Transgender runner calls for separate entry category to be created after London Marathon abuse

  • Glenique Frank is calling for a transgender running category, as Graham Stothard reports for ITV News Anglia.

A transgender woman is campaigning for marathons to add a specific category for transgender runners after she was criticised for competing as a woman.

Glenique Frank, from Daventry, Northamptonshire, said she ran in this year's London Marathon as a female because there was no transgender category.

"I entered because I'm transitioning into a female", she said.

"There's no category for transgender. There's male, female, other or non-binary.

"I'm not other and I'm not non-binary."

Glenique Frank, who is transitioning, is an experienced runner. Credit: Glenique Frank

The 54-year-old said she received a significant amount of abuse on social media after running the marathon, with one tweet claiming 14,000 "actual females" had a worse finish position as a result.

"I had to come off because of the hate that I received from all the communities," said Ms Frank, who finished in just over 4hrs 11mins.

"Even the LGBTQ+ community were saying that I'm a disgrace, but I didn't do it intentionally.

"Because there's no category for me, I use 'women' because when I have surgery, what are you going to call me?"

Glenique Frank after completing the London Marathon. Credit: Glenique Frank

The experienced runner has previously raised over £30,000 for UK charities by running marathons in Paris, Sydney and New York, and is currently preparing for Berlin, Boston and Chicago.

She is campaigning for transgender categories to be added to amateur and elite events, as it will allow athletes to compete without controversy over whether they should be allowed in traditional male or female races.

Ms Frank said the organisers of London Marathon have said they have no issue with her entering as a woman, but have no plans to create a transgender category.

The organisers said: "The mass event of the TCS London Marathon is a unique celebration of inclusivity and humanity."

Transgender participation in sport has caused debate, with the British Triathlon Federation creating a new "open category" last year.

Globally, in March, the World Athletics governing body banned trans women from competing in international female events.

In May, British Cycling barred transgender athletes from competing as women by creating an "open" category for transgender women, transgender men, non-binary people and those whose sex was assigned male at birth.

Last year, the Women in Sport charity said women should be able to compete in a "fair and safe" environment.

It said: "We must recognise that categories, including the female category, exist to ensure everyone can compete, to ensure inclusion.

"So the focus of effort should in our view be on providing for transgender competition in a way that does not deprive natal women of the chance to take part in fair and safe sport."

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