TEAM TRANS
As we make progress in our sport and community, there comes a point when actions mean more than words. You may be surprised to know that this tournament isn’t about playing hockey.
In fact, it’s also not about scoring the most goals, or making the most saves, or even winning for that matter. It’s much much more.
We’re building a community.
And we’re accomplishing that by way of hosting the most inclusive hockey tournament in the country.
PLEASE WELCOME, TEAM TRANS
Team Trans has been invited to participate in Seattle Pride Classic 2023 as a team by Seattle Pride Hockey Association.
While our tournament will continue to operate as draft style, this intentional decision was made for three important reasons:
Within the “LGBTQ+” acronym, we as an organization believe the “T” (universally recognized as Trans) needs our attention the most right now. Far beyond sports, trans people and identities are under attack. Spanning political policy to transphobia in sport – we want to use our platform to advocate for trans rights and protections everywhere.
Team Trans already operates as a “draft” style organization – meaning, players from all over the nation assemble to form Team Trans, likely stepping onto the ice with each other for the first time. We believe this helps nurture competitive play while also building onto the importance of the tournament.
Following conversations facilitated by the National Hockey League between Teams Trans and Seattle Pride Hockey Association, we had the opportunity to understand at a much deeper level what real inclusivity looks like in action for trans athletes. The power of listening is a relevant lesson we hope all participants can learn from.
We invite you to read more about Team Trans:
New York Times: For 16 Transgender Hockey Players, a Groundbreaking Weekend
National Hockey League: Team Trans members opening doors while playing game they love
OutSports: This trans athlete cried tears of joy the first time he took the ice with Team Trans
