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Chloe Dygert (CC licensed by Marc via Flickr)Chloe Dygert apology for social media conduct “not sufficient” says Rapha
Rapha has issued a statement denouncing Chloé Dygert's social media conduct, as well as the apology she issued after signing a contract with the Canyon-SRAM team. As her team’s clothing sponsor, Rapha said it ‘wholeheartedly condemned’ Dygert’s endorsement of racist and transphobic views on social media and emphasised that her apology was “not sufficient.”
Earlier this month, Dygert – the 2019 world time trial champion and current individual pursuit world record holder – apologised for her social media behaviour after a Twitter user took screenshots of several tweets she had liked over the summer.
Dygert liked one tweet by author Candace Owens which read: “Breaking: Trump is proposing a rule not to allow men into women’s homeless shelters, because men who self-identify as women, are not actually women, just as children who self-identify as mermaids, are not actually fish. Protect vulnerable women from woke culture.”
She also liked a tweet saying “white privilege doesn't exist” and another that suggested Colin Kaepernick – the NFL player who first knelt during the US national anthem as a protest against racial injustice – had “realized that if he grew an afro and played the part of victim, he could scam the black community out of millions.”
Writing on Instagram, Dygert said: "Cycling should be for everyone regardless of color, gender, sexuality or background. Like CANYON//SRAM Racing, I am committed to promoting diversity, inclusion and equality in cycling and our wider communities.
"I apologize to those who felt offended or hurt by my conduct on social media. I am committed to keep learning and growing as an athlete and a person."
Rapha said Dygert’s actions had “no place in cycling or society” and said it believed she had made, “very serious errors of judgment, which were compounded by an apology she issued that was not sufficient.”
However, the firm went on to express its belief that, “trusting the ability of people to change is key to reaching any form of meaningful reconciliation. Having spoken to her at length, we believe that Chloé has the capacity and the will to listen, learn and to change.”
Rapha confirmed that it would continue to support Canyon-SRAM, while making its displeasure at Dygert’s actions clear.
“All of us, the team and each of its partners, have acknowledged that we need to take action following this incident to ensure that this never happens again,” said the statement.
“Canyon//SRAM Racing have already taken clear steps to work with Chloé and is engaging with an external Diversity & Inclusion consultant in order to develop a comprehensive programme of diversity and inclusion training that focuses on dialogue and education.
“This is something that we believe will have a considerable impact within the team and beyond. Exact details of the program will be published by the team in the coming weeks.
“As a result of our conversations, the willingness that Chloé has demonstrated, and the meaningful actions that Canyon//SRAM Racing is putting in place, Rapha will continue to support the team. Acknowledging that they, like us, must do more to promote diversity, inclusion and equality, Canyon//SRAM Racing has been instrumental in promoting women’s cycling over the last five years, and the continuation of this work should not be jeopardised by the actions of one person.
“This incident has been an opportunity for all of us to learn and understand how much more we can all do. Finally, we would like to reiterate our stance on this issue once more. Discrimination has no place in cycling or society, and we are committed to fighting it in all of its forms by promoting diversity, inclusion and equality in the sport. There is no issue we take more seriously, and should there be any subsequent breach of these standards, the team will review the position outlined immediately.
“As part of this process, we will be reviewing our own working policies and practices to prevent similar incidents in the future. The last two weeks have served only to intensify our commitment to improve, starting with the actions outlined here.”
Dygert is currently recovering from a serious laceration to her leg which she sustained during a crash at the time trial world championships in Imola.
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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It’s a tough time out there in the world right now. I’m not really sure when companies began to think it was their duty to call people out publicly and shame them via the media. If Rapha doesn’t agree with the opinions of this cyclist it’s fairly simple. Request a meeting with this sponsored cyclist and explain that as long as you are paying the bills that you want them to keep such comments to themselves. If the sponsored cyclist feels she can’t abide by this request then Rapha should terminate their relationship. No need to publicly drag this person through the muck and put them on trial via the web media mob. Everyone has a right to their own opinion and that includes you too Rapha. Why can’t folks agree to disagree without all the media call-outs? Companies only lose credibility and business, individuals lose face and look childish. JustRide
It needs to be public as it's a marketing decision/ploy.
I'm puzzled with some of the mentions of 'woke' here. What precisely does it mean other than just 'not-racist'?
Thanks - it seems ill-defined to me and not particularly useful to use.
Next question, how can you have 'woke' nazis? Seems like a contradiction to me.
I think that it is supposed to be the juxtaposition or the irony of the contradiction....I suspect that they may not have lasted to long in 1930s Germany...
I saw on the wikipedia page that the term 'woke' goes back to the 1860 presidential election by the republican party in support of Abraham Lincoln. They were called the Wide Awakes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wide_Awakes
Interesting...I'll take a look at that. I should throw my history degree in the bin...though to be fair, it' s Modern European. I didn't do US history.
To be a bit more accurate - he did not critique the word itself - he critiques some people using it as an excuse to be judgemental, and to bash people who aren't as "woke".
I dont pretend to be an expert but here's a small blurb:
Basically if you have the manners treat groups of people you have never met with respect diginity and humility for your own position in life, and own unconscious biases you are probably living "woke". And thats a good thing IMHO.
Also bear in mind if someone Stale Pale and Male (ie Trumpians, Gammon's and similar ilk) calls you "woke" you have probably done something right - like being aware and supportive that there are more viewpoints in this world than your own.
Getting attacked for being woke is something that generally happens when the privledged few feel themselves and their "ingrained superiority" threatened, and lash out any anyone who has the temerity to point out said priviledge. It usually stems from a refusable to either a) believe they are priviledges or b) share that priviledge.
See comparisons on Black/BAME life expectancy, median salaries, getting arrested/shot by the police. See also sucide rates among Trans and other LBGTQ+ groups.
FWIW though - I think Rapha feeling the need to further castigate Chloe in public is more of a need for them to demonstrate their own Woke-ness for PR purposes than righting any wrongs Chloe may have made. It wasnt necessary and continuing to flog people for "wrong" beliefs tends to make them dig their heels in. I feel some sympathy for her, as I would anyone who is being castigated for a couple of mouse clicks. 2 swallows dont make a summer.
Disagree with a lot of comments on here.
Can't be arsed to argue.
road.cc please stop posting these articles on FB etc, it just encourages 'em.
All this fuss would be easier to take more seriously if it wasn't RAPHA
I suspect that Dygert's like for the comment arose from the McKinnon case where 'people without testosterone' were beaten in an important race by a 'person that used to have lots of testosterone', but now has less due to medical intervention - but whose growth and muscle development benefitted from testosterone since puberty. Let's face it. If Dygert had taken testosterone at any point during her career she'd have been banned.
Rapha would be better placed issuing a statement saying that they support a level playing field in sports. Their female customers might appreciate it.
Many posters here seem to be vigorously defending Dygert's freedom of expression and speech whilst denying Rapha the same. Hmmm.
No, but as others pointed out, Rapha should fight with those they have a contract with: Canyon-SRAM. They don't have any contractual agreement with the rider so she doesn't owe them anything -directly-. Presumably, she made those remarks prior to signing on so if that was a deal breaker, Canyon-SRAM should have gone through their due diligence process and declined the contract.
Other than that, I may not agree with her remarks but that's fine. And the entire 'woke' thing is getting on my nerves but that's fine too.
It's a minefield nonchalantly clicking a like on someone elses public media expressed opinion, let alone espousing your own thoughts about anything.
Nothing is ever forgotten or seemingly forgiven and any retraction that includes the phrase "I apologise if my actions offended anyone" or similar only indicates that the writer has been bullied into publishing that statement.
Whilst Chloe Dygert has liked some comments that I wouldn't, they are not illegal or unreflective of genuine concerns. Rapha have a public image to project and their statement is neither illegal or particularly offensive though it does smack of a bullying wokeness that is currently fashionable.
Going forward, Rapha, presumably, contractually oblige sponsored athletes avoid damage to their corporate image. If the athlete cannot work within that contract then they can always look for other employment. However, I'm not really sure why they chose to pick this particular scab of browser history.
Mountain out of a molehill?! She only liked a tweet or two. And one of those was from the president of her country ffs. I've even liked posts of Ebikes on Instagram (itchy trigger finger), doesn't mean I'm a massive fan.
Rapha should stop throwing their weight around like they're our collective social conscience.
From Canyon Sram's mission statement
" A professional, diverse group of women, willing to invest in their futures, and that of the sport, by forging new paths, being unconventional, ***welcoming different opinions***."
Turns out not so welcoming of different opinions!
H/t to Lanterne Rouge
Lanterne Rouge's take is a good one, I think. It seems like Canyon/SRAM aren't walking the walk values-wise, whichever way you cut it.
Rapha's trickier, but again, they seem to have stuck to the fence. Saying 'we don't like this but the positive of our commercial relationship outweighs taking any concrete action, so we'll write a stern letter' leaves them in no-man's land.
Disclosure: I don't like the ideas that Chloe Dygert wrote or spread.
But I do not like the way Rapha have gone about this at all. As others have pointed out, the tweets pre-date her employment with the team, of which they are a non-name sponsor. She is not their employee, and is free to hold and express whatever views she likes. If Rapha don't like this, they ought to have clauses in their contract about reputational damage that they can exercise; their beef is with the team for hiring someone whom they regard as toxic. The team may have slipped up by forgetting to search the social media of their potential recruit.
But what I really don't like is this hanging out to dry of a young (and in my view misguided) person for things she said when younger. I wouldn't appreciate being judged like this for my stupidity at that age. She needs some information and some help.
Rapha have drawn attention to all this with their statement, but to email their entire customer base as well is over the top. They should have distanced themselves at the time this came out and said how they plan to help. Then shut up and work behind the scenes. That would be more respectful of the rider's mental health and probably make it more likely that she would fully engage.
Spot on... Exactly this. I see Rapha's stance as nothing more than virtue signalling at it's finest.
If someone's social media history is so vital, so some research before hiring them.
The worrying thing about this case is that once again freedom to dissent from orthodoxy is being eroded.
I personally don't think it's a good idea to allow a person who is anatomically male access to a population of vulnerable women. There have already been cases where such an approach has led to sexual violence against said vulnerable women.
(https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/seven-sex-attacks-in-womens-jails-by-...)
The enforced silencing of women on this issue is shameful.
The idea that self identification is all it takes to change gender is controversial and, as demonstrated, potentially dangerous, we should be free to challenge that idea regardless of our occupation.
And the apparent racist tweets she liked are ok because...?
Which tweet was racist?
Candace Owens wrote the tweet about Kaepernick.
She is a black woman.
Is she not entitled to hold that opinion?
Or is Dygert just not allowed to agree with her?
Not all the ones she liked are from Candace. And as Owens seems to be an islamophobe and racist in her own way, maybe not a good person to follow.
You haven't identified which tweets you allege to be racist.
There are only three tweets quoted in the article.
None of those are racist as far as I can see.
They just express opinions that go against the current orthodoxy.
Ironically that is exactly what Kaepernick originally did. I admire him greatly for having done so.
Sometimes even the worst people can make reasonable points.
You just lost all credibility in your arguments right there.
If you can't see why, you're living up to your specious accusations.
Absolutely. While I'm not certain about whether the race-related tweets were racist or not (the words weren't, but I haven't seen the context), there was nothing wrong with the "transphobic" quote.
I responded to Rapha's statement by telling them that I hoped they supported women's right to compete on a level playing field against other women, seeing as how cycling is already perceived as a male activity both as a sport and a means of transport.
My tuppence doesn't mean any more than tuppence of course, but if enough other people send them a message they'll listen. I suspect a lot of companies are getting on the trans bandwagon partly because it seems like the liberal thing to do (it isn't), but mostly out of fear of the shitstorm that trans activists whip up against anyone not paying sufficient obeisance. If enough people tell them they'll not support any brand that supports this erosion of women's rights, they at least have to decide which side they're on.
I agree with this... The transgender tweet that was liked was very unpleasant, however the background point is valid... This is another demonstration of the complexities surrounding trans people, that the 'right on' want to simply gloss over.
The shit thing is that if you leave a loophole some git will take advantage. So sadly, trans people have to suffer because of the the risk of pricks taking advantage.
However, the alternative is potentially far worse.
As for Chloe, I don't think, as a man, I have any right to tell her how to feel about this issue.
And then there is white privilege. Man I hate that term. To me it is deliberately divisive, designed to 'out' the racists...
The thing is, whilst I'm privileged enough to recognise that white privilege very much exists, much of society is not as lucky as me. For the large number of white people living on or beneath the bread line, telling them they are somehow 'privileged', is crass to say the least.
It's perfectly understandable to me that this terminology falls on deaf ears...
My point being, I can see how these tweets were liked without the liker necessarily being an out and out transphobic racist.
For me, the issue with white privilege is that it rarely exists in isolation (in the UK, I have no idea about the US).
If you look at social mobility or policing or access to education you'll find that working class white people are often statistically as disadvantaged as working class people from ethnic minorities. Working class white males are among the most disadvantaged groups in the entire country.
However if you look just at race in isolation then all white people appear privileged because the middle and upper classes are overwhelmingly white.
I think a lot of what is assumed to be white privilege (in the UK) is actually class privilege.
If that isn't taken into account then well meaning measures to reduce the disadvantage of ethnic minority communities can actually worsen the disadvantages for working class white communities.
Of course this is not to say that racism isn't a problem and that action against racism doesn't need to be taken.
It is also not to say that white privilege doesn't exist it's just not as simple a picture as many make it out to be.
I don't particularly like the term, but generally if you read it as 'won't suffer from a particular sort of racism' then that gets the point across 99% of the time, even if it's less social media friendly.
Also, you have described very well the concept of intersectionality.
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