In order to keep men from signing up in women’s events (races, group rides, workouts like the recent PowerUp series), why not make men “blind” to these events? When they’re looking through Companion, for example, why not make it so women’s-only events are filtered out from their view?
(I’m not going to get in a discussion about why Zwift has created women’s-only events, and about the “fairness” of it. There are other threads that address this issue.)
We’re not able to sign up for them, it wont allow us to, so you have nothing to worry about.
Some men have found a work-around and DO, in fact, sign up for women’s events. If it didn’t happen, I wouldn’t be mentioning it. For example, some men in my followers list on Companion completed the women’s-only PowerUp workout series earlier today.
Not all of the powerup series are women only, there are unisex events mixed in. Perhaps your friend completed one of them?
That could indeed be the case! Thanks!
It doesn’t change the fact that this is still a known problem with other events in Zwift. Men change their gender, enter the event, then change it back.
I really dont think this happens as much as you think. You can’t change your gender without contacting Zwift support. It’s not as simple as just clicking a button in your settings. I would assume Zwift tracks this somehow and doesn’t allow anyone to switch gender back and forth.
Yes you can change gender but only online via Zwift website not the companion app… which sucks… wrong on soo many levels… I’m fine with transgender but to change your gender for sack of racing with women… as you cannot keep up with men… it’s low of the lowest… maybe Zwift needs to introduce ID check at signed up… I wouldn’t mine sharing mine…
It’s why the Zwiftpower “alias” feature is so good. It tracks any changes in weight/height between races. Pretty obvious when someone drops 10kg for a race.
We are of course back to the question of how far Zwift are prepared to engage with racing protocols/sanctions of its own members. It’s a tricky one, as Eric has discussed with his usual erudition and balance on weight cat enforcement, and is covered regularly by Simon and the boys on the Zwiftcast.
For what it’s worth, I worry about what’s in my control and not what isn’t. I know cheats mess up bunches/pacing etc but I can’t stop them.
Simplistic I know, but saves stress creeping into the one thing I do to relieve it!
Wow! I didn’t know you could do that on the website so easily. @shooj why isn’t this setting “locked” like it is in the companion app? Seems like a no brainer to protect the women only events and discourage cheating/harassment.
If it is predictable then it is preventable.
Hi Sophie,
I wonder if some of the offenders are from those who share accounts. Which is another no no as far as Zwift is concerned.
Troy, some are for sure - if they’re on ZP they’re a little easier to spot - but some aren’t.
I’m not the first one to bring this up, and I won’t be the last. There are so few women on Zwift compared to men; I feel our voices tend to be drowned out.
Keep on keeping on Sophie. 
Zwift can’t and I’m sure won’t, ignore these types of issues.
They are a slow moving beast though.
It would be great if more women voiced their opinion on this, the official Zwift forum. Unfortunately it seems rather lowly attended by all Zwifter’s considering the numbers of Zwifter’s out there.
