Quinn.Photo: Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty
Victory or not, Quinn has already made history before Canada’s first gold medal match for women’s soccer.
On Monday, the 25-year-old midfielder from Toronto, who played soccer at Duke University and now plays for Washington’s OL Reign, became thefirst openly transgender and non-binary athleteto win an Olympic medal after Canada beat the USWNT.
“I feel sad knowing there were Olympians before me unable to live their truth because of the world,” Quinn shared in July. “I feel optimistic for change. Change in legislature. Changes in rules, structures, and mindsets.”
The athlete added, “Mostly, I feel aware of the realities. Trans girls being banned from sports. Trans women facing discrimination and bias while trying to pursue their Olympic dreams.”
Transgender athletes have been allowed to participate in the Olympics since 2004. More recently in the U.S., a slew of bills have been proposed seeking to ban trans athletes from school teams that align with their gender identity.
Opening up about “getting messages from young people saying they’ve never seen a trans person in sports before,” Quinn told theCanadian Broadcasting Corp.in August that “athletics is the most exciting part of my life. … If I can allow kids to play the sports they love, that’s my legacy and that’s what I’m here for.”
With another medal at the Olympics, Quinn is even more of a role model. Like theysaidlast September: “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. It’s a process, and I know it won’t be perfect, but if I can encourage you to start then it’s something.”
To learn more about Team USA, visitTeamUSA.org. Watch the Tokyo Olympics now on NBC.
source: people.com
