Footballer Quinn Set To Become First Trans And Non-Binary Athlete To Win Olympic Medal

By Stewart Perrie

Canadian footballer Quinn is set to become the first openly transgender and non-binary athlete to win an Olympic medal.

Canada booked itself a spot in the final against Sweden this weekend, meaning they have guaranteed themselves either a gold or a silver.

However the game plays out on August 6, Quinn, who only goes by one name, will write themself into the history books.

They became the first officially open trans athlete in Olympic Games history when their side took on Japan on July 21.

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While there was a lot of attention on Kiwi weightlifter Laurel Hubbard being the first trans athlete to qualify for a Games, she didn't have her first appearance until this week.

By comparison, Quinn has had much less media attention, but they have focused on helping Canada knock out Chile, Brazil and the United States so far.

The footballer wrote on Instagram: "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 this world.

"I feel optimistic for change. Change in legislature. Changes in rules, structures, and mindsets."

They represented Canada at the Rio 2016 Olympics, however hadn't yet come out as trans.

They revealed to the world earlier this year that they didn't subscribe to the sex or gender they were assigned at birth.

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"Coming out is HARD ( and kinda bs). I know for me it's something I'll be doing over again for the rest of my life. As I've lived as an openly trans person with the people I love most for many years, I did always wonder when I'd come out publicly," they wrote.

"Instagram is a weird space. I wanted to encapsulate the feelings I had towards my trans identity in one post but that's really not why anyone is on here, including myself.

"So INSTEAD I want to be visible to queer folks who don't see people like them on their feed. I know it saved my life years ago. I want to challenge cis folks ( if you don't know what cis means, that's probably you!!!) to be better allies."

There are more than 180 athletes at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

While trans athletes have been allowed to compete at the Olympics since 2004, rules were changed in 2015 that allowed people to qualify if they recorded below a certain level of testosterone in their body.

Topics: olympics, Football, Tokyo Olympics, Australia

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