On August 3rd at Woof’s Bar—Madison WI’s ~premier~ downtown gay sports bar— CrossFit Founder Greg Glassman announced that beginning in the 2019 season, athletes will be eligible and invited to compete in the gender category that they identify (instead of by the sex assigned to them at birth).

“This is the right thing to do. CrossFit believes in the potential, capacity, and dignity of every athlete. We are proud of our LGBT community, including our transgender athletes, and we want you here with us,” said Glassman.

Glassman made the announcement at a “A Big Gay Happy Hour” hosted by OUTWOD—the largest national initiative for bringing together LGBTQ+ athletes and their allies to WOD together in a safe, inclusive fitness environment… all while raising funds for LGBTQ organizations like the Human Rights Campaign, Lambert House, Nashville Cares Fighting To End HIV/AIDS, Family Equality Council, and Los Angeles LGBT Center.

This policy change comes after some controversy earlier this summer when former Chief Knowledge Officer Russell Berger blatantly discriminated against the LGBTQ community with a series of tweets that have since been deleted.

CrossFit HQ responded to Berger’s tweets by officially terminating Berger, and issuing a statement on their social media site, quoting CEO Greg Glassman as saying he’s “crazy proud of the gay community in CrossFit. “The statements made by Russell Berger do not reflect the views of CrossFit Inc. For this reason, his employment with CrossFit has been terminated,” CrossFit HQ announced via Twitter.

“CrossFit is a diverse community in every way, and that’s what makes us strong. No matter who you are, how you’re built, what you believe, or who or how you love—we are proud of you,” CrossFit said.

OUTWOD and outspoken members of the community used this moment to highlight and expose the sport’s exclusion of transgender athletes. 

LGBTQ+ athletes and allies have vocally opposed the CrossFit Games transgender policy since 2014 (and GLAAD launching a petition) when well-known athlete Chloie Jonsson sued CrossFit HQ for $2.5 million for discrimination, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and unfair competition after she was outed as trans by a gym member, and was subsequently informed that she would have to compete in the men’s division… despite having medically transitioned over a decade earlier.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Baed2xNDRTg/?taken-by=chlojonsson

The case was settled out of court, but apparently Jonsson was informed of this new policy a few hours before Glassman made the official announcement on Friday night.

“I always loved CrossFit so much for how inclusive it felt,” Jonsson told Them. “So when this all happened four years ago, it felt so divided. And now I’m hoping that it can all go back together again. I want it to feel like everyone is included, and everyone has the same opportunity.”

While the exact policies are still being metered out, we can expect the specifics to be released in the CrossFit HQ Rulebook. (Likely, this will mirror International Olympic Committee’s established policies and guidelines.)

Also worth mentioning, Greg Glassman presented OutWOD a check for $10,000. It’s safe to say that CrossFit is committed to improving their relationship with the LGBTQ+ community and its athletes.

Main Image: Chloie Jönsson/Instagram