Adopted July 18, 2023
Goal
To establish rules to encourage and facilitate the participation of transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse runners at Mesa Monument Striders (MMS) events with the goal of ensuring fair and inclusive practices that respect the personal rights and dignity of all entrants while preserving the integrity of competition for awards and records based on division.
Policy Enforcement
A runner’s self-declared division at registration will be accepted at face value. There shall be no basis for, or tolerance of, any challenge to a runner’s self-declared division.
General Rules
MMS races will offer the following four division categories: Men (M), Women (W), Nonbinary (X), and Participant (P). For MMS races offering top finisher awards, the top finishers in all four categories will have the option of receiving a top finisher award, regardless of the total number of runners registered in the division.
Exceptions to the above rule include races where divisions are based on alternate categories (age, time prediction, experience level, etc.) and not on gender.
MMS races that include a section on registration forms where runners will self-select the division they would like to compete or participate in. If a runner does not select a division, they will automatically be placed in the Participant division. A runner’s division will not otherwise be assumed or assigned, nor will self-declared division be challenged.
Policy Review
This policy shall be reviewed one to two times per year, based on feedback provided by self-identified transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse members of the MMS club and/or board. If no such feedback is provided, the policy shall not be altered.