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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
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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...
Paul Sloan 9 months ago
It’s is only an issue for trans-men because they can win. You don’t see too many trans-women competing against cis men because they can’t win.
roddy 9 months ago
There's a reason you don't see a lot of trans men in men's sports. If it was truly equal, it would work both ways. But it doesn't. I'm fine with finding another way to pair contestants, maybe by body mass like they do boxers, or whatever. But there needs to be a better way than just filling women's teams with trans athletes because they have performative advantages.
tori Ohno 9 months ago
I believe in their right to their identity, but physically "she" is still a biological male. Males are larger and stronger even after hormone blockers. That's why all sports are separated by gender. I don't care what gender you live your life as, it's your physical gender that's the problem. Maybe there should be a third category?
Lyoness 9 months ago
Genuine question: If the person has fully physically transitioned before puberty and has been taking hormone replacements since, would she be a she? Or is your dividing line that if you're born biologically male, no physical or hormonal change, even if it changes a body to a comparable level of a cis female (muscular development, lung capacity, testosterone level etc) can make a trans woman a woman? Leaving aside gender identity, of course.
Load More Replies...
Boop the Snoot. Pound the Paw. 9 months ago
I don't understand how people who love to compete would even enjoy winning in these circumstances.
Amanda Lalonde 9 months ago
trans people should have their own sports categories, that way they can be judged properly during competitions. i have get respect for anyone who can be their true selves but there are differences between a born female and trans female or the male side of it.
respulero 9 months ago (edited)
It should be an open category for everybody (including women if they want), and another category just for biological women
Load More Replies...
Seedy Vine 9 months ago
What about if there were categories for female, male, trans (MTF) and trans (FTM) categories in sports? Perhaps that would be a solution to make it fair and inclusive for all?
Kevin Hickey 9 months ago
Including the 12 year old in this story is blatant propaganda. The 12 year old won in her age group which was a separate category. If a non-trans woman had beaten the 12 year old in the overall women's category, would the 12 year old even have been mentioned? This is all beside the fact that this entire race was categorized as "recreational". I can understand, even if I don't agree, getting upset about trans women in professional sports, but this was a friggin' neighborhood 5K. Calm the f##k down.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 9 months ago
What is this click baity BS? Before you read this had any of you heard of the "BougeBouge Run"? I hadn't either so I looked it up. https://www.bougebouge.com/en/bougebouge/ TL/DR, It's like a Community center in Baconsfield, Quebec. It was a local community event that NOBODY here ever heard of before, NOT the Olympics. I don't care what your opinion is either way but this is an isolated incident being turned into propaganda. I know this is going to get downvoted but I had to say it.
Lyoness 9 months ago
Why would you get down voted for pointing out this was a way to bait people into a battle about trans rights? Personally I read this article as an attack on the athlete, but I know others here see it differently. It's definitely a contentious topic, but everyone is entitled to an opinion.
Load More Replies...
Maples Dad 9 months ago
Regarding the tweet thats 'Genuinely curious how you ban identity.' is exactly why so many people act in outrage. As the person themselves states it's an identity not a reality.
The person leveling NYC 9 months ago
Can’t believe BoredPanda staff would rage bait people like this. Disgusting, do better.
The person leveling NYC 9 months ago
Transphobic. I shudder to think about what made Tian and Duarte post this. As I said, this is simple polarizing ragebait.
Load More Replies...
OzymandiasTheManokit They/Them 9 months ago
"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." If any of you support this, just know that this will displace many, many kids in the same boat as I. I can't go f**king outside because I stress about possibly being harassed. There's no place for me to go. I'm not safe anymore, none of my friends are. And also, to the people who hate on trans kids, the following .png is for you <3 : IMG_202502...a6b502.jpg 
Lew k 9 months ago
Do whatever you want with your body. I'll be there to back you up. That said you are biologically a man. I support your identity but it's unfair to female athletes to have to compete against biological men. Don't claim your rights by walking on women's rights. They are a marginalized class in most places already. You can have the bathrooms and live fully as a woman in every other way but why do you have to have this?
meeeeeeeeeeee 9 months ago
How about a separate category and shut the f**k up about this? It seems like this ''issue'' is pushed as anti-trans propaganda.
wowbagger 9 months ago
I don't know anything about sports, so this is a naive question, but why can't we just give everyone a handicap based on their best performance to date and then let everyone compete against everyone? That's how it was done in the few bowling leagues I've been part of, and it made bowling a lot more fun for a newbie like me.
TotallyNOTAFox 9 months ago
Men and women have different anatomical features regarding strength and endurance, like different average amounts of blood (oxygen availability), muscle density, bone structure and a few other things that give men an advantage in most sports. Nothing against bowling, but that is a bit different than running marathons and such sports
Load More Replies...
D Hammerman 9 months ago
Sexuality and gender are a bell curve. Not absolutes. There are as many ways a human can be born and develop as there are stars in the sky. Only small minded people demand we all be put into only two boxes.
Tamra 9 months ago
I am actually seeing a lot of support in these comments for people living the life that feels true and right to them. I really don't feel like that's the issue on this thread. People are having an issue when trans women compete against biological women. I think there's room for reasonable, logical debate on this subject, without people crying "transphobia".
Load More Replies... OzymandiasTheManokit They/Them 9 months ago
tell my trans friend that to her face that she's a man and see what happens.
Load More Replies... James Twong 9 months ago (edited)
Trans women aren't women, it's that simple. Do I consider trans men men? No, because they're not. Identify how you want but the prefix and special category 'Trans' should always apply because you are not, and never can be the sex you are pretending to be, no matter how much the trans lobby shouts or tries to shut down any debate.
OzzyTheMano (They/Them) 9 months ago
it's fascinating how some people think they can dictate the terms of identity for others while conveniently ignoring the vast complexities of human experience. just because your understanding of gender is rooted in a rigid binary doesn't mean everyone else has to conform to it. maybe try stepping outside your own perspective for a moment—who knows, you might discover that the world is a little bigger than your personal definition of "real".
Load More Replies...
Gozer LeGozerian 9 months ago
Do you need an adult to explain to you that sex and gender are not the same?
Load More Replies...
XenoMurph 9 months ago
It's a constant subject of the right wing. They consider it all the time. Not that it's unimportant, just less frequent than the right claim.
Load More Replies...
Sergio Bicerra 9 months ago
I'm hands on on LGTB+ rights, really, been friends with trans people since I was 5 (mom had a hair saloon) but in sports I draw a line, just think is not fair. Is just like boxing, they have categories depending on the athletes weight, thus should have categories depending on other aspects.
Load More Replies... 
roddy 9 months ago
This isn't so much inclusion as replacement. We clearly need other criteria than gender to determine who is on a particular team. If it's basketball, height. If it's boxing, weight, etc. Sports is all about muscles and there's the problem right there. Those don't change.
Load More Replies... 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...
Paul Sloan 9 months ago
It’s is only an issue for trans-men because they can win. You don’t see too many trans-women competing against cis men because they can’t win.
roddy 9 months ago
There's a reason you don't see a lot of trans men in men's sports. If it was truly equal, it would work both ways. But it doesn't. I'm fine with finding another way to pair contestants, maybe by body mass like they do boxers, or whatever. But there needs to be a better way than just filling women's teams with trans athletes because they have performative advantages.
tori Ohno 9 months ago
I believe in their right to their identity, but physically "she" is still a biological male. Males are larger and stronger even after hormone blockers. That's why all sports are separated by gender. I don't care what gender you live your life as, it's your physical gender that's the problem. Maybe there should be a third category?
Lyoness 9 months ago
Genuine question: If the person has fully physically transitioned before puberty and has been taking hormone replacements since, would she be a she? Or is your dividing line that if you're born biologically male, no physical or hormonal change, even if it changes a body to a comparable level of a cis female (muscular development, lung capacity, testosterone level etc) can make a trans woman a woman? Leaving aside gender identity, of course.
Load More Replies... Boop the Snoot. Pound the Paw. 9 months ago
I don't understand how people who love to compete would even enjoy winning in these circumstances.
Amanda Lalonde 9 months ago
trans people should have their own sports categories, that way they can be judged properly during competitions. i have get respect for anyone who can be their true selves but there are differences between a born female and trans female or the male side of it.
respulero 9 months ago (edited)
It should be an open category for everybody (including women if they want), and another category just for biological women
Load More Replies... Seedy Vine 9 months ago
What about if there were categories for female, male, trans (MTF) and trans (FTM) categories in sports? Perhaps that would be a solution to make it fair and inclusive for all?
Kevin Hickey 9 months ago
Including the 12 year old in this story is blatant propaganda. The 12 year old won in her age group which was a separate category. If a non-trans woman had beaten the 12 year old in the overall women's category, would the 12 year old even have been mentioned? This is all beside the fact that this entire race was categorized as "recreational". I can understand, even if I don't agree, getting upset about trans women in professional sports, but this was a friggin' neighborhood 5K. Calm the f##k down.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 9 months ago
What is this click baity BS? Before you read this had any of you heard of the "BougeBouge Run"? I hadn't either so I looked it up. https://www.bougebouge.com/en/bougebouge/ TL/DR, It's like a Community center in Baconsfield, Quebec. It was a local community event that NOBODY here ever heard of before, NOT the Olympics. I don't care what your opinion is either way but this is an isolated incident being turned into propaganda. I know this is going to get downvoted but I had to say it.
Lyoness 9 months ago
Why would you get down voted for pointing out this was a way to bait people into a battle about trans rights? Personally I read this article as an attack on the athlete, but I know others here see it differently. It's definitely a contentious topic, but everyone is entitled to an opinion.
Load More Replies... Maples Dad 9 months ago
Regarding the tweet thats 'Genuinely curious how you ban identity.' is exactly why so many people act in outrage. As the person themselves states it's an identity not a reality.
The person leveling NYC 9 months ago
Can’t believe BoredPanda staff would rage bait people like this. Disgusting, do better.
The person leveling NYC 9 months ago
Transphobic. I shudder to think about what made Tian and Duarte post this. As I said, this is simple polarizing ragebait.
Load More Replies... OzymandiasTheManokit They/Them 9 months ago
"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." If any of you support this, just know that this will displace many, many kids in the same boat as I. I can't go f**king outside because I stress about possibly being harassed. There's no place for me to go. I'm not safe anymore, none of my friends are. And also, to the people who hate on trans kids, the following .png is for you <3 : IMG_202502...a6b502.jpg
Lew k 9 months ago
Do whatever you want with your body. I'll be there to back you up. That said you are biologically a man. I support your identity but it's unfair to female athletes to have to compete against biological men. Don't claim your rights by walking on women's rights. They are a marginalized class in most places already. You can have the bathrooms and live fully as a woman in every other way but why do you have to have this?
meeeeeeeeeeee 9 months ago
How about a separate category and shut the f**k up about this? It seems like this ''issue'' is pushed as anti-trans propaganda.
wowbagger 9 months ago
I don't know anything about sports, so this is a naive question, but why can't we just give everyone a handicap based on their best performance to date and then let everyone compete against everyone? That's how it was done in the few bowling leagues I've been part of, and it made bowling a lot more fun for a newbie like me.
TotallyNOTAFox 9 months ago
Men and women have different anatomical features regarding strength and endurance, like different average amounts of blood (oxygen availability), muscle density, bone structure and a few other things that give men an advantage in most sports. Nothing against bowling, but that is a bit different than running marathons and such sports
Load More Replies... D Hammerman 9 months ago
Sexuality and gender are a bell curve. Not absolutes. There are as many ways a human can be born and develop as there are stars in the sky. Only small minded people demand we all be put into only two boxes.
Tamra 9 months ago
I am actually seeing a lot of support in these comments for people living the life that feels true and right to them. I really don't feel like that's the issue on this thread. People are having an issue when trans women compete against biological women. I think there's room for reasonable, logical debate on this subject, without people crying "transphobia".
Load More Replies... OzymandiasTheManokit They/Them 9 months ago
tell my trans friend that to her face that she's a man and see what happens.
Load More Replies... James Twong 9 months ago (edited)
Trans women aren't women, it's that simple. Do I consider trans men men? No, because they're not. Identify how you want but the prefix and special category 'Trans' should always apply because you are not, and never can be the sex you are pretending to be, no matter how much the trans lobby shouts or tries to shut down any debate.
OzzyTheMano (They/Them) 9 months ago
it's fascinating how some people think they can dictate the terms of identity for others while conveniently ignoring the vast complexities of human experience. just because your understanding of gender is rooted in a rigid binary doesn't mean everyone else has to conform to it. maybe try stepping outside your own perspective for a moment—who knows, you might discover that the world is a little bigger than your personal definition of "real".
Load More Replies... Gozer LeGozerian 9 months ago
Do you need an adult to explain to you that sex and gender are not the same?
Load More Replies... XenoMurph 9 months ago
It's a constant subject of the right wing. They consider it all the time. Not that it's unimportant, just less frequent than the right claim.
Load More Replies... Sergio Bicerra 9 months ago
I'm hands on on LGTB+ rights, really, been friends with trans people since I was 5 (mom had a hair saloon) but in sports I draw a line, just think is not fair. Is just like boxing, they have categories depending on the athletes weight, thus should have categories depending on other aspects.
Load More Replies... roddy 9 months ago
This isn't so much inclusion as replacement. We clearly need other criteria than gender to determine who is on a particular team. If it's basketball, height. If it's boxing, weight, etc. Sports is all about muscles and there's the problem right there. Those don't change.
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