Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
Canadian Trans Runner Advocates For Trans Inclusion After Defeating 12YO Girl In A Race
InterviewThe debate surrounding the inclusion of transgender people in women’s sports has once again sparked conversations.
Nathanielle Morin, a trans athlete who was born biologically male and also acts as a Canadian advisor to the Federal Minister of Women, is adamant about advocating for trans athletes.
They released a statement earlier this week amidst President Donald Trump’s recent executive order that forbids trans athletes from competing in any women’s or girl’s sports, as reported by Fox News. It additionally states that any publicly funded institution in the US that allows their participation will lose its federal funding.
Highlights
- Trans runner Nathanielle Morin defends transgender inclusion in women's sports.
- Morin argues scientific research supports their right to compete based on their medical transition.
- Critics argue that allowing trans athletes creates unfair competition against cisgender women.
BP Daily - Your Source for Unbiased Reporting
Trans runner Nathanielle Morin stands firm that transgender people should be included in women’s sports
Image credits: nathaniellemorin
“I am aware that my participation in so many competitions will be talked about because of my medical history. The situation in the United States and the comments of certain politicians do not help either,” Morin wrote.
“With all due respect to the level I compete at (amateur recreational), the state of scientific research in the field (for the amateur recreational level) and the fact that I have undergone a medical transition, I consider that I have the legitimacy to participate in the right category, unless the law prohibits me from doing so.
“Let us remember that in Canada, no law prohibits it. As for other countries, I will comply with the local laws in force when it applies.”
Morin continued on to say that additional medical research would be considered as they weigh whether or not to keep competing in women’s sports.
Image credits: Nathanielle_Qc
Please see my statement regarding my participation, as a trans woman, in sport. pic.twitter.com/9ACG6HCntI
— Nathanielle Morin (@Nathanielle_Qc) February 15, 2025
The competition that sparked much of this discussion occurred on February 4, during the 5-kilometer BougeBouge run, where Morin came in first place with a time of 25:32. They earned the title of ‘fastest female’ across all age categories.
The runner-up, who would’ve won had Morin not competed, was a girl in the 10-12 age category with a time of 26:08.
If the advisor competed in the men’s category, they would have finished in 10th place, according to the abovementioned outlet.
On the day of the race, Morin shared some thoughts on X regarding a Toronto Star opinion piece surrounding trans inclusion.
Morin competed in the BougeBouge run, finishing first in the women’s category
Image credits: Raphael Renter | @raphi_rawr
“Some of the world saw our struggles, and all our beauty and pain and laughter and wit… and anger and hurt and endless cascades of love — and they decided to hate us more,” they shared. “Trans folks only want to fully integrate, and be happy, in our society.”
On February 18, they added to the initial thread, asking for a safer space to be provided.
“Trans folks only want to fully integrate as their authentic self and be happy, in our society. That’s all. Please, be kind.”
But a message asking for warmth received anything but that.
“‘Please be kind.’ NO,” stated one person. “You have no interest in being kind to women and girls. You won’t consider any kind of a compromise that excludes you from our spaces, groups and categories. You have zero care for our safety, privacy, dignity, and right to have our OWN commodities just for us.
“You are my enemy, and I am not kind to my enemies.”
Another wrote, “If it’s true you participate in races with young girls (12??) then that’s not integration that’s cheating! Simple! If true, be ashamed of yourself! If not true then all the best to you!”
“While I have compassion for your struggles, your personal struggles do NOT give you the right to steal from others,” a third said.
Many women commented that it is “unfair” for trans athletes to compete in a different category
Image credits: nathaniellemorin
One user posed the question, “Is it kind to have biological males in change room with young girls? Should we just be kind and allow this to happen? Because if someone identifies as a female, that logic means, we can’t keep anyone who says those words out of women’s and girls change rooms.”
The debate of whether trans athletes should be included in female sports has been ongoing for years. A healthy conversation detailed on Divided We Fall included two professionals who remained on opposing sides.
Teresa Smallwood, a postdoctoral fellow & associate director in Public Theology and Racial Justice, said that it is unfair to regard transgender women and cisgender women as two separate entities.
“I am arguing for a human approach to this debate rather than a scientific one. The world needs more acceptance and less divisiveness. Transgender women and girls deserve the freedom to be themselves. They should be able to compete in sports,” she said while providing scientific evidence that “human biology does not neatly divide into two categories.”
Image credits: nathaniellemorin
But Mariah Burton Nelson, a former professional athlete and working group member at Women’s Sports Policy, sees the issue from another perspective.
“I, too, want transgender women to enjoy dignity, grace, and respect. I want them to have equal access to healthcare, housing, employment, and sports. We seem to only disagree about how to define equal access in sports,” she stated.
Later on, she wrote, “I respect that transwomen want to play on the women’s team in every sense. But we must remember that despite what they call themselves and despite what they believe about their gender, their bodies are male.
“So, the question becomes: Should men be allowed to compete against women? In my opinion, the answer is no.”
Image credits: Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona
A similar line of thinking happened for Bonnie Wang, a former competitive swimmer, as she told Bored Panda.
She explained how the biological differences between men and women are crucial when it comes to the outcome and competition of a sport, and “as a trans person, your biology is not going to be the same as a cis person, so it no longer makes the sport fair.”
But to her, “separation doesn’t mean something is not inclusive — women compete separately from men but are still included in the sport because they get to compete at all. So, using that logic, trans people can compete in their own category and it would still be inclusive.”
The comparisons between Morin and a 12-year-old who was runner-up flooded the comments
Image credits: duchess_elle
Image credits: adriansopinion
Image credits: JlzZimmerman
Image credits: DCancilla62093
Image credits: SuzonVa
Image credits: ladyofcin0
Image credits: Conic_11
Image credits: koncz13
Image credits: Silly_Gremlin
Image credits: ccplaysvball
Image credits: _sajohn
Image credits: therapeuticvids
Poll Question
Total votes ·
Thanks! Check out the results:
Total votes ·
Newsletter
Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls
By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!
What do you think ?
turk 9 months ago (edited)
I'm as liberal as they come. And I fully support trans rights. Do what makes you happy. Love who you want. But this is a bridge too far even for me. I'm sorry, but if you transition, sports are one thing you're probably going to have to give up. Or compete as your birth gender.
Jules 9 months ago
Totally agree. I fully support anyone's right to transition into who they feel they really are and live the life they choose. However if a person is born male they will always have that physical advantage over those who were female from birth. It's undeniable.
Load More Replies...
TotallyNOTAFox 9 months ago (edited)
There is a reason why biological male athletes are separated from biological female ones in physical disciplines. And yes transpersons should have the same rights - freedom of individuality is great - but that doesn't mean that logical conclusions have to be thrown out of the window to appease them in every regard. Inconveniences and boundaries aren't automatically an attack of a group's fundamental rights
Adam Burnham 9 months ago
and ban all the females that transitioned to males completing in male sports because of how much the trans people are dominating there. oh, they're not? what a shocker. wonder why...
turk 9 months ago (edited)
I'm as liberal as they come. And I fully support trans rights. Do what makes you happy. Love who you want. But this is a bridge too far even for me. I'm sorry, but if you transition, sports are one thing you're probably going to have to give up. Or compete as your birth gender.
Jules 9 months ago
Totally agree. I fully support anyone's right to transition into who they feel they really are and live the life they choose. However if a person is born male they will always have that physical advantage over those who were female from birth. It's undeniable.
Load More Replies... TotallyNOTAFox 9 months ago (edited)
There is a reason why biological male athletes are separated from biological female ones in physical disciplines. And yes transpersons should have the same rights - freedom of individuality is great - but that doesn't mean that logical conclusions have to be thrown out of the window to appease them in every regard. Inconveniences and boundaries aren't automatically an attack of a group's fundamental rights
Adam Burnham 9 months ago
and ban all the females that transitioned to males completing in male sports because of how much the trans people are dominating there. oh, they're not? what a shocker. wonder why...
You May Like 60 Of The Weirdest Guinness World Records You Might've Not Heard Of 99 Strange World Records That Are Weirder Than They Seem Top First World Problems People Complain About Every Day
Linas Simonaitis
Eligijus Sinkunas
Žydrūnė Trukanavičiūtė
Related on Bored Panda
-43
93