Timcast IRL · June 19, 2022 · 2h 0m

Sunday Uncensored: Taylor Silverman Exclusive Bonus Interview

culture-warsportsgender-identityfairnesscompetitiontrans-athletes

Episode Recap

Timcast IRL episode titled 'Sunday Uncensored: Taylor Silverman Exclusive Bonus Interview' aired on June 19, 2022, featuring Tim Pool and co-hosts discussing Taylor Silverman's experience competing in the Red Bull Cornerstone Best in the Midwest skateboarding series. Silverman, who qualified for finals in Detroit and then in Lincoln, Nebraska, finished in second place behind a trans woman competitor in the women's division. The discussion centered on the $3,000 first-place prize money and the $1,000 best trick award that Silverman lost to the competitor, who took home approximately $5,000 total in prize money designated for female athletes. Tim and his co-hosts explored the fairness implications of trans women competing in women's sports, comparing the subjective nature of skateboarding judging to objective sports like swimming, where times can be precisely measured. The conversation referenced the Lia Thomas controversy in collegiate swimming, where Riley Gaines tied with Thomas but was told to step aside for the trophy photo. Silverman explained how the trans competitor had competed in different qualifier events than she did, meaning they never faced each other until the finals. The panel discussed the broader cultural and political ramifications of these competitive situations, noting that Silverman was among the few athletes willing to publicly speak up about the issue, with most others remaining silent despite similar concerns about competitive fairness.

TL;DR

  • →Taylor Silverman qualified for and competed in the Red Bull Cornerstone Best in the Midwest skateboarding finals, finishing second to a trans woman competitor in the women's division
  • →The trans competitor won $5,000 total in prize money ($3,000 first place, $1,000 best trick, $1,000 from qualifiers) while Silverman received $2,750 ($1,750 second place, $1,000 from qualifiers)
  • →Silverman explained she would have earned $4,000 total had she won first place, losing $1,250 due to the placement
  • →The discussion compared subjective skateboarding judging to objective sports like swimming, where Lia Thomas won despite Riley Gaines tying her time
  • →Tim Pool and co-hosts debated the fairness and cultural implications of trans women competing in women's divisions across multiple sports
  • →The episode highlighted that Silverman was one of the few athletes willing to publicly speak up about this issue in competitive sports

Key Moments

  • 0:00
    Introduction
    Tim Pool introduces the episode topic about Taylor Silverman's skateboarding competition experience and references the Lia Thomas swimming controversy
  • 00:01:48
    Taylor Silverman Joins
    Silverman begins explaining her qualifying experience in Detroit and Lincoln, Nebraska for the Red Bull Cornerstone finals
  • 00:03:48
    Prize Money Analysis
    Detailed discussion of the $3,000 first place prize, $1,000 best trick, and qualifier winnings that the trans competitor took from the women's division
  • 00:04:23
    Speaking Up
    Silverman explains why she felt compelled to publicly speak up about the unfairness and the lack of other athletes willing to do the same
  • 00:06:32
    Subjective vs Objective Judging
    Tim and Taylor discuss the subjective nature of skateboarding judging compared to timed sports like swimming
  • 00:08:12
    Disability Comparison
    Discussion of how skateboard judges account for competitors with disabilities, raising questions about fairness considerations

Notable Quotes

“In fact, I don't think anyone publicly spoke up except for one person who missed the finals bracket by like one position.”

— Tim Pool · opening introduction about the lack of public pushback on trans athletes in women's sports

“They had also taken best trick for $1,000 along with $1,000 in qualifiers and as did I because I had competed in two qualifiers and placed first. But in total they took $5,000 of the prize money that was meant for the female athletes.”

— Taylor Silverman · explaining the financial impact of the trans competitor winning the women's division

“The interesting thing about that I see with the skateboarding skateboarding judging is subjective correct so you're skating and there's a judge sitting there saying, I did not like the way she did that. So I mark you down.”

— Tim Pool · comparing subjective skateboarding judging to objective swimming times with Lia Thomas

“They basically just told her, you know, step aside, shut up. This is how we're going to do it.”

— Ian Crossland · describing how Riley Gaines was treated after tying with Lia Thomas in the swimming finals

“I felt like I was in a position where people might actually listen if I spoke up because I had gotten second. And we haven't really seen somebody who's on the podium speaking up about it.”

— Taylor Silverman · explaining her motivation for publicly discussing the controversy

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