Athlete is Agender: True Stories of LGBTQ+ People in Sports
Edited by Katherine Locke and Nicole Melleby
Little, Brown & Company
Published May 13, 2025
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads
About Athlete is Agender: True Stories of LGBTQ+ People in Sports
Athlete is agender. Athlete can mean anyone. “Part memoir, part manifesto” (Booklist) this book revels in the achievements of strong, passionate, and determined LGBTQ+ athletes across every age, level, and field of sports.
Find your strength Adam Rippon’s unbelievable journey from figure-skating Olympic alternate to the first openly gay Olympic medalist in his sport; CeCé Telfer’s career as a trans track star and her unwavering commitment to run for the future freedom of trans athletes; em dickson’s relationship to eir gender identity and how sailing, a sport that doesn’t categorize athletes by gender, helped em embrace eir power and identity, and many other invaluable true stories. Featuring testimonies by world-class athletes and award-winning children’s book authors, as well as profiles on culture-defining figures like Megan Rapinoe and Billie Jean King, Athlete Is Agender is a lifesaving book not to be missed.
This book is
· LGBTQIA+ kids, teens, tweens, and adults.
· Athletes and sports fans.
· Readers looking to learn more about the LGBTQIA+ community.
· Parents of gay kids and other LGBTQIA+ youth.
· Educators looking for advice about the LGBTQIA+ community.
TITLE IX UPDATE
Laws are constantly being debated, repealed, and fought for. On January 9th, 2025, a federal court in Kentucky argued that transgender and nonbinary students should not be covered by Title IX protections, rolling back the 2021 order from then-Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.
Right now, schools are currently required to follow the old version of Title IX, which does not include a section on transgender athletes. It’s up to us to keep pushing to get those protections back for transgender students. For transgender athletes reading this, the most powerful thing you can do is to be true to yourself, stay informed, and be sure to vote in every election you are eligible for.
My Review
In this anthology, athletes share personal stories about the positive impact that sports have had on their lives. The stories are moving and easy to connect with, even for people who aren’t familiar with the athlete’s sport.
I particularly love the range of sports represented in the book. This includes sports like horse riding, archery, hockey, swimming, baseball, basketball, tennis, soccer, and more. Sports fans will recognize some of the essay authors.
The whole point of the book is to show that participation in sports can have a life-changing, positive impact on an athlete, and that everyone, regardless of identity or orientation deserves access to these activities.
In one essay, the author’s frustration is crystal clear. That tone might challenge some readers, but listening past that discomfort is important. It’s worth remembering that the current exclusions cause harm and affect real people.
If you’re looking to expand your knowledge about sports participation, I recommend this book and Gender Inequality in Sports: From Title IX to World Titles by Kirstin Cronn-Mills.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 12 up.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to two athletes who date and later marry.
Spiritual Content
None.
Violent Content
References to bullying. Reference to someone whose partner outs them without consent.
Drug Content
None.
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