Valentina Petrillo, the first trans athlete to compete in the Paralympic Games

After the boxing competition grabbed much of the attention at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games by letting two transgender boxers participate in two female categories, now it is the Paralympic Games' turn.

This sporting event, designed for people with physical disabilities who cannot participate in the traditional Olympics, has also let itself get caught up in the woke mentality announcing that it will allow 50-year-old transgender Valentina Petrillo to compete in two events of the women's track and field T12, the 200-meter and the 400-meter races.

The athlete, who made the transition in 2019 and who has a visual impairment which limits their visual abilities to 1/50th of the normal range, will thus be able to compete in the women's category. Something that, they assured BBC Sport themself, is an "important symbol of inclusion":

"The historic value of being the first transgender woman to compete at the Paralympics is an important symbol of inclusion."Valentina Petrillo, transgender athlete who will participate in the Paralympic Games.

As they explained themself, they realized that they identified as a woman at age 9, and at 14 was diagnosed with Stargardt's disease, a degenerative eye disorder.

That was the reason why she began to participate in sports competitions aimed at people with disabilities, becoming champion in the men's categories and achieving 11 national titles in Paralympic competitions.

Now, however, she will participate in the women's categories. All because the Paralympic Games are governed by the World Para Athletics policies and these allow a person legally recognized as a woman to compete in the category for which her disability qualifies her.

And, although they are aware of the controversy that all this will arouse, they firmly believe that they must follow these rules. This was assured by the president of the International Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons:

"I am prepared for the criticism. But again we need to respect our rules, we cannot disrespect our rules. So for the moment World Para Athletics rules allow her to compete, so she will be welcome as any other athlete."Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee.

But not everyone thinks so. In 2021, more than 30 female athletes signed a petition that they sent to the president of the Italian Athletics Federation so that they would not allow Valentina Petrillo to participate in the women's races. To little avail, as not only was she not prevented from competing, but the athlete will now be the first transgender person to participate in the Paralympic Games.