Nonbinary and Transgender Nikki Hiltz in the Paris Olympics

[Social Media]

 

Nikki Hiltz, one of America's premier middle-distance runners, has embarked on a remarkable journey since coming out as nonbinary and transgender in 2021. This three-year transformation has not only elevated their athletic career but also positioned them as a beacon of hope and representation for the LGBTQ+ community. As they prepare to compete in the Paris Olympics, Hiltz's story is one of perseverance, advocacy, and the relentless pursuit of authenticity.

 

In June 2021, at the U.S. Olympic trials at Hayward Field, Hiltz found themselves questioning their place in the sport. Having come out just three months earlier, they were gripped by self-doubt and uncertainty about their acceptance in the world of athletics. Fast forward to the present, and Hiltz stands as a transformed individual, having won their second consecutive national title in the women's 1,500-meter race and earning a spot on the Olympic team. They have become a symbol of strength and resilience for the queer community, embodying the spirit of inclusivity and representation in sports.

 

"I can do this," Hiltz affirmed to themselves before the final race. "The world will make space for you." This self-assurance was reflected in their stunning performance, where they surged ahead in the final 100 meters to clinch victory. Hiltz's triumph not only solidified their status as a top athlete but also marked a historic milestone as the first openly transgender and nonbinary American track and field Olympian. Their presence in Paris will be more than just a personal achievement; it will be a powerful statement on the global stage.

"I'm just looking forward to keep showing up as myself, keep taking up space," Hiltz said after their victory. "I use they/them pronouns. And people stumble all the time. But it’s kind of like, you can’t really ignore me anymore, because I’m a two-time back-to-back champion — I’m-here-get-it-right kind of vibe."

 

 

The support Hiltz receives from fans and the LGBTQ+ community far outweighs any backlash. At their races, spectators wave Pride flags and cheer loudly when their name is announced. Hiltz and their partner, Emma Gee, also contribute to the community through their Pride 5K event in Flagstaff, Arizona, which raises funds for the Trevor Project, an organization dedicated to preventing suicide among LGBTQ+ youth. Since its inception in 2020, the event has donated $175,000, underscoring Hiltz's commitment to making a positive impact beyond the track.

 

Being a torchbearer for a cause can be a heavy burden. Gee, who ran at BYU, acknowledges the "emotional weight" of such responsibility. However, Hiltz and those close to them believe that their success is intrinsically linked to their decision to come out in 2021. Connecting with fellow transgender and nonbinary individuals through track and advocacy has been a source of empowerment for Hiltz. "It gives life to their running," said Hiltz's mother, Liz. "For them, it’s got to be more than about just track."

 

Hiltz's journey to the Olympics comes at a time when transgender athletes face significant challenges and political attacks. Many on the political right, including former President Donald Trump, have used the issue of transgender women in sports as a divisive tool, arguing that female athletes need protection from competitors assigned male at birth. The Trans Legislation Tracker has recorded 637 anti-trans bills introduced in 43 state legislatures this year alone, many of which are sports-related.

 

Hiltz's upbringing instilled in them a sense of purpose beyond personal achievement. Their maternal grandfather, Edward R. Cony, won a Pulitzer Prize for a series of investigative stories, and both of their parents were educators. Liz Hiltz often reminded Nikki of a quote from her classroom: "With great power comes great responsibility." Reflecting on their privilege, Hiltz said, "I’m so privileged. I’m White. I have an incredible support system. My family has always been accepting of me when I came out about my sexuality and then when I came out as my gender identity. I know so many queer people don’t have that love and support."

 

Hiltz, assigned female at birth, competes in the women's category and does not take hormone treatments, which would violate World Athletics' doping code. Despite this, they are often the target of ignorance. Social media has been rife with false claims about Hiltz's gender. In response to one such post alleging that they were assigned male at birth, Hiltz wrote, "The ‘wE cAn aLwAys TeLL’ crowd at it again. Ted how bout you go touch some grass and then type into Google ‘what does nonbinary mean?’" They have learned to filter out the trolls and focus on educating those who are open-minded. "Maybe there’s an opportunity to change someone’s mind about something," Hiltz said. "Or maybe someday if that person has a kid and that kid is nonbinary, they’re like, ‘Oh, I’ve heard of that before.’ I don’t think we’re ever going to change our society or the way we think by just being like, ‘F--- you,’ and then, ‘Well, f--- you!’ The middle — it’s like the nonbinary place to be. It’s where the change can be made."

 

Even during their Olympic preparation, Hiltz remains vocal about issues affecting their community. When two female boxers were disqualified from the Paris Games following unspecified gender tests, sparking controversy, Hiltz spoke out. "Transphobia is going crazy at these Olympics," they wrote on Instagram. "Anti-trans rhetoric is anti-woman. These people aren’t ‘protecting women’s sport,’ they are enforcing rigid gender norms, and anyone who doesn’t fit into those norms is targeted and vilified."

 

Hiltz hopes for change in their sport. World Athletics currently prohibits transgender women from competing in the women’s category and tests women’s naturally occurring hormone levels for certain events. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has stated that the organization prioritizes inclusiveness, but not at the expense of fairness. "I’m elected to protect and preserve the female category," Coe said. "If I don’t and we don’t, then no woman is ever going to win another sporting event, particularly in track and field. The issue was clear to us."

 

Hiltz went to Paris having achieved one goal (becoming an Olympian) and holding tight to another (winning a medal). Those goals are subsumed by Hiltz’s larger mission. By making space for themself, they have left a path for others to follow. “I’ve been called the first a lot — the first nonbinary person to do this or this,” Hiltz said. “That’s so cool. I’m so excited for whoever is second or third. I’m first, but I’m definitely not the last.”

 

Credit: Washington Post  2024-08-07

 

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

[KhunLA]

How is being gay in 2024 news worthy ?   Hey world, in case you haven't heard, they've invented some new adjectives, and corrupted the use of pronouns, just to confuse everyone when reading news-blips.   

 

Stop using 'them' & 'their' when talking singular person ... confusing as hell.

 

Marketing for those endorsement $$$$ 👍

Edited August 7 by KhunLA

[impulse]

Deleted, by me.  My bad.  Got the pronouns confused...  It's all new to me.

 

Seems that she's just gay, on some days.  Hardly seems newsworthy.

 

Edited August 7 by impulse

[JonnyF]

What's with the "they" pronoun?

 

How many Hiltzs are there?

 

Are we talking about twins? Triplets?

 

Most confusing. 

[john donson]

what was his ranking amongst the MEN, before identifying as trans

 

mike tyson should transition for the finale in the female boxing competition

[john donson]

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

What's with the "they" pronoun?

 

How many Hiltzs are there?

 

Are we talking about twins? Triplets?

 

Most confusing. 

 

him, no do anything, to be called a plural (thai accent implied)

 

[youreavinalaff]

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

What's with the "they" pronoun?

 

How many Hiltzs are there?

 

Are we talking about twins? Triplets?

 

Most confusing. 

 

 

8 minutes ago, john donson said:

 

him, no do anything, to be called a plural (thai accent implied)

 

 

 

To suggest "they" can only be used in case of plural, shows a fundamental flaw in your knowledge of English language.

[pelagicpete]

How often in sports do women trans to men and compete against men?

has it ever happened?

[klauskunkel]

I get it!

On the inside, as a person, Nikki identifies as non-binary, which means neither female nor male, and uses "them/they". OK so far...

On the outside, physically, Nikki identifies as a female track and field athlete, and thus should be pronounced with "she/her" in that capacity.

10 hours ago, Social Media said:

Hiltz, assigned female at birth, competes in the women's category

I think she/they should spearhead (oops, a phallic symbolism) the formation of a "trans category" in athletics, maybe it should even include woke people and male feminists, complete with bathrooms...

[JonnyF]

10 hours ago, Social Media said:

"I'm just looking forward to keep showing up as myself, keep taking up space," Hiltz said after their victory. "I use they/them pronouns. And people stumble all the time. But it’s kind of like, you can’t really ignore me anymore, because I’m a two-time back-to-back champion — I’m-here-get-it-right kind of vibe."

 

I won't stumble. Because I won't play your stupid game. 

 

I will use the pronouns I wish to use. Sue me. 

[impulse]

54 minutes ago, john donson said:

what was his ranking amongst the MEN, before identifying as trans

 

mike tyson should transition for the finale in the female boxing competition

 

All those pronouns and gender swaps had me bamboozled, too.  But I think this is the key from the OP:

 

Hiltz, assigned female at birth,

So I'm wondering what the big deal is, that even deserved a mention.  She's gay sometimes and apparently presents like a dude sometimes.  And has strong opinions on transgender issues.  Big whoop.

 

Unless, of course, she is XY.  But that's not what the OP says.

Edited August 7 by impulse

[JonnyF]

3 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

All those pronouns and gender swaps had me bamboozled, too.  But I think this is the key from the OP:

 

Hiltz, assigned female at birth,

So I'm wondering what the big deal is, that even deserved a mention.  She's gay sometimes and apparently presents like a dude sometimes.  And has strong opinions on transgender issues.  Big whoop.

 

Unless, of course, she is XY.  But that's not what the OP says.

 

Probably just a desperate cry for attention, like a lot of these alphabet types. 

 

 

[drgoon]

Does it have a male or female genitals?

[impulse]

1 hour ago, drgoon said:

Does it have a male or female genitals?

 

Yes.  Well, maybe...

 

[digger70]

Nonbinary and Transgender Nikki Hiltz in the Paris Olympics

 

I would put All those Wannabes in One category in sports and Let them compete with their other wannabes competitors. 

Give them there Own Dressing Rooms  to makes  this ecceptable   to  Everyone.

 

[impulse]

3 hours ago, youreavinalaff said:

To suggest "they" can only be used in case of plural, shows a fundamental flaw in your knowledge of English language.

 

From the 18th century, until the mid 20teens, it was frowned upon.

 

The AP Stylebook has accepted such functions of they, them, and their since 2017, and Merriam-Webster made the singular they its word of the year in 2019. 

 

Only in the 18th century did grammarians declare that the singular they was invalid, their reasoning being that a plural pronoun can’t take a singular antecedent.

 

https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/singular-they-history

 

If you used it at my 1970s high schools, you'd have been considered a dork, and graded down on English scores.  Not to mention the increased chances of a wedgie.

 

Edit:  But the world was simpler back in the '70s.

 

Edited August 7 by impulse

[KhunLA]

They ...   may have accepted it in 2017, but I never will.  Not what I was taught, and to me, you sound like an idiot if using.   It really is too damn confusing in print, in conversation, it's just silly.

 

"assigned female at birth"

"in relationship with 'Emma'" - wiki ... so simply gay.

 

Keep it simple, BUT, that wouldn't make a headlines, or get you noticed (hopefully) for those big $$$$ endorsements.  

 

Good luck with that, and best wishes for some medals.

[youreavinalaff]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

From the 18th century, until the mid 20teens, it was frowned upon.

 

The AP Stylebook has accepted such functions of they, them, and their since 2017, and Merriam-Webster made the singular they its word of the year in 2019. 

 

Only in the 18th century did grammarians declare that the singular they was invalid, their reasoning being that a plural pronoun can’t take a singular antecedent.

 

https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/singular-they-history

 

If you used it at my 1970s high schools, you'd have been considered a dork, and graded down on English scores.  Not to mention the increased chances of a wedgie.

 

Edit:  But the world was simpler back in the '70s.

 

A dork you say. Mirror mirror on the wall....

 

Let's see:

 

There's a single handed robbery. The police arrive and question witnesses.

 

How would they start?

 

Something like "Did to see the suspect?". Answer: Yes.

"Were THEY male or female?" 

Answer: I don't know.

"How tall were THEY?" "Did you see what race THEY were?" "Did you hear THEM speak?" Were THEY alone?"

 

See. Lots of "They" when referring to a single person.

[impulse]

7 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

See. Lots of "They" when referring to a single person.

 

Sure.  It's an indeterminate pronoun.  But not a singular pronoun.  When you're referring to a specific individual, it's dorky and being rammed down our throat.  

 

Edit:  Though I miss going to work, I'm glad I was able to complete my career without ever once going to pronoun sensitivity training.

 

Edited August 7 by impulse

[youreavinalaff]

34 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Sure.  It's an indeterminate pronoun.  But not a singular pronoun.  When you're referring to a specific individual, it's dorky and being rammed down our throat.  

 

Edit:  Though I miss going to work, I'm glad I was able to complete my career without ever once going to pronoun sensitivity training.

 

There you go then. As I said. "They" is not solely for use in plural.

 

Thanks for agreeing.

Edited August 7 by youreavinalaff

[Chomper Higgot]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Sure.  It's an indeterminate pronoun.  But not a singular pronoun.  When you're referring to a specific individual, it's dorky and being rammed down our throat.  

 

Edit:  Though I miss going to work, I'm glad I was able to complete my career without ever once going to pronoun sensitivity training.

 

It’s never too late.

 

 

Edited August 7 by Chomper Higgot

[drgoon]

21 hours ago, digger70 said:

Nonbinary and Transgender Nikki Hiltz in the Paris Olympics

 

I would put All those Wannabes in One category in sports and Let them compete with their other wannabes competitors. 

Give them there Own Dressing Rooms  to makes  this ecceptable   to  Everyone.

 

That's actually a bloody good idea.  👍

[JonnyF]

19 hours ago, youreavinalaff said:

How would they start?

 

Something like "Did to see the suspect?". Answer: Yes.

 

With an example like that you probably shouldn't be criticizing other people's understanding of the English language. 😂

[JonnyF]

21 hours ago, digger70 said:

I would put All those Wannabes in One category in sports and Let them compete with their other wannabes competitors. 

 

I'd make it a separate competition to spare the rest of us the painful spectacle.

 

The could name it The Theylympics or something dumb like that. Let's see what the crowds are like. 

[youreavinalaff]

12 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

With an example like that you probably shouldn't be criticizing other people's understanding of the English language. 😂

You suggested "they" should not be used in the singular. Asking " how many Hiltz are there?"

 

My example shows that it can be used in singular form.

 

I pointed out an example of how English works.

 

You were wrong. Plain and simple.

 

My understanding of English is good, thanks.

 

Prove me wrong. Point out my mistakes. 

Edited August 8 by youreavinalaff

[JonnyF]

4 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

My understanding of English is good, thanks.

 

Prove me wrong. Point out my mistakes. 

 

Point out your mistakes? OK.

 

"Did to see the suspect?"

 

Yes, perfect English. 😃

 

[youreavinalaff]

4 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Point out your mistakes? OK.

 

"Did to see the suspect?"

 

Yes, perfect English. 😃

 

55555. That's the best you can do? A typo?

 

You need to try harder. 

 

Prove "they" can't be used in singular form.

 

If you can't, I'm perfectly entititled to criticise those that suggest as such.

[CG1 Blue]

If she's competing in the women's category, how can she claim she's not a woman?

You can't have it both ways love. 

[KhunLA]

12 minutes ago, CG1 Blue said:

If she's competing in the women's category, how can she claim she's not a woman?

You can't have it both ways love. 

Gender is NOT your sex.  You are male or female.

 

Imaginary genders apparently can be anything now.  Call yourself whatever you want.   But you are male or female, XY or XX.

 

There's a reason there is only 2 colors/choices at a baby's sex/gender reveal party ... 

Edited August 8 by KhunLA

[JonnyF]

5 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

55555. That's the best you can do? A typo?

 

I you had typed "Tou" that may have been a typo. You typed "to". You seem to be confusing pronouns with prepositions. An amateur mistake.

 

5 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

 

You need to try harder. 

 

As do you when spelling "entitled". 

 

5 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

 

Prove "they" can't be used in singular form.

 

If you can't, I'm perfectly entititled to criticise those that suggest as such.

 

I didn't say it can't be used in singular form (your reading/comprehension skills appear to also be lacking).  

 

I said it is confusing (and somewhat inaccurate use of English) to use "they" when the sex of the person being discussed is known, as it is in this case.