Sports
Two trans nonbinary athletes make history
Fans around the world celebrate Nikki Hiltz and Quinn
Canada is gearing up for its second match in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, facing Ireland Wednesday with transgender nonbinary trailblazer Quinn expected back on the pitch. Last week, Quinn made history by playing in the team’s opener against Nigeria, without even scoring a goal; They are the first out trans nonbinary player to compete in soccer’s international championship.
Ten thousand miles away in Monaco, trans nonbinary sprinter Nikki Hiltz set a new U.S. national record on Friday that has stood for nearly 40 years. Although they finished in sixth place, the Aptos, Calif., native ran the mile in four minutes, 16.35 seconds, breaking the mark of 4:16.71, set in 1985 by Mary Slaney.
These two trans nonbinary stars are being celebrated in each of their sports. Earlier this month, Hiltz, 28, became the first out trans nonbinary athlete to win a USA Track and Field national title, as the Los Angeles Blade reported. Part of the joy that came with the win was having the TV commentators get their pronouns right, as they shared on Instagram.
After setting the record in Monaco, Hiltz wrote on Instagram: “There’s a lot of things I could probably attribute my recent successes to, but I think the most powerful tool I have is my joy,” they wrote. “Queer people can thrive when we make a space for them, love them and embrace them for who they are.”
Quinn, 27, shared a post on Instagram about their part in a new corporate initiative from GE Appliances, “See Them, Be Them.”
“I remember some of my favorite memories growing up were the opportunities I had to see my role models playing on the world stage and I’m so excited to be experiencing the other side of that now,” they captioned the post, which shows them talking with young soccer players. “We need more opportunities for girl and gender diverse soccer players to see their future in the sport.”
Fans of Quinn and Hiltz have added comments full of accolades, many sharing that their successes brought them to tears. “So much kudos for the incredible visibility you’re creating,” said a fan of Quinn’s. Another fan wrote to Hiltz, “You are such an inspiration for queer runners. Thank you for everything you do!”
But of course, history for trans athletes is not made without detractors adding their angry voices, too.
Quinn’s social media is especially targeted by negative commenters misgendering them and wrongly presuming they transitioned from male to female. On Monday, a politician in Nigeria posted what used to be called a tweet on the X platform, accusing Canada of cheating by having Quinn on its team.
“Canada cheated in their [match] against Nigeria at the FIFA Women’s World Cup game by featuring this MAN that they called ‘transgender,’ giving them an obvious advantage,” wrote Babatunde Gbadamosi, who is a former gubernatorial candidate in Lagos state.
“This game should be awarded to Nigeria along with all three points. Nigeria would have won that game EASILY if Canada did not have the advantage of an extra player. Our 11 women played against 12 Canadian women, because the man has to count as two women.”
Gbadamosi is calling for Nigeria and all African nations to boycott the Women’s World Cup because of “men pretending to be women.”
Other than Quinn, however, none of the nations taking part this year has an out trans or trans nonbinary athlete competing in the Women’s World Cup.
There are reports that there are as many as 100 or more out LGBTQ competitors and coaches, including the USWNT’s Kristie Mewis, Kelley O’Hara and two-time champion Megan Rapinoe. Autostraddle called this “the most openly queer sporting event in history.”
Sports
New IOC policy bans trans women from Olympics
New regulation to be in effect at 2028 summer games in Los Angeles
The International Olympic Committee on Thursday announced it will not allow transgender women from competing in female events at the Olympics.
“For all disciplines on the Sports Program of an IOC event, including individual and team sports, eligibility for any Female Category is limited to biological females,” reads the new policy.
The policy states “eligibility for the Female Category is to be determined in the first instance by SRY Gene screening to detect the absence or presence of the SRY Gene.”
“On the basis of the scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the SRY (sex-determining Region Y) Gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced or will experience male sex development,” it reads. “Furthermore, the IOC considers that SRY Gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample is unintrusive compared to other possible methods. Athletes who screen negative for the SRY gene permanently satisfy this policy’s eligibility criteria for competition in the Female Category.”
The policy states the test “will be a once-in-a-lifetime test” unless “there is reason to believe a negative reading is in error.”
The new regulation will be in place for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“I understand that this a very sensitive topic,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry on Thursday in a video. “As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition.”
“The policy that we have announced is based on science and it has been led by medical experts with the best interests of athletes at its heart. The scientific evidence is very clear: male chromosomes give performance advances in sport that rely on strength, power, or endurance,” she added. “At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”
(Video courtesy of the IOC)
Laurel Hubbard, a weightlifter from New Zealand, in 2021 became the first trans woman to compete at the Olympics.
Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, won a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Khelif later sued JK Rowling and Elon Musk for cyberstalking after they questioned her gender identity.
Ellis Lundholm, a mogul skier from Sweden, this year became the first openly trans athlete to compete in any Winter Olympics when he participated in Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy.
President Donald Trump in February 2025 issued an executive order that bans trans women and girls from female sports teams in the U.S.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee last July banned trans women from competing in female sporting events. Republican lawmakers have demanded the IOC ban trans athletes from women’s athletic competitions.
“I’m grateful the Olympics finally embraced the common sense policy that women’s sports are for women, not for men,” said U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on X.
An IOC spokesperson on Thursday referred the Washington Blade to the press release that announced the new policy.
More than a dozen LGBTQ athletes won medals at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics that ended on Sunday.
Cayla Barnes, Hilary Knight, and Alex Carpenter are LGBTQ members of the U.S. women’s hockey team that won a gold medal after they defeated Canada in overtime. Knight the day before the Feb. 19 match proposed to her girlfriend, Brittany Bowe, an Olympic speed skater.
French ice dancer Guillaume Cizeron, who is gay, and his partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry won gold. American alpine skier Breezy Johnson, who is bisexual, won gold in the women’s downhill. Amber Glenn, who identifies as bisexual and pansexual, was part of the American figure skating team that won gold in the team event.
Swiss freestyle skier Mathilde Gremaud, who is in a relationship with Vali Höll, an Austrian mountain biker, won gold in women’s freeski slopestyle.
Bruce Mouat, who is the captain of the British curling team that won a silver medal, is gay. Six members of the Canadian women’s hockey team — Emily Clark, Erin Ambrose, Emerance Maschmeyer, Brianne Jenner, Laura Stacey, and Marie-Philip Poulin — that won silver are LGBTQ.
Swedish freestyle skier Sandra Naeslund, who is a lesbian, won a bronze medal in ski cross.
Belgian speed skater Tineke den Dulk, who is bisexual, was part of her country’s mixed 2000-meter relay that won bronze. Canadian ice dancer Paul Poirier, who is gay, and his partner, Piper Gilles, won bronze.
Laura Zimmermann, who is queer, is a member of the Swiss women’s hockey team that won bronze when they defeated Sweden.
Outsports.com notes all of the LGBTQ Olympians who competed at the games and who medaled.
Sports
US wins Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey
Team captain Hilary Knight proposed to girlfriend on Wednesday
The U.S. women’s hockey team on Thursday won a gold medal at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Team USA defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime. The game took place a day after Team USA captain Hilary Knight proposed to her girlfriend, Brittany Bowe, an Olympic speed skater.
Cayla Barnes and Alex Carpenter — Knight’s teammates — are also LGBTQ. They are among the more than 40 openly LGBTQ athletes who are competing in the games.
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