Trans Day of Visibility (TDoV) was first commemorated in 2009 as a way of both celebrating the achievements of and making space for pride towards gender diverse identities. The day also marks an opportunity to call for action from individuals and organisations, who can and should use their voices and platforms to advocate for inclusivity, acceptance and justice.
In light of recent decisions made by the International Olympic Committee, we at the IQA feel that it is more important than ever to reaffirm our support for the trans and gender diverse community, especially those people involved in sport. Inclusivity is an essential pillar of the quadball community, and our transgender members are essential to the fabric of our community.
In an effort to demonstrate our support of the trans and gender diverse community, we would like to make a firm commitment to ensuring the safety, fair treatment and inclusion of athletes in our community – regardless of the positions held by other major sporting organisations.
Reflecting on the days leading up to TDoV, it has been noted that whilst the IQA and its leadership strive to be inclusive in all aspects, this is not always reflected in our actions. Our policies can be rephrased, our leaders can be better informed, and our players can always work towards creating an inclusive environment. As such, the IQA will be committing to a formal review of our existing policies.
Additionally, we are committing to donating a sum of money to an international organisation that conducts research about and provides support for trans and gender diverse athletes. Our hope is to support an organisation that will aid in the strengthening of trans rights throughout the sporting world.
We wish all of our transgender and gender diverse community members a very good day today – we see you and we are grateful that you are here!! – and look forward to sharing more information with you all on this front!
Photo by Estelle Brision