Canadian national team football player Quinn became the first openly transgender, non-binary athlete to win an Olympic medal on Friday. The historic moment of the Tokyo Games came after Canada beat Sweden on penalties.
Quinn, who has only one name, started as a starter and made it to the bench at the end of the first half. A 25-year-old midfielder, she has a long history with the Canadian women’s team. She made her debut in 2014 and won bronze at the Rio 2016 Games. She declared herself transgender last year.
“I wanted to be authentic in all areas of my life, and one of them is public space,” Quinn said at the time. “So that was one of the reasons behind it, because I was tired of being mistreated and everything,” he added.
The Games’ pioneering transgender status came alongside that of New Zealand transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, which has sparked controversy and debate.
Critics argued that the New Zealander had physical benefits in her body from her growing years as a man, which made it unfair for her to participate in the women’s tournament against born passer-bys.
Hubbard’s debut at the Games didn’t make any sporting noise, however, as he failed to complete the lift and stayed out of the medal fight. The 43-year-old, who was twice the age of some of her rivals and had not competed in international competitions since before the coronavirus pandemic, admitted she felt “downtrodden” to be under the projectors.
“The fight is not over”
Quinn, who plays for Seattle’s OL Reign in the United States National Women’s League, has not asked about her presence on the Canadian women’s team.
“I want my story told because when we have a lot of trans visibility, that’s when we start moving and moving up in society,” Quinn says, on her club’s website.
Like Hubbard, Quinn spoke about the challenges of being transgender in a binary-centric world and faces the challenge of being a role model at the Olympics for young people in similar personal situations.
“I get messages from kids saying they’ve never seen a trans person in sport before,” Quinn said. “Sport is the most exciting part of my life. If I can allow kids to play the sports they love, that’s my fight and that’s why I’m here,” he said.
Canadian team medalists at the Tokyo 2020 football tournament (Photo: Loic Venance / AFP)
After arriving in Tokyo, Quinn reflected on what it meant to appear on the biggest sports scene as an openly transgender athlete.
“I don’t know how to feel. I am proud to see ‘Quinn’ in the casting and the accreditation. But it saddens me to know that there were Olympic athletes before me unable to live their truth in each one.” , she posted on social media.
“There are trans girls who are prohibited from playing sports, trans women who face discrimination and prejudice while trying to achieve their Olympic dreams. “The fight is not over. I will celebrate when everyone is there, ”Quinn concluded.
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