Quince Mountain wants to make a change.
The Iditarod’s first openly transgender dog musher is trying desperately to use his popularity on social media to combat anti-trans sports bills in his home state, Wisconsin, as well as in other states. Wisconsin Legislature is seeking to ban trans students from participating on sports teams that match their gender identities.
“I don’t think I’ve been angrier about an issue than I am about this sports thing,” said Mountain, via NBC News.
Back in March 2020, Mountain became the first out transgender musher to compete in the 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race through Alaska. The 41-year-old is racing to educate the public and state lawmakers about the potential dangers of anti-trans sports bills.
“It sends a message to trans kids that they’re a problem to be dealt with, and that message, I think, is lethal,” he said. “This is so punitive. It’s using kids as a political cudgel.”
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On Tuesday, Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed a controversial bill into law that effectively bans transgender athletes from competing in high school girls’ and college women’s sports. He said the bills would affect all students, not just the small number of transgender athletes. “If I’m not on your team, you lose, too, not just me,” he testified.
Mountain came out publicly as trans in 2019 on the Discovery Channel’s “Naked and Afraid” survival reality TV show. He said he used to describe himself as a “reluctant trans person” because of his hesitation to be public about his identity.
“Now, I’m not a reluctant trans person,” he said. “Now, like, f— you, I want to tell everybody.”
