Lance Armstrong Speaks Out After Backlash Over Transgender Comments

Disgraced former cyclist Lance Armstrong has spoken out in defense of himself, after receiving criticism on social media for his comments regarding the "fairness" of transgender people competing in sports.

The onetime sportsman's reputation and legacy was tarnished after it emerged that he had used performance-enhancing drugs for much of his career. He was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from competitive cycling for life.

In a series of tweets over the weekend, Armstrong, 51, said that he was "uniquely placed" to discuss divisive subjects as he announced the launch of a special series of his podcast, The Forward.

"Of all the controversial and polarizing subjects out there today, I'm not sure there are any as heated as the topic of Trans athletes in sport," he tweeted.

"Is there not a world in which one can be supportive of the transgender community and curious about the fairness of Trans athletes in sport yet not be labeled a transphobe or a bigot as we ask questions?" Armstrong continued. "Do we yet know the answers? And do we even want to know the answers?

"I do. Hence these conversations... a special series of The Forward, beginning Monday, where I dive into this issue with an open mind in an attempt learn as much as possible from all sides of the debate."

He ended his thread: "I hope that for those who have been reluctant to have this conversation, this somehow feels safe. Be fearless."

The post was met with derision and seemingly widespread outcry among social media users, a number of whom accused Armstrong of hypocrisy.

Meanwhile, others defended the former athlete, with one Twitter user agreeing that there are "so many smug dismissals of even having a discussion. These people are authoritarian at their core. Glad you're speaking up Lance."

Political pundit Matthew Dowd weighed in on the moment on Sunday, when he summarized a handful of headlines that have dominated the news cycle.

Dowd wrote: "In the last 24 hours, we have Lance Armstrong lecturing people about sports fairness, Meghan McCain lecturing people about nepotism, GOP lecturing people about law and order, white evangelical leaders praising/worshiping Trump...we live in a world where many lack mirrors."

Armstrong hit back at the tweet, urging Dowd to "climb down from the high horse," adding: "I'm actually not lecturing anyone rather bringing all sides to the table and inviting rational and open dialogue. And I might add, having a conversation that almost nobody dares touch. If they stream podcasts up in your rarified air, check it out."

Transgender women competing against other women in sports has been a point of contentious debate recently. While some say that excluding transgender athletes from women's categories is discriminatory, others say that such inclusion was itself prejudicial as it meant biological women were less likely to achieve highly.

The debate has become a serious concern for sporting bodies around the world, who have the tough task of accommodating the wishes of the two underrepresented groups.

There is also disagreement over whether the wording of the statute Title IX protects transgender athletes from being discriminated against. The statute was passed by Congress in 1972 prohibiting exclusion on the basis of sex from federally-funded education programs and activities. While the Barack Obama administration interpreted it as offering protections according to gender identity, others including the Donald Trump administration interpreted it according to a strict definition of biological sex.

In April, the Joe Biden administration issued a new rule which stipulated that transgender athletes could not be "categorically" banned, but that in some competitive athletic environments, transgender participation may be limited. As of April, 20 U.S. states have imposed restrictions on transgender athletes participating in women's sports.

Caitlyn Jenner, who won the gold in the decathlon in 1976 before transitioning to female in 2015, has been an outspoken advocate of restricting transgender women in sports. In April, she stepped up her efforts a notch by announcing the launch of a political action committee called Fairness First.

According to the organization's website, Fairness First is "a big tent movement, non-partisan in nature, with the intention of protecting women and girls in sport—especially in light of recent events with radical gender ideology."

"We especially value protecting young children, and the parental rights associated with having your young child go through the school system and participation in sports," a blurb on Fairness First's website reads.

Outside of sports, the number of large U.S. brands being targeted with boycott calls has grown dramatically in recent months, as a host of different companies unveil products supporting Pride Month, which takes place every June. Companies supporting the LGBTQ+ community outside of Pride Month have also faced backlash from conservatives.

Bud Light drew relentless criticism in April for a small branded partnership it had with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. In a video posted to Instagram on April 1, Mulvaney said that the beer brand had sent her a can with her face on it to commemorate 365 days of her living as a woman.

Mulvaney's partnership with Bud Light drew condemnation from several conservative figures, including Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Texas Republican. Many issued boycott calls, and there has been overt scrutiny of an increasing number of companies over their pro-LGBTQ+ marketing initiatives.

Update 6/26/23, 5:05 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include additional information.