A transgender aide to Justin Trudeau’s minister for women has defended participating in a race where she outpaced a 12-year-old girl to claim the ‘fastest female’ title in Ottawa, Ontario.
Nathanielle Morin, who earns $99,000 annually as a Liberal advisor to Canada’s women’s minister Marci Ien, completed the 5km road run in February 2024 with a time of 25 minutes and 32 seconds. This placed her nearly six minutes ahead of her closest competitor in the 30-39 year-old female category.
Young runner Saoirse Hoogenraad, competing in a separate age group, recorded the second-fastest time overall among women at 26 minutes and eight seconds. The runner-up in Morin’s age category, Maude Bisson, finished significantly behind with a time of 31 minutes and 16 seconds.
Taking to social media platform X to address criticism, Morin emphasized her amateur status. “For me, running is meditation, therapy and self-improvement,” she wrote. “I am aware that my participation in so many competitions is and will be talked about because of my medical history.”
Responding to recent U.S. policies on transgender athletes, Morin stated: “With all due respect to the level I compete at (amateur recreational), the state of scientific research in the field (for the amateur recreational level) and the fact that I have undergone a medical transition, I consider that I have the legitimacy to participate in the right category, unless the law prohibits me from doing so.”
She added: “Let us remember that in Canada, no law prohibits it. As for other countries, I will comply with the local laws in force when it applies.”
Morin, who plans to participate in nine races in 2025, has previously shared posts claiming trans women have no advantage over biological female competitors. She has compared the situation to natural variations among athletes, suggesting that some biological women are naturally taller or stronger than others.
CNN’s data analysis, led by senior political analyst Harry Enten, reveals a growing consensus against transgender female athletes competing in women’s sports. A striking 79% of Americans oppose their participation, a sharp rise from 62% in 2021. This opposition spans political lines, with 67% of Democrats, 64% of independents, and 94% of Republicans in agreement. Enten emphasized the rarity of such broad consensus. Meanwhile, President Trump’s executive order strengthens Title IX enforcement, potentially penalizing schools that allow transgender athletes. With over half of voters believing transgender rights have gone too far, the issue remains a major point of contention.
World Athletics acknowledges that trans women retain athletic advantages even after hormone treatment but is still exploring ways to keep a path open for their participation in female categories. The organization proposes lowering the permitted testosterone levels from 5 nmol/L to 2.5 nmol/L and extending the suppression period from one to two years. While admitting that puberty-driven differences in muscle mass, strength, and body structure persist, they argue this approach balances fairness with inclusivity. The new rules would also apply to athletes with differences in sex development, like Caster Semenya. However, World Athletics insists this is just a proposal and promises further consultation before making a final decision.
