Born a biological male, one South Korean lady has pursued her passion for competitive cycling after transitioning to a woman, competing against biological female riders – not for glory, but to demonstrate a point to “selfish” trans athletes.
Na Hwa-rin, 37, grew up in a Christian family but realized at the age of seven that she should have been born female.
Following her transition last year, she was legally recognized as a woman in the eyes of the South Korean government, and she has resumed her lifelong love of racing as a female cyclist.
Na won the Gangwon Sports Festival in June, but she had an unusual purpose for racing and winning: she wanted to prove that biological men are physically superior.
“I have no unresolved feelings over winning because that’s no longer what I want. My goal was to stir controversy and get my story heard by competing,” Na told the Korean Times.
Na, who was born and reared in Cheorwon, a city about 40 miles northeast of Seoul bordering North Korea, is South Korea’s first acknowledged transgender athlete. She described her victory as “more relieved than triumphant.”
“I am not proud of myself at all. I believe other transgender athletes would feel the same way. They may not want to admit it, but they’re being selfish. There is no honor as an athlete in that,” she told the outlet.
Before her transition, Na had already earned a reputation as a fierce competitor as a male — winning several medals in men’s races — some of which took place while she was undergoing hormone therapy, according to the South Korean Times.
Na is not “honored” by winning the race but used her momentum on the podium to send a message that athletic committees should include a “third gender” category for transgender athletes.
“It could be like how we have many weight divisions in some sports… Under the current binary system, women athletes will be discouraged, and their hard work might not be recognized due to the participation of transgender athletes,” she relayed to the outlet.
After clinching the victory, the transgender cyclist qualified to compete in the National Sports Festival — which she declined.
“I don’t want to make an issue to the point where I harm other people,” the cyclist told the outlet.
Na believes making a separate category is only fair to respect biological women athletes and other transgender athletes who wish to compete fairly against others with similar psychical characteristics.
“Trans woman athletes, no matter how hard they worked, will never be truly honored for their wins. Honor is the goal that all athletes aspire to attain, but this is a situation where nobody will be honored. I think that shouldn’t happen.”
As the only trans athlete in the country actively competing, she understands some people may ask, “Why should [they] do that for only one person?” with the cyclist saying it can only help others and make it easier for committees to accept a third gender category.
“If we lower the bar, more will join. The room will quickly fill up if we allow more people to compete in sports and let them live their dreams,” she told the outlet.
Na, who’s an asparagus farmer when she is not training or in competition, reiterated her message for winning the race and what she and others are looking for to pursue their athletic passions honorably.
“Respect and harmony,” she expressed to the outlet. “Those are the core values of Olympism and sports.”
