LGBTQ community claims win after 'non-binary' woman wins women's 1500-meter race

Nikki Hiltz, a transgender, nonbinary identifying woman, took first place in the women's 1500-meter race at the USA Track and Field National Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. 

Hiltz said after the race that the win wasn't just for her. She said, "I think there’s so much hate right now, and specifically the bills being passed for trans youth. I feel like the LGBTQ community needed a win."

In an Instagram post made the day after, Hiltz wrote, "I can confidently say that the amount of pride flags I saw along yesterdays course, especially on the home stretch, is exactly what gave me that extra gear to pull away for the win."


Instagram post from Nikki Hiltz, April 26, 2023


In her post, the caption addressed the "anti trans bills" that have been introduced in different states across the US. Hiltz commented that it is "worst for trans youth" in Iowa. 

Hiltz, who came out as transgender nonbinary in 2021, has competed in the women's league since she went to Aptos High School in California. She won the state championship in her junior year in the 1,600-meter race. 

In 2019, she considered herself to be lesbian. However, before that in high school, Hiltz identified as bisexual when she found herself liking both men and women. 

In April, after the race, Hiltz told the De Moise Register, "Before 2021, before I came out, I was just kind of committed to never sharing this part of myself and I was going to go through my whole career without ever coming out, and asking people to refer to me differently and being my true self." 

Hiltz went on to say that she supports all trans people in sports and that it is important to "find common ground" to get to that point where everyone is included. 

In a tweet, Hiltz ripped into the state of Iowa itself for passing "horrible legislation" that banned gender transition care for minors. 

She replied in a reply to the original tweet, writing, "[T]he fight is far from over. They’ve thrown everything they can at you yet you’re still here, because no one can erase who you are."