Rock climber hopes to encourage different trans athletes attain new heights
Cat Runner, a transgender climber, sees climbing as a various and welcoming sport general however desires to see extra illustration in climbing media.
Cat Runner, in February of 2023, did one thing outstanding. He received HBO’s actuality program, “The Climb.” The present featured a sequence of challenges that led to Runner incomes the title of greatest newbie climber.
But Runner achieved one thing greater than successful the competitors; he introduced trans illustration to the game of climbing.
“It was a totally co-ed competitors, which was actually, actually cool,” Runner informed USA TODAY. “I feel I used to be nervous coming into it that it wasn’t going to be various. I test loads of packing containers on the range scale. I’m a person of coloration, I’m a trans person, I’m a queer person, I’m brief…So I used to be nervous that I used to be going to return in and be tokenized in that sense. But general, the casting was nice and the competitors pool was wonderful…And I feel it was actually vital to indicate that, particularly in climbing, we’re all proficient in our personal methods…”
Runner is considered one of 4 transgender athletes profiled in a groundbreaking USA TODAY video sequence known as “In Their Own Words.” What’s been clear for years is that many information organizations, politicians, medical doctors and others speak about trans athletes, however not often permit trans athletes to speak about themselves. We needed to alter that.
Runner has been working to make issues higher for transgender athletes for a while. He will not cease anytime quickly.
“I grew up being exterior. I grew up shifting my physique,” he stated. “So a lot of that goes into who I’m as we speak and the way that has formed what I care about and notably the connection that I’ve with myself. And not that it could not be discovered with out sports activities, however it positively can be totally different. I’d be a totally totally different person. And I simply imagine that everybody ought to have a chance to expertise that, to expertise working along with your friends, to expertise competitors. And a lot of sports activities are creating a place the place we are able to study these expertise in a important however secure setting.”
