Climbing Escalade Canada (CEC) is excited to adopt and implement a new Transgender Inclusion Policy. This policy was developed by the CEC Diversity and Inclusion Committee and is guided by the best practice recommendations outlined in the guidance document “Creating Inclusive Environments for Trans Participants in Canadian Sport (“CIETCS”)” developed by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES).
The CIETCS guidance document was the result of extensive work by an Expert Working Group tasked by the CCES with understanding the existing research, issues and best practices concerning the inclusion of trans participants in sport and providing guidance to sport organizations at all levels of the Canadian sport system.
CEC is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion amongst all athletes at all levels of competition. The goals of this policy are to ensure that CEC supports a Canadian climbing system that is welcoming and inclusive of all participants. CEC agrees with the principles outlined in the CIETCS, and recognizes that, amongst other things:
- An inclusion-first philosophy is in line with human rights laws
- Sex and gender are not the same thing. Individuals are born with different combinations of sex and gender as part of their identity, and athletes must be enabled to compete in the gender in which they identify.
- Participants must be enabled to sign up in the competitive division of their choosing without the requirement to disclose their gender.
The CEC Transgender Inclusion Policy applies to all CEC organized, sanctioned and/or sponsored competitions, events, and activities. Similar policies have been adopted by other National Sport Organizations, and are supported by Sport Canada. The CEC hopes that other Canadian climbing sports organizations and event organizers will adopt this Policy at the provincial and local level.
Although this policy applies to all CEC sanctioned events, other jurisdictions and international sports bodies and events may have differing requirements when it comes to transgender athletes. Knowing and meeting these regulations remains the responsibility of each athlete, should they wish to compete in those jurisdictions.
CEC encourages everyone to educate themselves about transgender rights, starting with reading the CIETCS. CEC offers a summary of this guidance document. Should you have any questions or comments, do not hesitate to communicate with any of the following contacts:
Christiane Marceau
CEC Executive Director
[email protected]
Kathy Woods
CEC Board of Directors – Chair
[email protected]
Joy Aqwa
CEC Diversity and Inclusion Committee – Chair
[email protected]
