Elana Meyers Taylor: The Olympic Bobsledder Battling Gender Stereotypes

By Victoria Albert | Filed under Feminism

Elana Meyers Taylor dominates the bobsled track. Heading into the Pyeongchang Games, she had already collected four world championship golds, plus a bronze from Vancouver and a silver from Sochi. On the following day, she will steer a two-person bobsled with partner Lauren Gibbs, and they are strong contenders for the gold medal.

When she isn't speeding at 100 mph or hauling 3,500-pound SUVs during training, Meyers Taylor champions gender parity. In 2014, she and Canada's Kaillie Humphries captured attention as among the earliest female pilots of a mixed-gender four-man bobsled at the world championships.

According to Meyers Taylor, there's a persistent belief in bobsledding that men make superior drivers. "People assume that because male athletes compete in both two-man and four-man events, they are more adaptable, and that women lack driving skill," she told USA Today Sports. "Kaillie and I have proven that we can drive just as skillfully as men. That's the core challenge — to go out and demonstrate that gender does not determine success at the highest level."

Regrettably, but predictably, the same stigma and bias persist within the Olympic arena. Recent remarks have shown that no matter one's achievements, there will always be critics with a platform.

Meyers Taylor emailed BUST, saying, "The Olympics mirrors daily existence. It's not meant to be political, but the overlap is unavoidable."

In response, Meyers Taylor joined Proctor & Gamble's Love Over Bias initiative. The campaign showcases athletes alongside their mothers in promotional clips, sharing personal narratives to spark dialogue about prejudice in high-level sports.

Meyers Taylor commented, "Every single day, individuals are told they cannot achieve certain things because of their race, sex, or sexual orientation. I'm thrilled to be involved in a campaign that aims to disprove those messages."

To be clear, love by itself cannot erase bias. That requires structural reforms (and a more capable leader). However, as P&G's campaign illustrates, love can sustain those facing prejudice — and for Elana Meyers Taylor, that support might carry her to a gold medal.

View Meyers Taylor's "Love Over Bias" video below:

Image source: YouTube, Proctor & Gamble

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Victoria Albert is a journalism graduate student from Boston. She covers reproductive rights, health policy, and feminism, with work appearing in In These Times and Alternet. Follow her on Twitter: @victoria_alb3.