Cameron Adelman has been passionate about rugby for a long time. But while studying at Wheaton College, he had to fight to be able to play. As a transgender man, Cameron faced uncertain official guidelines from USA Rugby, and so he needed to jump through hoops and navigate a difficult process. After being allowed to play on the men’s team, he became a voice advocating for an inclusive policy across the league so that, he said, “players like me don’t have to wait in limbo for months, wondering if they will ever be able to play.”

As transgender young people have increasingly faced challenges to play sports and have faced proposed legislation threatening to exclude them from athletics altogether, stories like Cameron’s have gotten to the heart of the issue. “Rugby is promoted as this sport that anyone, regardless of ability or body type, can play,” he said. “I am one of the first transgender rugby players cleared by USA Rugby to compete on a team based on gender identity, but I won’t be the last. The fight is ongoing for inclusive policies for trans athletes under USA Rugby, but other transgender rugby players like me can’t wait for those policies to change – we need to be the change. I’m proud to be a trans rugby player, and I hope that my trans siblings across the country will be able to join their teammates on the pitch like I was able to. We just need to keep fighting.”