W-Series motorsport will welcome transgender athletes ‘with open arms’

In a week that has seen both swimming and rugby league effectively ban transgender athletes from competing, there is one sport welcoming everyone “with open arms”.

All-female motor racing would welcome transgender athletes “with open arms”, according to W Series CEO Catherine Bond Muir.

In a week that has seen both swimming and rugby league effectively ban transgender athletes from competing, Bond Muir says motorsport is an area all genders can and should compete fairly.

Created in 2019, the W Series was created in a bid to help women edge closer to Formula One which has been without a female driver since Lella Lombardi in 1976.

While that goal is yet to come to fruition, Bond Muir believes they have a platform that can help bring about positive change.

Starting with supporting transgender athletes.

“If a transgender driver applied for W Series and she was fast enough, then we would welcome her with open arms,” Muir told The Times. “I don’t think that there is an issue with any transgender driver driving in the W Series.

“What we do, is we demonstrate that we are open to all . . . We need to keep informing and keep telling people that from whatever background you’re from, from what your racial diversity is, from what your sexual orientation is, is that W Series will welcome you.”

W series will welcome trans athletes with open arms

Muir is hopeful that helping to push the initiative will be Caitlyn Jenner, the trans former Olympic decathlon champion, who launched a team in the W Series this year.

Jenner has been vocal on the topic of transgender athletes competing in women’s sport – vehemently against the notion.

She welcomed this week’s ruling from FINA which bans trans competitors from swimming against female.

“I think it’s very good. I have been on this issue from the beginning, I’ve been very consistent. I have said from day one I don’t want biological boys to be competing against women, especially in school,” Jenner said on a podcast this week.

“It’s just not fair and we need to protect women sports. I’ve stuck with that all the way through.”

Muir remains confident Jenner can become an ally to the notion of trans athletes competing in motorsport.

“What I would say about Caitlyn is that historically she was one of the fastest, and/or the best athletes in the world at the time, and now she is involved in motorsport, and what I want to continue to happen is that everyone is allowed to debate,” Muir said.

“I don’t like the Twitter screaming at all . . . I think Caitlyn, out of any person in the world, for being one of the best athletes in the world, being transgender herself, I don’t think she should be shut down because the other side of the debate disagrees with her.”

Originally published as W-Series motorsport will welcome transgender athletes ‘with open arms’