Key Takeaways:
- Skate Canada has announced it will no longer hold national- and international-level events in Alberta due to the province’s legislation on transgender people’s participation in sports.
- The organization has a history of promoting inclusion and diversity, including removing gender restrictions on skating pairs and implementing a transgender policy.
- Skate Canada’s decision has been met with support from some in the 2SLGBTQ+ community, but has also been criticized by the Alberta government.
- Other countries, such as the UK and Finland, have also redefined their terminology to be more inclusive.
- The International Olympic Committee is set to unveil its policy on gender eligibility in the new year.
Introduction to Skate Canada’s Decision
Skate Canada’s decision to no longer hold national- and international-level events in Alberta due to the province’s legislation on transgender people’s participation in sports did not come as a surprise to some who know the organization well. Skate Canada has been working for years to promote inclusion and diversity, and its decision is seen as a natural step in that process. According to Kaitlyn Weaver, a two-time Olympic ice dancer who identifies as queer, "Skate Canada’s been working for years to shorten and make the gap smaller between these groups of people that don’t feel welcome." This sentiment is shared by Kurt Weaver, executive director of You Can Play, a group that advocates for 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion in sports, who notes that "Skate Canada has been great on these issues — inclusion in general across the board."
Skate Canada’s History of Inclusion
Skate Canada has a history of promoting inclusion and diversity. In 2022, the organization became the first federation to remove gender restrictions on skating pairs in its podium pathway program, allowing skaters to compete at the national level in pairs of any gender. This move was seen as a major step forward for the sport, and has been praised by many in the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Asher Hill, a former ice dancer and current coach, notes that "they’ve done a lot of work to make it inclusive by changing the language within their own bylaws." Skate Canada has also outlined its transgender policy, which states that transgender skaters can compete in the gender category with which they identify, without requiring disclosure.
The Impact of Skate Canada’s Decision
Skate Canada’s decision to no longer hold events in Alberta has been met with both support and criticism. The Alberta government has slammed the decision, with sport and tourism minister Andrew Boitchenko stating that "no athlete should have an unfair advantage, and no athlete should have to put themselves at risk of harm to participate in the sports they love." However, others have praised the organization for taking a stand on the issue. Hill notes that "sports organizations are supposed to be for people and supposed to be this wide umbrella thing that we talk about [that] brings people together." The decision has also sparked a wider conversation about the need for greater inclusion and diversity in sports.
The Future of Inclusion in Sports
The future of inclusion in sports is uncertain, but there are signs that some organizations are moving in the right direction. British Ice Skating has announced that it will remove gender restrictions on ice dancing pairs at the national level, starting next season, and Finland’s ice skating governing body has done the same. However, other organizations, such as U.S. Figure Skating, have taken a more restrictive approach, requiring athletes competing in the female category to be listed as female at birth on their original birth certificate. The International Olympic Committee is set to unveil its policy on gender eligibility in the new year, which could have a major impact on the sport. Hill notes that he is "a mix of doubtful and hopeful" that more organizations might follow Skate Canada’s lead, but believes that "the Olympic spirit and all that" should be about promoting inclusion and diversity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Skate Canada’s decision to no longer hold national- and international-level events in Alberta is a significant step forward for the sport. The organization’s history of promoting inclusion and diversity, combined with its decision to take a stand on the issue, has sparked a wider conversation about the need for greater inclusion and diversity in sports. While there are still challenges ahead, it is clear that Skate Canada is committed to creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all athletes, regardless of their gender identity or expression. As Hill notes, "there’s so much room for different stories and to just open up who can be on the ice and perform and compete at the highest level, at least here."