Quinn, Team Canada’s midfielder, moves to the beat of their own drum

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You have to see it to be it, as Billie Jean King said, but when the soccer player Quinn (who goes by one name and uses the pronouns they/them) was growing up, there was no one who looked quite like them. This fall, Quinn, who was born and raised in Toronto and now plays as a midfielder for the NWSL’s OL Reign, will serve as a mentor for young soccer players as part of GE Appliances’s “See Them/Be Them” campaign. (Quinn, who is transgender, identifies as non-binary.) The initiative aims to provide role models, to inspire girls and gender-diverse youth to stay in soccer. First, though, there is the small matter of Quinn, who won gold with Canada in the Tokyo Olympics, helping their team to victory in the Women’s World Cup, which got under way on Thursday night with a 0-0 draw against Nigeria.

When were you happiest?

I like to look back on times where I didn’t understand some of the big societal problems that we face. I think back to my elementary school, playing soccer at recess on the little field, and I had absolutely no understanding of some of the big life questions, or some of society’s big problems – or just some of the pressures that everyone faces. That resonates as a really carefree, fun time in my life.

On what occasions do you lie?

I’m a pretty blunt person. I should lie more. At some point I learned that being too blunt is also a fault.

What is your chief characteristic?

We did this exercise on the national team of – what is one characteristic that defines you? And people said “quirky” for myself and I feel like that resonates a lot. I’m always the person that has, like, a really random fact about whatever discussion I’m talking about with friends. I feel like I move to the beat of my own drum.

What talent would you most like to have?

I’m not a good singer, but I love to sing. My parents always said I like to make noise, and I think it comes in the form of songs, but I wish I sounded better because then I think people around me would appreciate it rather than be annoyed by it.

Are they annoyed?

Sometimes. I like to walk a line, for sure.

Do you have a favourite piece of art, or a favourite museum?

I actually really enjoy visiting galleries when I travel. When I travelled with my family, when I was younger, that was a big part of our experience when we were visiting major cities. I really like the National Portrait Gallery in London. I always go there when I go back to London. I think it’s fun seeing people’s stories and their depictions in one image.

Is there a historical figure you admire?

I really loved, back in college, learning about Marsha P. Johnson. [A drag queen who identified as a woman, Johnson was on the front lines of the Stonewall Riots and became an activist for the trans community.] And I feel like her story particularly was really interesting. When I think about LGBTQ advocacy, I always want to pivot back to her and her experience with what advocacy work needs to be done today.

What is your greatest hope?

I think right now my greatest hope is the acceptance of the transgender community. And I don’t mean that in an assimilationist way. I think it’s like a real celebration and acceptance of the trans community.

The counter to that question is, of course, what is your greatest fear?

Wow, these are some questions for 8 in the morning! I think right now my greatest fear in my life is time. I feel like I’m at the age where my understanding is of how quickly time goes. And so I think personally, selfishly, that there’s just not enough time in one’s life.

So, I suppose with that in mind, what do you hope your legacy to be?

I guess to help change the narrative of trans inclusion in sports. But I also just want to be seen as a good teammate.

What is your greatest extravagance?

I really like good food. I can spend a lot of money on food.

Restaurants?

Yeah. Even, like, high quality groceries.

Do you have a most treasured possession?

I don’t have any, like, family heirlooms. I would say probably my gold medal. That’s probably the one thing I’m going to keep locked up.

Is it under lock and key right now?

No, it’s not. But I often think that maybe it should be.

Are there words or phrases you most overuse?

I fall into the trap where I say “literally” for everything that’s not literal.

What is your greatest regret – and I hope it’s not doing this interview?

Scheduling it this early. No – I mean, I think maybe in, like, middle school, high school, even college, I think I’m a person who takes everything very seriously. Or I used to. But I think, not giving myself enough space and time to have fun and to just, like, be a high schooler, have more fun with my friends, and experience things at a time where it was relatively carefree.