Importance Score: 78 / 100 🔴
The National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs (NAIGC) prioritizes inclusive gymnastics, extending to all gender identities. This commitment ensures a welcoming environment for every athlete.
At local NAIGC competitions, gender classifications are removed. Gymnasts of all genders compete together, categorized solely by skill level. Skill levels span from introductory to advanced routines comparable to NCAA Division I standards.
Flexibility extends to apparatus selection. Female-identifying athletes can participate on parallel bars, while male-identifying athletes might choose the balance beam, fostering a truly open environment. The NAIGC’s annual national championship even features the “decathlon,” a unique event where athletes of diverse gender identities compete across all ten artistic gymnastics disciplines—six traditionally men’s and four traditionally women’s.
“Our aim is to enable individuals to continue participating in gymnastics throughout adulthood in a setting that is comfortable, secure, and encouraging,” stated Ilana Shushanky, NAIGC Director of Operations.
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A Difficult Atmosphere
This gender-inclusive approach arises as transgender athletes increasingly face contentious discourse and restrictive policies in broader sports contexts.
A recent executive order provided federal agencies with broad authority to enforce Title IX according to a specific interpretation of “sex” as assigned gender at birth. Following this, the NCAA announced limitations on women’s sports participation to athletes assigned female at birth.
For the transgender community, the implications were stark: exclusion and non-acceptance. This message resonated deeply with several trans and nonbinary members within the NAIGC, an independent, volunteer-driven organization that operates without federal funding.
Multiple nonbinary athletes and transgender athletes who spoke to news outlets expressed considering leaving gymnastics after recent political developments, feeling disheartened by what sometimes appears to be an increasingly hostile climate towards their community.
However, none ultimately withdrew. One athlete viewed quitting as surrendering personal agency over a vital aspect of their identity. Another emphasized the critical social connections within gymnastics and the essential sense of belonging at their gym for maintaining mental and emotional well-being.
“A significant part of my identity is being an athlete and recognizing my strength and capability to overcome challenges,” explained Wes Weske, a nonbinary individual and decathlon participant who recently completed medical school. “Gymnastics profoundly contributed to my self-perception and was a crucial element in understanding myself.”
A Feeling of Normality
This profound sense of belonging was palpable at the NAIGC national competition in early April. For three days, over 1,700 athletes, including a dozen who identified their gender as “other,” transformed a convention center in downtown Pittsburgh into a vibrant celebration.
The event celebrated more than just gymnastics; it was a celebration of diversity and inclusion. The atmosphere mirrored any large-scale athletic gathering: enthusiastic cheers erupted from one area after a successful landing, while encouraging shouts reverberated from another, supporting an athlete regaining composure after a fall.