Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
In 1977, Renée Richards broke barriers for trans athletes when she won a historic case that gave her the right to play in the women’s division at the U.S. Open.
Richards spent much of her career as an ophthalmologist, but her passion for tennis led her to compete at the U.S. Open as an amateur. After undergoing gender-affirming surgery in 1973, she moved to California to work as a surgeon and compete in local tournaments as her authentic self.
Her attempt at a private life was challenged in 1976 when—after winning a women’s local championship—she was outed by San Diego KFMB-TV reporter Richard Carlson. Richards was forced to make a decision that would change the trajectory of her life: abandon her tennis career or take on the challenge for her right to play.
Richards set her sights on the U.S. Open and applied to play in the women’s division in 1976. The United States Tennis Association demanded that she take a chromosomal test to prove her gender, but she refused and instead sued them for discrimination. New York State Supreme Court Judge Alfred Ascione ruled in her favour, writing that the chromosomal test was “grossly unfair, discriminatory and inequitable, and violative of her rights.”
But Richards has since changed her tune on trans women in sports. In 2024, she presented a position paper to the Women’s Tennis Association where she stated that going through “male puberty” should disqualify trans women because of a “retained physical advantage.”
Richards is a complicated figure in the fight for trans equity and inclusion in sports. Fifty years after she challenged discrimination and fought for her right to play, Richards has turned her back on the bravery that made her historic in the first place.
#lgbtqnews #queerhistory #lgbthistory #sporthistory #transathletes
Xtra Magazine is one of the world’s leading LGBTQ2S+ online publications. Founded in Toronto in 1984 by Pink Triangle Press, the independent, queer-run media company, Xtra is an award-winning digital magazine and community platform covering queer and trans politics, culture, sex, relationships and health.
For more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer content, visit: xtramagazine.com
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In 1977, Renée Richards broke barriers for trans athletes when she won a historic case that gave her the right to play in the women’s division at the U.S. Open.
Richards spent much of her career as an ophthalmologist, but her passion for tennis led her to compete at the U.S. Open as an amateur. After undergoing gender-affirming surgery in 1973, she moved to California to work as a surgeon and compete in local tournaments as her authentic self.
Her attempt at a private life was challenged in 1976 when—after winning a women’s local championship—she was outed by San Diego KFMB-TV reporter Richard Carlson. Richards was forced to make a decision that would change the trajectory of her life: abandon her tennis career or take on the challenge for her right to play.
Richards set her sights on the U.S. Open and applied to play in the women’s division in 1976. The United States Tennis Association demanded that she take a chromosomal test to prove her gender, but she refused and instead sued them for discrimination. New York State Supreme Court Judge Alfred Ascione ruled in her favour, writing that the chromosomal test was “grossly unfair, discriminatory and inequitable, and violative of her rights.”
But Richards has since changed her tune on trans women in sports. In 2024, she presented a position paper to the Women’s Tennis Association where she stated that going through “male puberty” should disqualify trans women because of a “retained physical advantage.”
Richards is a complicated figure in the fight for trans equity and inclusion in sports. Fifty years after she challenged discrimination and fought for her right to play, Richards has turned her back on the bravery that made her historic in the first place.
#lgbtqnews #queerhistory #lgbthistory #sporthistory #transathletes
Xtra Magazine is one of the world’s leading LGBTQ2S+ online publications. Founded in Toronto in 1984 by Pink Triangle Press, the independent, queer-run media company, Xtra is an award-winning digital magazine and community platform covering queer and trans politics, culture, sex, relationships and health.
For more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer content, visit: xtramagazine.com
Don't forget to follow us on social media!
➡️ TikTok: tiktok.com/@xtramagazine
➡️ X: twitter.com/xtramagazine
➡️ Facebook: facebook.com/xtramagazine
➡️ Instagram: instagram.com/xtramagazine
