The Philadelphia Marathon, a significant event in the city’s sporting calendar, has made strides in being inclusive of nonbinary participants, yet it falls short in one critical area: the allocation of prize money for nonbinary elite runners. As it stands, nonbinary elite athletes are ineligible for prize money in their respective category, a policy that has sparked discussions and advocacy for change among the queer and nonbinary athlete community in Philadelphia.
Josh Fernandez, a nonbinary runner and executive chair of Queer Run, along with C.C. Tellez, founder of the LGBTQ+ running group Lez Run, have been actively engaging with the marathon’s leadership, including director Kathleen Titus, for over a year. They have provided suggestions for best practices for nonbinary runners and strongly advocated for the allocation of prize money to elite nonbinary participants, a practice already adopted in other local races.
Despite these efforts and discussions, last year’s Philadelphia Marathon still categorized nonbinary runners under men’s and women’s divisions upon completing the races. Tellez and Fernandez argue that this lack of equity for nonbinary elite runners violates Philadelphia’s Fair Practices Ordinance, which protects gender identity from discrimination. They plan to file a claim with the City, asserting that the marathon’s current policy is in violation of this ordinance.
In response, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Marathon acknowledged the complexity of the issue and their goal of building a more inclusive and equitable framework for the future. However, they noted that elite athletes must currently compete in binary categories in alignment with USA Track and Field (USATF) guidelines, but will be acknowledged as non-binary individuals.
Despite these acknowledgments, a few blunders during the marathon’s recent event highlighted the ongoing challenges in fully including nonbinary runners. Miscommunications regarding prize money and the lack of equal recognition in award ceremonies have added to the frustration and sense of exclusion felt by nonbinary participants.
Fernandez emphasizes the importance of representation for queer and gender-expansive youth, noting the positive impact of seeing role models in sports. The push for equitable prize money for nonbinary runners is not just about fairness in competition, but also about providing inspiration and visibility for a younger, more diverse generation of athletes.
As the conversation continues, the Philadelphia Marathon faces the challenge of balancing adherence to national athletic guidelines with the growing demand for inclusivity and representation in sports. The situation underscores a broader need for sporting events and institutions to evolve and adapt their policies to reflect and respect the diversity of participants.