CeCé Telfer on Being a Transgender Woman Athlete

CeCé Telfer wants to compete.

Telfer, a Jamaican American track and field star, became the first transgender woman to win an NCAA title when she took first place in the 400-meter hurdles event in 2019.

Amid backlash after backlash against trans athletes, particularly trans women athletes, Telfer has been outspoken on the rights of trans people to be able to compete in sports. The athlete was prepping for the 2020 Olympics when USA Track & Field said she was ineligible to compete after not meeting testosterone level requirements.

Last month, World Athletics banned athletes from its track events who have gone through “male puberty.” That move has been slammed by LGBTQ+ rights groups.

The recent rule means Telfer will not be able to compete in the next Olympics.

That hasn’t stopped Telfer from speaking out.

In a new interview with model and former college athlete Bejia Velez on Fuse’s sports series Like a Girl, Telfer opens up about wanting to compete and represent the U.S. as well as how women like her are discriminated against in sports.

“I followed the rules, I did everything I was supposed to do…10 times over. I won a national championship. I deserve to be given a chance to represent the United States,” Telfer tells Velez in an exclusive clip below.

She continues: “The world of sports has done a huge injustice to transgender women because they've painted us as these villains to women's sports.”

Watch Telfer’s full comments below and check out her interview on Like a Girl airing Wednesday at 10 p.m. on Fuse. Like a Girl tackles conversations with pro-athletes, Olympians, and champions on topics such as mental health, social stigmas, body image, reproductive issues, gender, and race inequality, and more.