Chris Mosier

Chris Mosier is an American transgender advocate, triathlete, and speaker. He started his athletic career before transitioning, started his transition in 2010, and in 2015 earned a spot on the Team USA sprint duathlon men's team for the 2016 World Championship, making him the first known out trans athlete to join a U.S. national team different from his gender assigned at birth.^[5][6]

While he qualified, Mosier was uncertain about his eligibility to compete in the Duathlon Age Group World Championship Race in Spain in June 2016 due to the International Olympic Committee policy around the participation of transgender athletes,^[7] with specific provisions from the Stockholm Consensus in 2004.^[8] In 2015, Mosier challenged the policy,^[9] resulting in the creation and adoption of new IOC guidelines for the participation of transgender athletes.^[10] Mosier was considered the catalyst for change in the policy in January 2016,^[11] after he successfully advocated for change in the policy^[12] to allow his participation in the World Championship and future races. Following the policy change, in 2016 Mosier raced in the International Triathlon Union Sprint Duathlon World Championship race in Aviles, Spain, becoming the first known transgender athlete to compete in the World Championship race.^[13]

Mosier began competing in triathlon in 2009 as female. In 2010, Mosier publicly self-identified as a transgender man^[14] in a leading American gay magazine, The Advocate, after competing in his first race as male. In 2011, Mosier was featured in The New York Times^[1] prior to competing in the Nautica New York City Triathlon, a race he competed in two years prior as female.

In 2016, Mosier was chosen as the first openly transgender athlete to be featured in the "Body Issue" of ESPN The Magazine.^[15]

He was also the first transgender athlete to featured in a Nike advertisement, which debuted during Prime Time^[16] of the Rio Olympics in 2016. The award-winning^[17][18] ad showcases Mosier’s courage as a trailblazing, inspirational athlete and role model.^[19]

Mosier lives in New York City.^[20]

Activism

Mosier is the founder^[21] of transathlete.com, a resource for students, athletes, coaches, and administrators to find information about trans inclusion in athletics at various levels of play. He also works with LGBTQ sports leagues to improve transgender inclusion.[4]

Mosier is currently Vice President of Program Development and Community Relations for You Can Play,^[19] an organization that works to ensure the safety and inclusion of all in sports - including LGBTQ athletes, coaches, and fans.^[22]

Previously, Mosier was the Executive Director of GO! Athletes, a national non-profit network of current and former LGBTQ high school and college student-athletes which creates safer spaces in athletics through visibility, education, and advocacy.^[23]

Mosier previously blogged for Original Plumbing, a magazine for trans men.^[24]

Gender transition

Mosier struggled with gender identity at a young age. He knew at the age of four years that his gender identity (male) and biological sex (female) did not match. He began his transition in 2010 when he legally changed his name, and then began to receive testosterone injections. By making this transition, Chris gave up his top ranking in the women's category. Since transitioning, Chris has received overwhelmingly positive receptions from fellow athletes.^[25]

Chris spoke about his experience with Chicago GoPride, saying, "Competing as a woman, I thought about gender all the time, to a point where it interfered with my ability to be successful because I didn't feel comfortable at races. Now, I feel more able to focus and gender doesn't come up as much." ^[26]

Coaching activity

Chris is a USA Triathlon certified coach. He is interested in helping others reach their athletic goals, particularly LGBT youth. Being an educator as well, Chris is aware of the opportunity to share his knowledge and to speak out as a voice of transgender experience for those who cannot. Mosier has also been a coach and ambassador for the Empire Triathlon Club in NYC since 2012.^[27] In 2014, he was named 2014's Best Personal Trainer of the Northeast^[28] by Competitor Magazine.

Athletic achievements

Mosier made Team USA for the first time in sprint duathlon in 2015.^[29] He made the long course duathlon team in 2016 at a race in Cary, North Carolina.^[30] He secured his place on his third Team USA team in sprint triathlon at the Draft Legal Triathlon World Championship Qualifier race, where he placed third in his age group.^[31] Mosier made his fourth Team USA team in long course duathlon in the 2017 National Championship, where he placed 2nd in his age group.^[32]

He is still interested in competing at the highest level, and in 2014 won two races in the male category ^[33][34] and won his age group in an iron-distance triathlon, finishing 4th place overall.^[35] In 2016, Mosier earned All-American honors in duathlon.^[36]

Awards

In 2011, Mosier was one of three finalists for the Compete Magazine Athlete of the Year award in 2011.

In 2011, Mosier was given an honorable mention by USA Triathlon for the 2011 USAT Spirit of Multisport Awards.^[37] Mosier was honored for his work in promoting trans visibility and LGBT inclusion in multisport and his commitment to advocating for all people to have the opportunity to feel safe, compete, and thrive in sports.[3]

In 2013, Mosier was named Athlete of the Year^[38] at the Compete Sports Diversity Awards in Los Angeles, California.

Mosier was named to the 2014 Trans 100 list. The "Trans 100" is an annual list of some of the most prominent and influential individuals who identify as trans and are actively working towards creating a better world for the transgender community.^[39]

In 2014, Mosier was named as an inductee into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame, thus making him the first openly transgender man inducted.^[40][41]

In 2014 Mosier was also included as part of The Advocate's annual "40 Under 40" list.^[40]

In 2014, he was named 2014's Best Personal Trainer of the Northeast^[28] by Competitor Magazine.

In 2015, Mosier was honored by USA Triathlon as the 2014 Jeff Jewell Spirit of Multisport award winner.^[42]

In 2015, Mosier was awarded the Sports Pillar Award from the World OutGames Miami 2017 at the organization's Bronze Bash event.^[43]

In 2016, Mosier was named Outsports Person of the Year.^[44]

In 2016, Mosier was named to the Out Magazine OUT100 list.^[45]

In 2016, Mosier earned All-American honors in duathlon.^[36]

Mosier's previous sponsors include TRX and Odwalla.

References

External links

• Heffernan, Danny. Transgender Triathlete Chris Mosier on Transition and Inclusion in Sports | GLAAD.
• Trans*Athlete
• The Trans 100 List 2014