Adopted April 19, 2022
To establish rules to encourage and facilitate the participation of transgender, gender non-conforming, and nonbinary (TGNCNB) runners at Mesa Monument Striders events with the goal of ensuring fair and inclusive practices that respect the personal rights and dignity of TGNCNB entrants while preserving the integrity of competition for awards and records based on gender.
A runner’s self-declared gender at registration will be accepted at face value. The sole reason for this policy is to ensure fairness regarding competition for awards and records. Therefore, there shall be no basis for, or tolerance of, any challenge to a runner’s self-declared gender unless a top finisher award in a gender category is at stake.
Open category allows anyone to compete, and there are no challenges to the gender or hormone status of a participant in this category.
The Mesa Monument Striders (MMS) Board of Directors shall have the sole authority to review any challenge regarding the gender status of a top finisher. Any such challenge must be made in person or writing to the Race Director with the utmost discretion and respect for the privacy of all parties involved. MMS in its sole discretion will determine whether there is a legitimate basis for the challenge.
A TGNCNB entrant assigned male at birth (AMAB) may register to compete in the Female gender category provided the entrant has been undergoing continuous, medically supervised hormone treatment for gender affirmation for at least one year prior to the race. TGNCNB AMAB athletes who have not undergone hormone treatment for at least one year may register to compete in the Open or Male gender categories with no restrictions, or may register in the Female gender category without the option of receiving a top finisher award in the gender category (i.e. racing for fun or noncompetitively).
A TGNCNB entrant assigned female at birth (AFAB) may register to compete in the Male or Open gender categories with no restrictions. TGNCNB AFAB athletes who have begun hormone treatment including testosterone may register in the Female gender category without the option of receiving a top finisher award in the gender category (i.e. racing for fun or noncompetitively). TGNCNB AFAB athletes who have not begun hormone treatment may register in the Female gender category with no restrictions.
MMS races will include the option of Open when asking race participants to identify their gender. The Open category is available to entrants who are TGNCNB or who do not wish to disclose their gender for any reason. MMS may or may not provide top finisher awards for the Open category. Any awards granted for the Open gender category shall not be challenged based on gender.
In the event of a challenge, MMS may ask the runner for documentation from a medical doctor or healthcare provider or other qualified professional certifying that the entrant has undergone continuous, medically supervised hormone treatment for gender affirmation for at least one year prior to the race. TGNCNB entrants, at their option, may provide the medical documentation related to their gender affirmation to the Race Director prior to the race. All information about the runner’s gender identity and medical information, including any information provided pursuant to this policy, shall be kept strictly confidential.
The final decision regarding the entrant’s gender status for registration purposes shall be within the sole discretion of MMS. If it is determined that the runner is not in compliance with MMS’s Gender Category Policy, the runner will be allowed to participate and keep any finisher awards but any top finisher awards associated with gender category shall be returned to MMS. MMS will attempt to protect the runner’s privacy interests to the maximum extent possible.
Adapted from the Western States Endurance Run Transgender Entrant Policy: https://www.wser.org/transgender-entrant-policy/ and the TransRockies Run Policy Regarding Transgender and Non-Binary Participants: https://www.transrockies-run.com/tnbp
Also adapted from the Road Runners Club of America Fair Competition Policies, which are based on the USA Track & Field and the International Olympic Committee’s policies regarding competition by transgender athletes: https://www.rrca.org/education/event-directors/fair-competition-policies/