6 August 2021
Quinn Becomes First Openly Trans and Non-Binary Olympic Gold Medallist
Cultural International Trans
Canadian midfielder Quinn became the first openly transgender athlete to compete at an Olympic Games (21 July) and won gold when Canada defeated Sweden in the women's football final at the Tokyo Olympics. Quinn, who uses they/them pronouns, had come out as transgender and non-binary in September 2020. They had previously won bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics before coming out.
Impact & Significance
A watershed moment for trans and non-binary visibility in sport, demonstrating that trans athletes belong on the world's biggest sporting stage.
Reference Record
- Date
- 6 August 2021
- Era
- 2020-present
- Sources
- 2
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Questions This Event Helps Answer
Q How did LGBTQ+ athletes change sport visibility? LGBTQ+ athletes changed sport visibility by coming out publicly, challenging homophobia in elite sport, supporting inclusion campaigns, and exposing discriminatory eligibility rules. Q How did trans and nonbinary athletes change sport policy debates? They made eligibility rules, Olympic participation, medal visibility and football coming-out milestones central to LGBTQ+ sport history.
Related Events
2004 IOC Adopts First Guidelines Allowing Transgender Athletes to Compete 2019 Court of Arbitration for Sport Upholds Testosterone Regulations Against Caster Semenya 2021 IOC Replaces Testosterone Threshold with New Inclusion Framework 2021 Laurel Hubbard First Openly Trans Woman to Compete in Individual Olympic Event
