CL Viloria - First Varsity Athlete at Seneca to openly identify as transgender. (Photo: Martin Bazyl/Seneca Sting)
For many joining the school’s volleyball team might be a dream, but for CL Viloria, this was her ultimate dream to join the Seneca Stings women’s volleyball team.
Viloria started playing for her elementary school as a young man. After she moved to Canada in grade ten, she was still playing for her high school’s men’s team. However, she was never comfortable playing with the boys.
CL Viloria at Seneca College, Durham Campus
“So everybody was making me uncomfortable. Besides that, It’s me myself that made me uncomfortable. It was making me uncomfortable to change in front of them. There is a washroom in the changeroom that I always used to go there and change.” – CL Voloria
After she started her transition journey and mid-way through her college education at Seneca college, Viloria learned that she could apply for the women’s volleyball team.
“There were alot of problems. I had to be a full-time student. I was part-time. Doubting about it. In the end, I went and showed them what I got! The coaches said, we would love to give you a spot on the team but there are problems but we will help you, and they did actually help me.” – CL Viloria
She now had to become a full-time student also start her program from the beginning. Another challenge was that Viloria had to wait one year after completing her transition hormone replacement therapy under the OCAA (Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association) and CCAA transgender act. Since a similar case happened to a Humber college student, both colleges requested the policy to become more exclusive. The request was approved, and Viloria received an email from the team coordinator, Shannon Wright.
Seneca Sting Women’s Volleybal Team. (Photo: Martin Bazyl/Seneca Sting)
“A good news saying that the rule for transgender players has been changed and I can play for the season and also, one more good news that I don’t have to do my program all over again.” – CL Viloria
Viloria says that she finally reached her dream. She is now where she feels that she belongs. She feels at home.
“It’s my family now. They are so welcoming and I don’t see them being uncomfortable with me.” – CL Viloria
With the debate on transgender people in sports, I asked Viloria’s opinion on this matter.
Should Transgenders Have Their Own League in Sports?
“I have a friend who is also a transgender from another school and we were talking about it. People who want to be identified as transgender need to start the transition first and take the medicine and all. If you really want to be a transgender you really need to do those. You can’t say I’m a transgender but I am not in transition yet. That is not bad but some of the effects of the medicine makes you more feminin and more like a woman. So is it okay for someone who is masculin to be on the team? We both do not agree on it.” – CL Viloria
Be the first to comment