Apayauq Reitan

Apayauq Reitan is an Iñupiaq dog musher from Norway. She participated in the 2019 Iditarod as a rookie, finishing in 28th place in 12 days, 5 hours, 15 minutes, and 17 seconds.[1] She also ran the Yukon Quest that year, also as a rookie. In 2022, she became the first openly transgender woman to compete in the Iditarod. She is a citizen of both Norway and the United States.[2]

Early life

Apayauq was born in c. 1998[3] in Narjordet, Norway. She often spent time travelling between the communities of Narjordet and Kaktovik, Alaska.[4] She started mushing at age four at her family's tourism kennel, Hula Hula Kennel.[5][1] She changed her name to match that of her grandmother after she had come out to her family. After doing so, she received her tavluġun, traditional Iñupiaq chin tattoos.[4] She came out publicly on March 8, 2021, International Women's Day.[4]

Organized Mushing

Apayauq started organized mushing at age 15, when she ran the Femund Jr. 220km, later running it at age 16.[1] Then, in 2017, she ran some more races, including the Kobuk 440. Her dad, Ketil Reitan, finished the Iditarod, after which Apayauq took the family's dogs back home.[1]

2019 Iditarod And Yukon Quest

In 2019, Apayauq, then about 21, became the third person to complete the Iditarod and Yukon Quest as a rookie in the same year.[5]

2022 Iditarod

Apayauq became the first openly trans woman to compete in the Iditarod in 2022.[2][4] She is the second openly transgender athlete to compete in the race, following Quince Mountain, a trans man who competed in 2020.[6] She won the red lantern in 37th place in 13 days, 8 hours, 39 minutes, and 13 seconds.[1] During the Iditarod, Apayauq criticized the Alaskan school sports ban on transgender girls.[7] Julie Smyth, another Iñupiaq woman, was also opposed to the ban, as Iñupiaq culture was more accepting of transgender identities, stating it is "common in many communities to be transgender".[7]

References
  1. "Eye on the Trail: Last Teams to Finish March 17th". Iditarod. January 13, 2013.
  2. Walker, Richard Arlin. "Inupiat musher set to make history in Iditarod". Indian Country Today.
  3. Oliver, Shady Grove; Media, special to Alaska Public (March 10, 2022). "'Proud to be an Iñupiaq woman': Apayauq Reitan makes history as first out trans woman in the Iditarod".
  4. Oliver, Shady Grove (4 March 2022). "'Life on hard mode': the first out trans woman competing in the Iditarod". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  5. "Martin Apayauq Reitan | Yukon Quest". www.yukonquest.com.
  6. Julie Compton (2020-03-09). "Meet Quince Mountain, the Iditarod's first trans dog musher". NBC News.
  7. Bethel, Olivia Ebertz, KYUK- (March 15, 2022). "Coaches, officials and athletes denounce proposed ban on transgender students playing girls' school sports". KTOO.
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