Canada’s Quinn to be 1st openly transgender, non-binary athlete to win an Olympic medal | CBC Sports

Quinn came out publicly as transgender in a social media post last fall, changed their pronouns to they/them and now only goes by the one name.

After the team’s 1-0 semifinal victory over the United States on Monday at Kashima Stadium, Quinn said they’ve been “getting messages from young people saying they’ve never seen a trans person in sports before.”

Quinn played college soccer at Duke, and is the highest-drafted Canadian in National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) history — taken third overall by the Washington Spirit in 2018. They now play for the OL Reign.

They won the bronze at the 2016 Games in Rio and were also on the squad that suffered a heartbreaking loss to the U.S. in London in 2012. 

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When Quinn came out last September, they told The Canadian Press that it was partly because they were “tired of being misgendered” in society and in the media, and partly to be a “visible figure” for younger people who may be “questioning their gender, exploring their gender.”

WATCH | Redemption 9 years in the making — Canada to play for women’s soccer gold:

The Canadian women’s national team defeated the United States for the first time in 20 years, pushing their way through the Olympic semifinals and into the gold-medal match. 1:52

New guidelines coming for transgender athletes

At these Games, another transgender athlete has helped spark a conversation about greater inclusivity in sports. New Zealand’s Laurel Hubbard, the first openly transgender Olympic weightlifter, competed Monday in the women’s +87 kg category, but was knocked out of medal contention by failing to complete a lift in the first portion of the competition.

“Of course, I’m not entirely unaware of the controversy which surrounds my participation in these Games,” Hubbard said after exiting the competition. “And, as such, I’d particularly like to thank the IOC, for, I think, really affirming their commitment to the principles of Olympism, and establishing that sport is something for all people. It is inclusive. It is accessible.”

In 2015, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) established a set of regulations for transgender athletes in the Games. The IOC has said it will release updated guidelines in the coming months.

For Quinn, being an advocate and a role model is not new. While at Duke, Quinn sat on the board of the school’s chapter of Athlete Ally, an organization that aims to foster equal opportunity in sports regardless of sexual orientation, or gender identity, or expression.

“Athletics is the most exciting part of my life and it brings me the most joy,” Quinn told CBC Sports on Monday.

“If I can allow kids to play the sports they love, that’s my legacy and that’s what I’m here for.”

WATCH | While You Were Sleeping — Canada to play for gold, Biles is back:

For the first time in 20 years, Canada’s women’s soccer team gets a win over the United States. Simone Biles announces she will compete in a final, and the stage has been set for Canadian beach volleyball players. 3:36