Meet Quinn: The first non-binary trans athlete to compete in the World Cup
Quinn became the first non-binary person to win a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Learn more about her story.
2024-01-22T22:03:01+00:00
- Quinn is a non-binary, trans trailblazer.
- They won the gold medal in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
- Their inspiring story.
Hailing from Toronto, Canada, where they were born on August 11, 1995, Quinn became the first non-binary trans person to win an Olympic gold medal in soccer.
Since childhood, Quinn has been immersed in the world of sports, as their father played rugby, and their mother was a basketball player.
To add to the sports lineage, Quinn’s twin sister, Jillian, also plays soccer at a high level.
When they were a child, Quinn also enjoyed hockey, basketball, and ski racing but leaned towards soccer at the age of six.
Surprising facts about Quinn
In 2020, Quinn declared the neutral pronouns they/them.
Three years later, in 2023, the soccer player became the first openly non-binary person to play in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Currently, Quinn is a midfielder for OL Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League in the United States.
They have represented Canada in the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, with the latter resulting in victory for Spain after defeating England.
An incredible victory
The Canadian Women’s National Team defeated Sweden in penalty kicks at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
This triumph made them the first non-binary trans person to win an Olympic gold medal in soccer.
At the time Quinn couldn’t believe it really happened. Hours later, they shared a photo on social media with their medal on the platform.
Four years earlier, in 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Quinn and their teammates secured a bronze medal by defeating Brazil.
Beyond soccer
In addition to their soccer career, Quinn studied Biology at Duke University.
Regarding their gender identity, they said on Instagram about coming out: «I’ve lived as an openly trans person with the people I love most for many years.»
«I did always wonder when I’d come out publicly,» they added.
Thanks to their activism for the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community, in addition to their athletic talent, Quinn was one of the standout personalities at the 2020 Olympics.
Quinn reveals one of their greatest wishes
Despite having over 70,000 followers on their official Instagram account, Quinn is not very active on social media.
Their last post dates back to September 19, where they revealed one of their greatest wishes.
The non-binary trans soccer player wore a shirt with the phrase: «One day, Canada will have its own professional women’s soccer league.»
It didn’t take long for their followers to express their support.
They underwent a mastectomy


