How Trans Athletes Banded Together and... Defeated a Half-Baked Sports Ban

[Jessica_Rose]

How Trans Athletes Banded Together and Actually Defeated a Half-Baked Sports Ban

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/how-trans-athletes-banded-together-and-actually-defeated-a-half-baked-sports-ban/ar-BB1kCNtt?ocid=windirect&cvid=4b9a00d8aff243959ff0f70812a6ef3d&ei=49

Story by Sara Youngblood Gregory (27 March 2024)

The announcement landed quietly in inboxes in early October. USA Climbing—the organization that governs competitive climbing in the United States—was unrolling a new policy on transgender participation in the sport.

Like many other regulations on trans participation in sports, the USAC policy is obsessed with testosterone levels and the eligibility of trans women and trans femmes—and the restrictions are overwhelming.

Within weeks of the October policy announcement, Fiore was in touch with other trans climbers across the country. Together, they founded Trans Climbers Belong (TCB), a grassroots initiative organizing against the policy and working to build solidarity for trans athletes across the wider climbing community.

In late November, just 10 days after Trans Climbers Belong launched their website, open letters, petition, and organizing demands, USAC announced a pause to their policy. The statement reads: "To reduce administrative complexities for all athletes, USA Climbing is delaying the implementation of the Transgender Athlete Participation Policy. Athletes may continue to compete in the gender category aligning with their identity."

"The reality is that a lot of people were forced to listen because the community came together and backed trans climbers and said, 'No, this is not going to fly.' And I think that put pressure that USAC could not ignore," says Fiore.