Quinn Becomes First Trans Athlete to Compete in Olympics
Before the Tokyo flame was lit and the nations paraded into the stadium, Canadian soccer star Quinn was already making history as the first trans athlete to play in Olympic competition.
In a first round match that pitted Japan against Canada, Quinn made their debut as the first out trans and nonbinary Olympic athlete to ever compete in the global games. Surrounded by the love and support of their team, Quinn helped lead the Canadian women’s soccer team to an 1-1 tie against the favored Japanese team.
In a statement on the National Women’s Soccer League Instagram, Quinn shared their thoughts on the history-making game. “First openly trans Olympian. I don’t know how to feel,” they wrote, “I feel proud seeing ‘Quinn’ up on the lineup and on my accreditation. I feel sad knowing there were Olympians before me unable to live their truth because of the world.”
Since coming out publicly last year, Quinn has used their growing platform to advocate for trans rights amidst a year of sweeping transphobia in the athletic and political worlds. “Mostly, I feel aware of the realities,” they posted, “Trans girls being banned from sports. Trans women facing discrimination and bias while trying to pursue their Olympic dreams. The fight isn’t close to over… and I’ll celebrate when we’re all here.”
Quinn will be joined later in the Games by fellow trans athletes Laurel Hubbard, a weightlifter from New Zealand, and Chelsea Wolfe, an alternate for the U.S. BMX team. Hubbard in particularly has received a horrifying amount of backlash for her qualification in this year’s Olympic Games. Bigoted trolls online have spewed transphobic hatred for the athlete, claiming that her identity would give her an “unfair advantage” in the sport despite there being no scientific evidence to validate their claims.
The three trans athletes are among over 160 other LGBTQ+ athletes at this year’s Games, setting records for the most queer competitors ever in the Olympics. Team USA leads the pack with at least 34 out athletes, followed by Canada (17), Britain (16) and the Netherlands (16). For reference, there were only 56 out and proud athletes at the 2016 Olympics in Rio—a number that has tripled in only five years.
Quinn has and continues to inspire other trans people and athletes to come out publicly, hoping to end the stigma and provide people with necessary representation. “I want to be visible to queer folks who don’t see people like them on their feed,” they share. “I know it saved my life years ago.”
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