This has been an especially challenging time for the transgender community, particularly for our out athletes. Trans girls and women have been targeted, misgendered, mistreated and worse. And trans boys and men have not been exempt from hate.

In response to the growing and unprecedented level of anti-transgender venom that has spread all around the world, Outsports partnered with NCLR — The National Center for Lesbian Rights — to introduce a new set of awards, to salute the perseverance of trans athletes, and call attention to their inspiring decision to soldier on, and reach for the stars. We call them The Outsports Triumph Awards.

There are seven awards in all, and each one recognizes and pays tribute to the bravest of the brave, culminating in a special honor for one out transgender sports legend on the Trans Day of Visibility.

Although we typically announce awards in December, when the year winds to a close, we announced a new winner every day for the last week of March. Some names you know; others are only now making a name for themselves in LGBTQ sports. They are young, old and in between, and each one identifies as trans.

My colleagues and fellow editors at Outsports worked together to narrow down the many possibilities to find winners in seven categories: Pro athletes, Student-athletes, Coaches, Crusaders, Journalists, Ringleaders and Pioneers.

And as we did so, we recognized that every out transgender athlete is worthy of tribute, to recognize their triumph, their achievements and how they have made a difference in the world of LGBTQ sports. So, we share with you the list below. Each name, and the ones that will follow, belongs to an individual who bears witness to the Outsports motto, Courage Is Contagious.

Student-athlete trailblazer: Quill Graham

Pro athlete winner: Tiffany Abreu

Journalist: Katelyn Burns

Ringleaders: Trans Wrestlers

Crusaders: Raquel Willis and Jennifer L. Levi

Coach: Layne Ingram

Pioneer: Fallon Fox

Now that the seven winners have been announced, we invite you to scroll through an alphabetical list of other transgender heroes — athletes, coaches, activists, advocates, attorneys, journalists and trailblazers. Each one is a superstar in their own right. Please join us in honoring their triumph over adversity, and their work toward inclusion of all athletes.

Stephen Alexander

Kye Allums

Chloe Psyche Anderson

Mianne Bagger

Schuyler Bailar

Jillian Bearden

Mack Beggs

@sportsequalityfdn

I Am – Episode 6 #alphabetmafia #transathlete #gaytiktok #sportsequality

♬ Changes – Instrumental – RockItPro

Zach Brookes

Harrison Browne

Molly Cameron

Bryson Cavanaugh

JayCee Cooper

Layshia Clarendon #7 of the New York Liberty handles the ball against the Los Angeles Sparks on September 8, 2020 at Feld Entertainment Center in Palmetto, Fla.

Layshia Clarendon

Maria “Remilia” Creveling, RIP

Christine Daniels, RIP

Matt Dawkins

Elliot Dean

Bobbie Dittmeier

Juniper Eastwood

Taylor Edelmann

Natalie Fahey

Sandra Forgues

Amelia Gapin

Shoshauna Gauvin

Christina Ginther

Keelin Godsey

Mara Gomez

Isaac Grivett

Madison Hall

Joanna Harper

Jacqueline Harper-Grubb

Mitch Harrison

Lindsey Hecox

Lindsey Hecox.

Rebecca Heineman

Stephanie Helms

Sarah Huckman

Laurel Hubbard

Sam Hunt

Dr. Veronica Ivy

Caitlyn Jenner

Maria Joaquina

Mason Johnson

Chloie Jönnson

Bobby Jones.

Bobby Jones

Christina Kahrl

Adebayo Katiiti

Stella Keating

Gabriel Kris

Janae Marie Kroc

Bobbi Lancaster

Lana Lawless

Caroline Layt

Molly Lenore

Elin Lindström

Miguel Lozano

Gabrielle Ludwig

Isabella MacBeth

Pat Manuel

Charlie Martin

Charlie Martin.

Max

Grace McKenzie

Kirsti Miller

Terry Miller

Melody Maia Monet

Chris Mosier

Jessica Firinn

Hannah Mouncey

Ness Murby

Ness Murby

Katalina Murrie

Jamie Neal

Jaime O’Neill

Cory Oskam

Erin Parisi

May “Mystearica” Peterson

Valentina Petrillo

Jessica Platt

Quinn

Quinn

Christina Rebstock

Dr. Reneé Richards

Monica Roberts, RIP

Jay Robinson

Nong Rose

G Ryan

Jaiyah Saelua

Tara Seplavy

Stephanie Shostak

Evelyn Sifton

Dr. Juniper Simonis

Alex Singh

Verity Smith

Alice Soper

Allayva Stier

Chase Strangio

ACLU attorney Chase Strangio, right, talks to reporters alongside actresses Laverne Cox, center, and Sara Ramirez, left, outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., October 8, 2019.

Brynn Tannehill

Team Trans hockey team

India’s Ya All team

CeCé Telfer

CeCé Telfer, center, with Andraya Yearwood marching with the Outsports Pride contingent in L.A. Pride in 2019.

Tia Thompson

Alex Tilinca

Alex Tilinca

Gabbi Tuft

Natalie van Gogh

Zaya Wade

Nattaphon Wangyot

Kate Weatherly

Kris Wilka

Chelsea Wolfe

Kristen Worley

Andraya Yearwood

Philippa York

Megan Youngren

Zoe

Who would you select from this list? Did we miss someone? We welcome your suggestions in the comments section below!

Don't forget to share: