Taylor, a world tour cyclist and the first female world throw rider we've had on the podcast, sits down to talk about growing up in conservative Utah, coming out as gay within the supportive culture of women's professional cycling, and the stark contrast with the male peloton where zero openly gay riders compete despite statistical impossibility. We also dig into the economics of women's cycling, career decisions, and why the sport remains one of the most approachable in the world.
Key Takeaways
- Female professional cycling has created a culturally accepting environment for LGBTQ+ athletes, while the male peloton remains closeted—not because gay men can't be cyclists, but because of toxic masculinity and homophobic team culture that actively discourages athletes from coming out.
- Salary transparency is critical in women's cycling; many riders undersell themselves because they don't know what peers are earning, making anonymous surveys and open wage discussions essential for fair compensation.
- The cycling industry's business model is broken and dependent on rich sponsors making charitable contributions rather than generating genuine return on investment; marketing around female athletes' social followings could unlock a more sustainable revenue model.
- Growing up in conservative religious communities (like Mormon-dominated Utah) creates real psychological barriers to self-acceptance, but geographic and cultural shifts—like moving to Europe or joining inclusive teams—can be transformative for LGBTQ+ athletes.
Expert Quotes
"How come you don't have any girls on the podcast? Is it because it's called Roadman? I was like, No, I just don't know that many of the pro girls. I know a lot of pro guys."
"I've even had conversations with male pro cyclists where I've asked why don't you think there's any gay men in the pro peloton and they say 'I don't think they would survive' and I was like what do you mean by that—how could you say that you don't think they would survive."
"It's the straight men that are going to have to help normalize this and make it okay. And that just might take a while. / Words really matter. When you put the word 'white collar' on the crime, it somehow takes away from the second half of the sentence—it's now a diminished crime. It's the same thing with constant slurs compounding on somebody's insecurity."