Twenty-seven-year-old marathon runner and inclusivity activist Cal Calamia made history when he became the first transgender person to win the New York City Marathon in the race’s non-binary division, established in 2021.
Calamia, who goes by “he” and “they” pronouns, has played a significant role in establishing non-binary categories at several major races, including the San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston Marathons.
“The first time that I ran a marathon, I ran in the female division,” Calamia said. “And then I started transitioning and realized there wasn’t really a space for people like me to continue to run.”
That realization led Calamia to push for non-binary divisions to be added to races worldwide.
“The first time I ever ran in a non-binary division was just the best feeling,” Calamia said. “It was just such an emotionally overwhelming experience to be able to be myself and do the thing that I love and feel like that wasn’t being called into question.”
But that historic change came with some challenges. For example, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) told Calamia he could potentially be disciplined for using testosterone, a prohibited drug for runners competing in USA Track & Field-governed events.
Calamia and other trans-masculine people use testosterone as a part of their gender-affirming hormone treatment.
According to long-distance runner, LGBTQ+ rights…
