Transgender tunner Glenique Frank has offered to return her London Marathon finisher’s medal after receiving backlash for competing in the female category. Frank finished ahead of nearly 14,000 women, raising questions about her eligibility to compete.
Frank’s participation in the female category sparked outrage and raised concerns about the eligibility of transgender athletes in women’s sports. Olympic marathon runner Mara Yamauchi publicly criticized the rules that allowed Frank to compete in the women’s category.
In response to the criticism, Frank offered to return her medal to appease those who took issue with her participation. However, she maintained that she did not do anything wrong and would not apologize. Frank argued that those who had an issue with her participation were “haters” and claimed that she was trying to “spread joy and happiness.”
She told the New York Post: “If they want me to give my medal back, I’ll say, ‘OK, fine. No problem.
“If they really think I’ve stolen the place [of a female runner], I don’t mind giving the medal back, because I’ll run again next year for charity.
“But I don’t want to apologize, because I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Frank plans to undergo “top and bottom surgery” next year, for which she intends to pay around $20,000. Frank asserted that she was not competing as an elite athlete and did not steal any money from other runners.
Frank’s use of the phrase “girl power” to describe her completion of the 26.2-mile course drew particular criticism online. Ex-Olympic runner Mara Yamauchi also took to social media to voice her concerns about Frank’s participation, arguing that it was unfair to the nearly 14,000 women who were pushed back in the rankings because of Frank’s inclusion in the female category.
Frank’s participation in the London Marathon has reignited the debate about the eligibility of transgender athletes in women’s sports.
While some argue that transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in the category that aligns with their gender identity, others argue that it creates an unfair advantage. As the conversation around transgender athletes in sports continues, it is important to consider the experiences and rights of all athletes involved.