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Quinn’s inaugural NSL goal is a big deal for trans sports

ANALYSIS: The Vancouver Rise midfielder ensured that trans people will play a starring role in the new era of sports in Canada

By Mel Woods • April 17, 2025 4:04 pm EDT

The brand-new Northern Super League kicked off this week with the inaugural match between the Calgary Wild and Vancouver Rise at BC Place Wednesday night.

The new six-team league, co-founded by soccer legend Diana Matheson, is the first women’s professional soccer league in Canada.

The game’s only goal—and the very first goal of the league—was scored as a penalty kick by Vancouver midfielder Quinn in the first half.

Senior editor Mel Woods breaks down the significance of Quinn, who’s already blazed trails as the first openly trans or non-binary person to win an Olympic gold medal, writing their name into Canada’s professional soccer history books, particularly in this current political moment.

More From This Contributor

Senior editor Mel Woods is an English-speaking Vancouver-based writer, editor and audio producer and a former associate editor with HuffPost Canada. A proud prairie queer and ranch dressing expert, their work has also appeared in Vice, Slate, the Tyee, the CBC, the Globe and Mail and the Walrus.

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Video, Identity, Culture, Video, Analysis, Trans, Canada, Non-binary, Sports

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