50-Year-Old Transgender Woman Competes in Teen Swim Meet in Canada, Shares Locker Room

Controversy ensued at the Trojan Cup swimming competition as “Melody” Wiseheart, a 50-year-old transgender woman, competed in events for athletes aged 16 and older and shared a locker room with teenage participants.

Parents and competitors expressed concerns over the weekend-long event that took place from December 1-3. The Trojan Cup, sanctioned by Swimming Canada and Swim Ontario, featured age groups ranging from eight and younger to 16 and older.

The inclusion of Wiseheart, a York University professor specializing in children’s behavioral science, sparked a heated debate on transgender individuals’ participation in sports and the safety and comfort of young athletes.

During the competition, it has been reported that makeshift privacy areas were constructed out of towels by parents to shield their daughters. These actions highlight the ongoing struggle between inclusion policies for transgender athletes and the concerns of competitors and guardians.

Wiseheart, a biological man who previously competed under the name Nicholas Cepeda, has been part of the women’s competitive swimming landscape since 2019. Her participation in the women’s 1500-meter freestyle event elicited mixed reactions.

FOX News reported:

Wiseheart, 50, competed in several events at the East Bayfield Community Centre, where the meet was held, including the women’s 1500m freestyle for athletes 16 years and older. Wiseheart placed second in that event with a time of 21:14.30, according to the official results posted to Swimming Canada’s website.

“It’s all so confusing for the kids,” one parent told the Toronto Sun. “No one is comfortable. Everybody is accepting of all people, but them swimming against our kids and being in the locker room with them is not appropriate.”

But Swimming Canada, the governing body for competitive swimming in the country, told Fox News Digital that access to changing rooms “is determined by facility/municipality policies in accordance with applicable law.”

“We must comply with both provincial law and municipal policy aligning with the human rights policies on preventing discrimination. Swim meets are normally conducted in facilities open to the public, and minors routinely share change room space with adults,” the statement continued.

With regard to questions over different ages and/or genders being seeded in the same heat, Swimming Canada stated “There are, however, a variety of situations where this can occur in open meets seeded by entry times.”

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