The Resilience of CeCé Telfer: A Fight for Acceptance and Athletic Dreams
A Life of Intersectional Identity and Struggle
CeCé Telfer, a trailblazing transgender athlete, has spent her life navigating multiple layers of identity and adversity. As a Black woman, a transgender individual, and a dedicated athlete, Telfer has faced unparalleled challenges both on and off the track. Her journey has been marked by moments of triumph, but also by relentless opposition, particularly in the wake of President Donald Trump’s administration, which has rolled back protections and rights for transgender Americans. “I’m Black, I’m a woman, I’m transgender, and I’m an athlete,” Telfer shares with CNN Sport. “Each of my identities is a target, especially in America.”
Six years ago, Telfer made history as the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA title, claiming victory in the Division II 400-meter hurdles event. However, her athletic aspirations have been repeatedly derailed by restrictive policies and societal prejudice. Currently, she is unable to compete in female world rankings due to rules imposed by the sport’s governing body, putting her Olympic dreams on hold. The recent executive order by President Trump, which bans transgender women from competing in women’s sports, has further exacerbated her sense of isolation and vulnerability.
The Weight of Anti-Trans Rhetoric and Policy
The Trump administration’s executive order, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” has intensified the already fraught landscape for transgender athletes like Telfer. The order is part of a broader effort to limit transgender rights, including a separate directive barring transgender individuals from serving in the military. These policies have left Telfer feeling unsafe and marginalized. “I feel like a lot of the anti-trans rhetoric has become louder, more in my face,” she explains. “Prior to this set-in-stone administration, I woke up every day and I faced adversaries when I left my house. Now, I wake up every day and I have to make sure that I make it home alive.”
Despite the onslaught of adversarial policies, Telfer holds onto hope, reminding herself that “policies and orders are not forever” and that the resilience of the transgender community endures. She remains open to dialogue, even with those in opposition, including the Trump administration. “I’m willing to sit down with anybody who’s willing to have this conversation – even the Trump administration, Trump himself – if he wants to sit down with me and talk and have a human conversation and see me,” she says. Her message to the president is poignant: “I need some explanation as to why you want to completely eradicate us from society when we’ve done nothing wrong.”
The NCAA’s Shift in Policy and Its Impact
The challenges for Telfer and other transgender athletes intensified further when the NCAA revised its participation policy for transgender athletes in women’s sports, just one day after Trump’s executive order. The new policy restricts competition to athletes assigned female at birth, preventing transgender women from competing in female categories unless they meet strict hormone level requirements. While cisgender women who have begun hormone therapy can still practice with women’s teams, they are barred from competing, creating a contradictory and exclusionary system.
Telfer, who won her NCAA title in 2019, criticizes the policy as both contradictory and hurtful. “They won’t allow transgender female athletes to compete (in female categories); however, they will allow transgender female athletes to practice with their teams. (That’s) just a little bit contradicting in itself because you’re teasing us, you’re telling us that we’re allowed to practice, we’re allowed to feel like who we are, but when it comes to competition and actually executing what we’ve worked, blood, sweat, and tears for, we can’t do so.” The NCAA’s decision has also drawn attention from the Department of Education, which has called for the rescission of records and titles held by transgender women, including Telfer’s 2019 victory and swimmer Lia Thomas’s 2022 NCAA Division I title. Telfer responds firmly, “That’s not how history works. You can’t take back history.”
The Broader Fight for Transgender Rights and Recognition
Beyond her personal struggles, Telfer’s story reflects the broader challenges faced by transgender individuals in sports and society. The pushback against transgender athletes is often framed as a debate about fairness and inclusion, but for Telfer, it boils down to basic humanity. “Think about the humanity and think about the younger kids like me who have doctors confirming their gender, have people behind them to support them,” she urges. Her words highlight the importance of recognizing the legitimacy and dignity of transgender identities, both on and off the field.
Telfer’s resilience is a testament to the strength of the transgender community, which continues to fight for acceptance and equality despite relentless opposition. While the current policies may limit her opportunities, they cannot diminish her resolve. “If there’s still a chance, even the slightest one in a million, there’s still that one chance, and I’m willing to take it,” she declares, affirming her determination to pursue her Olympic aspirations, no matter how daunting the obstacles may seem. Her story is not just about sports – it’s about the universal human right to live authentically and to be seen and respected for who one is.
