A Response to “Real Women’s Day”
Here at Steady State Network we whole-heartedly believe in inclusion at all levels of rowing. Since launching in 2020, we’ve pledged to shape our media through the lens of strong allyship in our production of Steady State Podcast, our e-newsletter, and across our social media accounts. We’ve seek to foster an open dialogue on representation in the rowing community, and hold a firm dedication to challenging the long-standing silence that has undervalued true diversity and inclusion in our sport.
A 2022 club spotlight episode of Steady State Podcast featured Rock City Rowing in Little Rock, AR. Our guests touted the beauty of Little Rock and how rowing has changed lives in their community.
Today, on Instagram, Rock City Rowing supported “Real Women’s Day” on October 10 (Roman numerals XX) with a call to action prompting the public to sign a petition “to keep women’s spaces available only to real women,” whose “privacy is being eroded … [in] shelters, locker rooms, and restrooms.” This petition is on the heels of a similar petition created by ICONS, an advocacy group comprised of current and former collegiate and professional women athletes, who work to promote and protect women’s sports.
Since December 2022, World Athletics, World Rowing, USRowing and other national governing bodies, have announced updated gender identity policies. In response, voices across the rowing community have stood up for "fairness for women" and alternatively "inclusion for marginalized athletes."
We reached out to Rock City Rowing head coach Ted Riedeberg for comment, wondering if there is 100% buy-in from the club supporting Real Women’s Day and its position on fairness for women.
“I posted [the IG content supporting Real Women’s Day]. I’m in charge of social media and pretty much everything else at the club,” Riedeberg responded. “I can tell you, [the club] agrees women should not feel as though their spots can be taken from them from biological men (which actually happened to one of our masters women athletes).”
Julia Watkins, Chair of the Arkansas Boathouse Club, of which Rock City Rowing is a member, says the ABC’s mission is “to promote a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community where athletes of all ages and abilities can discover the powerful connection between mind, body, and spirit while learning to row in our Natural State.”
She continued, “The Board is committed strongly to our mission, and we also observe the USRowing policy regarding transgender athletes. We have not had any transgender athletes row with us, but would welcome anyone who would like to join!”
Over the course of four months in 2023, we produced a four-part series on gender identity policy for Steady State Podcast. Our guests included:
Dr. Mary O’Connor - a member of the 1976 Yale women’s rowing program, 1980 Olympic team, and ICONS; and an orthopedic surgeon who is a nationally recognized leader for health equity. [listen]
Coach Ann Strayer - a member of the 1978 Junior National Team, 6-time member of the National Team in the 1980s including a spot on the 1988 Olympic squad, and Varsity Women’s Coach at Oakland United Rowing in Oakland, CA, working to make rowing more inclusive. [listen]
Coach Kevin Harris - former Head Women’s Coach at the University of Tulsa, and member of USRowing’s DEI committee [listen]
Bobbi Kizer, PhD - a trans rower and coach at Spokane River Rowing Association [listen]
Dr. David Scherzer - a non-binary rower at DC Strokes Rowing Club [listen]
The conversation continues, from scholastic programs, to collegiate and masters programs, to the Olympics. Gender identity policies are in flux, under attack, and relying on both science and skepticism.
Does your club, organization, or program have an anti-discrimination policy? What language does it use? How are you implementing it? Send your thoughts and policies to rachel@steadystatenetwork.com for possible inclusion in an upcoming discussion or podcast episode.