On the cusp of the Gold Medal match, Canadian soccer player Quinn has already made history becoming the first trans athlete to participate in the Olympics while simultaneously securing at least a silver medal.
Thanks to Quinn, Canada has advanced to the Finals after defeating the United States 1-0 for the first time in 20 years.
But for this single-name star athlete Quinn, who uses they/them pronouns, these games aren’t just about medals.
Quinn took to Instagram and shared their feelings after their 1-1 draw against Japan in Sapporo.
“I feel proud seeing “Quinn” up on the line-up and on my accreditation. I feel sad knowing there were Olympians before me unable to live their truth because of the world,” They said in a post.
Promisingly, Quinn is not the only transgender athlete participating in the Tokyo Games.
According to CNN, these are the most inclusive games to date with at least 180 out LGBTQ+ Olympians. And four athletes who are out and either trans or non-binary like Laurel Hubbard.
Hubbard, a transgender woman competing in weightlifting for New Zealand, also made history alongside Quinn.
“I am not entirely unaware of the controversy which surrounds my participation at these Games,” Hubbard said after competing on Monday.
It’s not a shock the inclusion of transgender athletes in the games was a debate, however; the International Olympic Committee (IOC) disclosed they will review guidelines for trans athletes after Tokyo 2020.
Quinn made their debut for their national team in 2014 and has since made 68 appearances; including winning a bronze medal with the team in Rio in 2016. But at the time they were not publicly known as trans.
Aside from playing with their country; they reside with Settle OL Reign in the NWSL. In July 2019, Quinn was signed to better equip Settle in midfield.
The 25-year-old came out last September and alluded to that in that same post, “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,” Quinn wrote. “The fight isn’t close to over… and I’ll celebrate when we’re all here.”
They have since used Instagram as a platform to share their visibility and help build a more inclusive world for the queer community.
Congratulations Quinn for making history and being yourself!
Kickoff from National Stadium in Tokyo is set for 8 am ET; where Canada will try to pull off one more upset against the Swedes.
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