Transgender Athlete Chris Mosier Just Made Major Sports History

Did it! Made Team USA! pic.twitter.com/rnOEZ2VQDZ

— The Chris Mosier (@TheChrisMosier) June 7, 2015\n

Chris Mosier is, to put it lightly, a busy man: he’s the executive director of a large nonprofit, a transgender rights advocate, and a nationally ranked runner. Just yesterday, Mosier also joined the men’s Team USA, making him the first (known) openly transgender athlete to join a U.S. team that matches his gender identity—not the one assigned to him at birth.

Mosier will be running in the sprint duathalon category, and will now represent the United States in the 2016 World Championship Duathalon in Spain. Not too long ago, Kye Allums broke the barrier as the first openly transgender athlete to play in NCAA Division I sports. And history is home to a number of transgender athletes, who didn’t feel safe expressing their gender identities as members of traditionally transphobic teams. But Mosier is the first open and known trans* athlete to be on a national team. His victory is both personal and historic.

Mosier may have crossed a mountain, but discrimination against trans* athletes remains virulent. Trans women in particular, including mixed martial artist Fallon Fox and CrossFitter Chloie Jonsson, are subject to heightened medical investigations as to whether their hormones should disqualify them from playing. But most scientists agree that transgender athletes have hormone levels similar to their cisgender competitors, giving them absolutely no advantage.

Mosier is the first transgender man to be inducted into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame. If for whatever (reasonable) reason you’re unable to make it to Spain to cheer him on, you can follow him here on Twitter.

Huge honor to be 1st transman inducted into the National Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame #folkslikeus #transathlete pic.twitter.com/I1ebVDXbdA

— The Chris Mosier (@TheChrisMosier) July 12, 2014\n