Lance Armstrong’s stance on transgender athletes in sports has not made him a popular figure among his peers.
The former Tour de France champion — whose medals were ultimately stripped after it was revealed he took performance-enhancing drugs for most of his career — is currently a cast member on “Stars on Mars,” a Fox TV show where celebrities simulate life on Mars. like.
In the most recent episode of the show, Armstrong brought up a recent episode of his podcast “The Forward,” in which he interviews Caitlyn Jenner and discusses transgender athletes, suggesting that biological males shouldn’t compete in women’s sports — and his fellow cast members haven’t.
For me, I think you just have to care, if you ‘make people other than they are, it’s not good for their mental health,'” said singer Tinashe, who is also a contestant on the show.
“…you dismiss people who don’t fit into the categories.”
A few seconds into the ring, Tinashe continued to rip Armstrong into the camera confession.
“I wasn’t really shocked to hear his views, but I certainly didn’t think he should be the spokesperson for that,” she said.
Adam Rippon, a former Olympic figure skater who is openly gay, was not happy with Armstrong’s comments, calling them “very disappointing.”
“These comments here, on this experience, completely shifted the energy, completely shifted the focus, and I will never forget it,” Rippon continued.
In an effort to defend himself, Armstrong insisted he supports transgender rights — just not in sports.
“One of my key employees, they’re moving on, I don’t have a problem with that. I love him. Let’s go,” he said.
And I said to the guy on the podcast, listen, this is really simple. Want to move? Let’s do it – you have your own category. We will have a whole new section. We will celebrate you just as we celebrate everyone else. Let’s go. What is unfair about that?
“By the way, I sound like a right-wing lunatic. I am not,” he added. “I’m more of a liberal person, but from a mathematical perspective…”
Armstrong’s taking up the mantle of fairness in athletics has certainly raised some eyebrows, considering he’s one of the most notorious cheats in the history of the sport.
However, it doesn’t seem like a topic he’s going to give up anytime soon.
“You may not agree with me, and I may not agree with you,” he said, “but that’s OK.” “A lot of sensitive topics. It’s not just trans and trans issues in sports, it could be abortion, it could be war, it could be gun violence, anything. Global Warming. But if you don’t feel safe entering the conversation, we’re all lost.”
