Quinn, footballer for the Canadian team, became the first openly transgender and non-binary athlete to win an Olympic medal this Friday, in another historic moment that will leave Tokyo-2020, after the final won by his team against Sweden (3 -2 on penalties after 1-1 in the match), in Yokohama. See the photo gallery here

Quinn, who has only one name, started and was replaced at the end of the first period.

A 25-year-old midfielder, Quinn has a long history with the Canadian women’s team, in which she made her debut in 2014 and with which she won the bronze medal at Rio-2016, although she did not declared transgender than 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 sick of being abused and stuff,” she added.

Pioneer transgender player status at the Tokyo 2020 Games was granted at the same time as that of New Zealand transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard.

Hubbard, whom the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes as such, has sparked controversy and debate. Because?

Critics argued that the New Zealander had physical advantages locked away in her body from her developmental years as a man, which made it unfair for her to enter the tournament’s women’s draw against gender born weightlifters. feminine.

However, Hubbard’s Games debut ultimately failed to make any sporting noise as he was unable to complete the lift and was not in contention for metals.

Hubbard, 43, who was twice the age of some of her rivals and hadn’t competed internationally since before the coronavirus pandemic, later admitted she was ‘overwhelmed’ to be in the spotlight .

That’s not the case for Quinn, who plays as a defensive midfielder and lines up at club level alongside big female stars like American Megan Rapinoe.

Today is a historic day. Quinn will be the first non-binary trans person to win an Olympic medal. I am very excited. It can be gold or silver, but it has already won and with that also a lot of non-binary band-aids that can feel represented and pus??

At 7am it’s the final
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— Georgina G. Alvarez (@ginxglez) August 6, 2021

-“The fight is not over”-

Quinn, who plays for Seattle OL Reign of the U.S. Women’s National League, also faced no questions about being 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 making a movement and we start making inroads in society,” Quinn said on her website. club.

Like Hubbard, Quinn has spoken about the difficulties of being transgender in a binary-driven world and takes up the challenge of being a role model at the Games for young people going through similar personal situations.

“I get messages from young people saying they’ve never seen a transgender person in sport before,” Quinn told the CBC public broadcaster after Canada overthrew super-favorites USA 1-0 , who ultimately won the bronze medal.

“Sport is the most exciting part of my life. If I can allow children to practice the sports they love, that’s my fight and that’s what I’m here for,” he admits. .

After arriving in Tokyo, Quinn reflected on what it meant to appear on sport’s biggest stage as an openly transgender athlete.

“I don’t know how to feel. I’m proud to see ‘Quinn’ in the roster and in my accreditation. But it saddens me to know that there were Olympic athletes before me who couldn’t live their truth to the world,” Quinn posted on social media.

Even if the fight continues. “There are transgender girls who are banned from playing sports, transgender women who face discrimination and prejudice as they try to pursue their Olympic dreams,” she said.

“The fight isn’t over. I’m going to celebrate when everyone’s here,” Quinn concluded.

(END)AFP/JSO

Published: 08/06/2021