50-Year-Old Transgender Swimmer Competes Against Teen Girls at Ontario Swim Meet

A lane marker is shown in a public swimming pool in this file photo. Shutterstock

A 50-year-old transgender person is alleged to have competed against teen girls in a recent swim meet in Barrie, Ont.

Nicholas Cepeda, a biological male who identifies as female and now goes by the name Melody Wiseheart, participated in the Trojan Cup competition from Dec. 1-3.

On the results list the name Phelps Wiseheart was posted on the roster of female competitors. The swimmer was from Orangeville Otters Swim Club. Girls aged eight to 16 were competing at the event.

The Epoch Times reached out to the swim club but did not hear back by publication time.

Parents told the Toronto Sun that Wiseheart used the female change room, where there were young girls present. Parents made attempts to shield their children from the scene, according to the Sun.

“It’s all so confusing for the kids,” one parent is alleged to have said. “No one is comfortable. Everybody is accepting of all people but them swimming against our kids and being in the locker room with them is not appropriate.”

A spokesperson for the City of Barrie told The Epoch Times that the city and Swim Ontario were required to follow provincial and municipal law based on Ontario Human Rights Commission policies regarding discrimination when it came to the use of change rooms.

“There are also options at the Community Centre for family changerooms for patrons to use with individual private stalls for changing,” spokesperson Scott LaMantia said in an email.

Rebel News reporter David Menzies took a video of Wiseheart at the event, including going into the female change rooms.

Wiseheart is a professor at York University in the psychology department. A blog written by Wiseheart’s partner, Sandi, talks about Wiseheart’s transition from male to female and mentions a love of swimming.

The Trojan Cup was not the first time that Wiseheart competed.

Media reports note that Wiseheart also participated in the Richmond Hill Aquatic Centre’s fall classic in October where the other listed competitors were 13 and 14 years of age.

Wiseheart was seen by parents in the women’s change room where young girls were present, Rebel News reported.

The Epoch Times attempted to reach Wiseheart and the Barrie swim meet organizers but did not hear back by publication time.

Swimming Canada’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion policy says the organization “welcomes full participation of all individuals in our programs and activities, irrespective of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status or disability.”