Top Female Athlete Appeals Suspension From Sport After Speaking Up Over Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports

April Hutchinson competes in St. John's, Newfoundland in February 2022. Photo Courtesy of April Hutchinson

One of Canada’s top female athletes is appealing a suspension she received for speaking out against transgender athletes in women’s sports.

Powerlifter April Hutchinson said she was being suspended by the Canadian Powerlifting Union for a media interview she did on Piers Morgan Uncensored.

“I basically received my letter of suspension that they were going to suspend me because I called the male-born athlete a biological male on Piers Morgan,” she told The Epoch Times. “I’ve hired a lawyer and we are appealing that decision.”

Ms. Hutchinson said since finding out that she was set to compete against a biological male athlete who identifies as a woman, she has had a back-and-forth with her federation.

“It’s been a lot of back and forth with my federation, like them sending me letters of discipline saying that I can’t speak up about this topic or I'll be suspended,” she explained.

She said she initially sent the federation a letter outlining her concerns about competing against a male-born athlete. “They basically ignored my letter,” she said.

“Canada does not talk about this topic. It is so sad.”

The Epoch Times reached out to the Canadian Powerlifting Union but did not hear back by publication time.

Ms. Hutchinson said she decided not to compete.

“When I was supposed to compete in nationals, I did not show up as a way to protest. I do not condone men competing against women.”

‘Being Suspended Was a Blessing’

Ms. Hutchinson said that speaking out was one of the best moves she has made.

“I have gotten an overwhelming amount of support,” she said. “It’s very, very miniscule the amount of people that have not supported me.”

“I think being suspended was a blessing. I feel like it had to happen in order for the world to wake up.”

She said while she is still fighting for fairness for women athletes, her decision has been a catalyst for change.

“My federation actually tweaked their policy because I spoke out. I mean the international federation put pressure on them and said you better change your policy or you’re going to get suspended.”

She said the world is now waking up to the reality of transgender athletes in women’s sport.

“This hits the whole fairness of women’s sports. This also hits the freedom of expression and speech. So I don’t mind sacrificing that in order for people to wake up.”

Separate Competition Category Needed

She said that she believed the only way to keep women’s sport fair is to create a separate category for transgender athletes.

“What we asked for was a separate category, and to me, I think that’s the best solution or just compete with your assigned birth.”

Ms. Hutchinson said she was not looking to have athletes banned from competing.

“I’m the one being banned. We’ve never even asked federations to ban them. All we’re asking is for it to be on a fair playing field,” she said. “I feel like transgender athletes should be able to embrace this.”

She said if she was part of the transgender community, she would welcome a unique category to compete in.

“I would embrace a separate category and I would be a spokesperson. I would be a positive role model for transgenders. I just don’t see why they’re not doing that.”

She said she felt the only way there would be change is if other female athletes stood up and spoke up.

“I did make a post where I am telling women to refuse to compete because you know, that’s what we need to do. We need to boycott, we need to shut it down and then federations hopefully will wake up.”

Legal Fund

Ms. Hutchinson said there were some different ways she was raising money for her legal fees. She said that people can donate to her PayPal account, which is linked in her profile on X, formerly Twitter.

She is also selling merchandise in partnership with a Canadian company.

“I’ve paired up with a local Canadian company that believes in my cause,“ she said. ”They are just giving everything at cost and then anything made above that is going to be going right to my legal fund.”

Ms. Hutchinson said that while she is glad she spoke up, it has not always been easy.

“It has been very draining on my mental health. It has been a rough year. I’m very upset that my sport has been taken away from me,” she said. “But I would do it again in a heartbeat because we need to protect women and girls.”