I leaving behind?” he asks. “They have this saying: ‘I cannot be a hero twice’.
“I’m also trying to see that we are working remotely so our community members get the services they need. The reason I came up with the idea of the clinic was that sometimes the LGBT community are discriminated against in facilities, and I recently witnessed it.
“People went [to] healthcare providers who are preaching to them to beat homosexuality out of children.”
Even before the Anti-Homosexuality Act was passed this year, LGBTQ+ people faced severe discrimination in Uganda
Uganda was already one of several African nations where it’s illegal to be queer and enacted a previous anti-homosexuality act in 2014. The courts struck it down, although being LGBTQ+ remained illegal because of previous legislation, according to Human Rights Watch.
Anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment has been rife in the East African nation, with president Yoweri Museveni describing queer people as “deviants”, and government officials attacking queer-focused groups.
Many in the Ugandan LGBTQ+ community have sought safety in Kenya, only to find they face discrimination there too.
Dhalie Bulyaba, the director of Safe Place International’s global family initiative, decided to leave Uganda and go to Kenya because they “wanted to find a place that wouldn’t question [them] about the way [they] dress, or ask for an explanation about how [they] identify”.
But they realised that seeking asylum and appealing to authorities “forces outings” of LGBTQ+ people.
“Kenya has one of the largest refugee populations in Africa,” Bulyaba says. “They receive a lot of people from Somalia, Sudan, the [Democratic Republic of the] Congo and other war-torn areas, so when you say you are coming from Uganda, they are confused.
“They will ask: ‘Why are you here? There is no war in Uganda’. You are forced to out yourself and hope for their mercy because Kenya also criminalises homosexuality.
“It’s hard enough to fight for your rights in your own country.”
Kenya has one of the largest refugee populations in Africa, and seeking asylum there ‘forces’ LGBTQ+ refugees to out themselves. (Getty)
LGBTQ+ people are criminalised in Kenya, and same-sex sexual activity between males carries a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment.
Bulyaba loves “trying to think through big-picture issues and driving systemic change”, and they are as passionate about reading and cooking as they are about advocacy.
“There is always time in my day to meet for coffee and call out these politicians and the systems they are trying to push,” they add.
They also point out that the persecution of African LGBTQ+ people doesn’t come solely from conservative forces on the continent – UK and US groups are behind some of it.
‘We could have prevented LGBTQ+ people being forced to flee Uganda‘
Various groups in the US and UK have campaigned for years in parts of Africa for hard-line anti-LGBTQ+ measures. (Getty)
Sulah Mawejje, Safe Place International Dream Academy Kenya country director, says the World Bank and other organisations “need to be more proactive and less reactive” because they know the anti-LGBTQ+ movements in Africa are being funded by foreign organisations.
“Why have they waited for something like this anti-gay bill to pass before they impose sanctions and try to stand up to the government?” he asks.
“We could have prevented people being forced to flee and being forced to go through the very difficult process of becoming a refugee.”
Mawejje, a part-time interpreter for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, adds that he’s “much more than a refugee, a person who has faced unspeakable discrimination” while fleeing Uganda.
“There is another side to me, like many refugees, that the media doesn’t get to, I’m the life of the party,” he says. “I love being bold and challenging.”
LGBTQ+ football fans have reacted with shock to the news that Saudi Arabia will host the men’s football World Cup in 2034, after Australia chose not to bid for the tournament.
Saudi Arabia’s relationship with football has been the source of controversy in recent months, with many fans and pundits accusing the nation of using sportswashing to hide its long list of human rights violations.
On Tuesday (31 October), mere hours before the deadline for declarations of interest, Football Australia released a statement in which it said that, after considering “all factors” following the success of the women’s World Cup – hosted jointly with New Zealand early this year – it would not bid to hold the men’s competition in 11 years’ time.
That left Saudi Arabia as the only nation to confirm interest in staging the tournament.
LGBTQ+ fans of were quick to criticise the decision, with the Middle East Kingdom known to be openly hostile to LGBTQ+ people while also having a poor human rights record.
Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia, with the death penalty among the punishments for those found to have engaged in same-sex acts. In addition, LGBTQ+ topics are censored and it is illegal to be trans because Sharia Law prohibits what it describes as crossdressing.
Alongside this, the country has been heavily criticised for carrying out mass executions, abusing activists, attacking and silencing freedom of speech and having a lack of women’s and migrants’ rights.
In a sarcastic post on X, previously known as Twitter, Jack Murley, the host of the BBC’s LGBT Sports Podcast, noted the similarities between 2018 and 2022 tournament hosts Russia and Qatar respectively and Saudi Arabia, all of which have restrictive laws relating to being LGBTQ+
“Good to see football moving in the right direction, eh,” he wrote.
Jon Holmes, the founder of Sports Media LGBT+ and editor at OutSports, said: “Eleven years to go til the Saudi World Cup. Eleven years of trying to talk constructively about global warming, human rights abuses, capital punishment, migrant workers and the criminalisation of LGBTQ+ people, and then to be told by the people with influence to focus on the football’.”
The Proud Sky Blues, Coventry City’s LGBTQ+ supporters group, wrote: “#FIFA showing their true colours once again. They do not care about human rights or inclusivity. They care only about one thing: cha-ching.”
One fan wrote: “Another anti-LGBTQ+ country hosting the football World Cup. David Beckham and Jordan Henderson must be looking forward to making more money from being such great allies.”
In recent months, a number of top players have joined the Saudi Pro League for eye-watering amounts of money, including Cristiano Ronaldo, former Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema and ex-Liverpool captain Henderson.
In particular, Henderson, who has been a strong ally of the community, faced an intense backlash from LGBTQ+ fans for moving to a nation where being LGBTQ+ is illegal and seen as immoral.
While at Liverpool, Henderson advocated for LGBTQ+ inclusion and was nominated as a football ally at the LGBT+ Awards in 2021, backed Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign and last year said he was “proud” to support the initiative and “football is for everyone”.
His £12 million ($14.5 million) transfer to Al-Ettifaq was criticised by fan groups, with Pride in Football saying the move was “disappointing”, adding that the England international had “lost the respect of so many people who valued and trusted [him]”.
Canadians came out in force to rally behind trans youth and protest a policy which would see youngsters forcefully outed to their parents.
Hundreds of people, including trans kids and their supportive families, gathered in the Saskatchewan cities of Saskatoon, Regina and Lloydminster in opposition to Bill 137, also known as the Parent’s Bill of Rights.
The legislation, which became law last week, was introduced by Saskatchewan Party education minister Jeremy Cockrill last week and outlines a number of rights parents have regarding their children’s education, including access to the pupil’s school file and being able to see what sexual-health content is being taught.
Controversially, the bill also contains a policy stating parental consent must be given for a pupil to use “their preferred name, gender identity, and/or gender expression” at school.
Speaking with the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, rally co-organizer Blake Tait said: “Children deserve a space where they feel safe, included and affirmed.
“We know this will not always be their homes: Give children their schools.”
Tait told the newspaper he started his social transition when he was 14, by using a new name, pronouns and clothes at school.
Now 23, he said whilst the reaction of his immediate family was “lovely” his extended family’s response was less positive and left him “trapped in a hard place”.
“With the new legislation, more students will face this — and worse — with no choice in the matter,” Tait explained.
“No opportunity to go at their own pace […] Youth are going back into the closet, and youth are terrified for the lives of their friends.”
In an interview with CBC, one parent of a trans child – who moved from the UK to Saskatchewan a number of years ago – described the situation as “really awful and scary”.
“I thought we were in a progressive, safe community and province,” said Roberta Cain, whose son Silas is 15.
Cain’s son told the newspaper being “forced to come out can be so traumatizing and life-threatening” and so “having a safe place to experiment is such an important thing”.
“I am so hated for just existing and being who I am. So many younger kids who are finding out who they are and want to have a safe space are at such a risk because some people just don’t like us,” Silas said.
The policy will create “very real harms”
During the protest, Saskatoon city councillor Mairin Loewen addressed the crowd, telling them: “Kids are full humans. They’re not partial humans. They have the same rights as any other human, and those rights cannot be trumped or overridden by the political whims and desires of adults.”
She added there is “too much at stake” and “all need this sense of safety and freedom in order to be ourselves and to become ourselves”.
Loewen’s speech, quoted by LGBTQ Nation, continued: “The evidence is clear.
“This legislation is harmful. Expert after expert has been emerging to identify the risks of this legislation, and the very real harms it will create.”
The bill was passed after lawmakers involved section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, a clause which gives provincial legislatures the ability to override parts of the charter for a period of five years.
In response to this move, human rights commissioner Heather Kuttai – who has a trans son – sent a letter to premier Scott Moe tending her immediate resignation.
“A child’s rights must always take precedence over a parent’s obligations and responsibilities. My first concern is that this [bill] is going to hurt kids,” Kuttai wrote, saying the policy is something she “cannot be a part of”.
Adding she does not want to be “associated with a provincial government that takes away the rights of children, especially vulnerable children”.
USA Cycling has updated its trans athlete participation policy, segregating trans athletes who wish to compete across domestic races in the US into two new categories.
The governing body for cycling in the United States has updated its policy, aligning itself with standards set by the world cycling governing body, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
From July this year, all trans women who have transitioned after puberty arebanned from competing in the women’s category at UCI-sanctioned events.
Trans athletes competing in USA Cycling events will be categorised as either Group A or Group B athletes, depending on their discipline and race category.
Group A refers to those wishing to compete domestically in the pro and categories one and two on the road, track and in cyclocross, as well as pro category in mountain bike and all categories across BMX.
Group B athletes are those wanting to compete domestically in categories three, four, and five and novice in road, track and cyclocross racing, and categories one, two, and three in mountain bike, according to Cycling News.
USA Cycling CEO Brendan Quirk said the new policy, which is set to begin from 1 January 2024, was guided by a prioritisation of “the balance between fairness and inclusion”.
Under UCA Cycling-sanctioned events, the new guidelines stipulate that Group A athletes must complete an “elite athlete fairness evaluation application” for review by an independent medical panel.
The process requires documentation showing that the athlete’s testosterone level in serum has been below 2.5 nmol/L for at least 24 months. This test must be completed 90 days prior to the first day of the race the athlete wants to participate in.
Group B athletes must complete a “self identity verification request” for review by the USA Cycling technical director, in order to document their change in gender. This must be completed 30 days prior to the first day of the race the athlete wants to participate in.
Quirk said: “Our work encompassed a study of the UCI’s most recent review of the latest scientific literature, an assessment of the US legal environment and similar policies from other sports organisations, and outreach to our athletes, club and team managers, and event organisers.
“As US law and scientific findings evolve, we will use this as an opportunity to do further review and revisions of this policy as needed.”
The Union Cycliste Internationale said it’s policy on trans athletes is “based on the latest scientific knowledge” after facing backlash over Austin Killips winning a stage of the Tour of the Gila women’s race, in April.
Queer teens are twice as likely to experience binge eating disorders compared to their straight peers, a new study has found.
Binge-eating disorder (BED) is, according to the study, the most common type of eating disorder in the US, affecting up to 16.6 million Americans.
The disorder can act as a precursor for serious physical and mental health problems like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol, arthritis, depression, or anxiety, if not treated.
Binge-eating disorder (BED) is, according to the study, the most common type of eating disorder in the US, affecting up to 16.6 million Americans. (Getty Images)
Based on data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, a large-scale 2020 study that recorded 10,000 adolescents aged 10-14, researchers were able to determine that teens from low-income households, teens of Native American descent, and teens who identify as queer were most likely to be associated with BED.
The study from the University of California at San Francisco points to stressors like bullying, discrimination, and internalised homophobia as the cause of heightened disordered eating and lowered self-esteem among gay, lesbian, and bisexual teens.
Lead study author Dr Jason Nagata writes: “Adolescents who identify as gay and bisexual face external and internal stressors, such as stigma, bullying, discrimination, and internalized homophobia, which all compound to an increased risk for disordered eating.
“This study found that adolescent males who identified as gay or bisexual had 12.5 times the odds of binge eating compared to their heterosexual counterparts.
“Similarly, adolescent girls who identified as lesbian or bisexual had twice the odds of binge eating and purging compared to their heterosexual counterparts.
“Given the emerging research that supports this association, future studies should explore the prevention, early identification, and management strategies of binge-eating behaviors for gay or bisexual adolescents.”
Stressors like bullying, discrimination, and internalised homophobia as the cause of heightened disordered eating. (Getty Images)
He continues: “Binge eating can result in psychological effects like depression and anxiety, and long-term physical health problems, including diabetes and heart disease.
“Given the higher risk of eating disorders in LGBTQ+ youth, it is important that health care providers foster a welcoming environment to youth of all sexual orientations and genders.”
The study also determined that, although disordered eating behaviours are often thought to primarily affect women and girls, data proves that male adolescents are more likely to display binge eating behaviours than their female counterparts.
“In male adults and adolescents, body dissatisfaction is often tied to a drive for muscularity and larger size as opposed to thinness,” the study reads.
“Over half of young men who report weight gain and bulking goals report eating more to achieve this goal, which leads to the consumption of larger volumes of food.”
It adds that men are more likely than their female counterparts to engage in “cheat meals” the practice of briefly indulging in prohibited foods before returning to a strict diet.
Cheat meals, the study says, are linked to over-eating, loss of control while eating, and binge-eating behaviours.
It determines: “The findings from our analysis further illustrate the prevalence of binge-eating behaviors in adolescent males and serve as a call for more studies focusing on eating disorders in this population, particularly on the relationship between muscularity-oriented eating goals and binge eating.”
Dr Nagata concluded that any teenagers experiencing eating disorder symptoms should immediately “seek professional help.”
“Eating disorders are best supported by an interdisciplinary team, including a mental health, medical, and nutrition provider.”
