President Trump’s recent executive order has been polarizing if anything. On Wednesday, 5th February, his signature meant that now transgender athletes have been banned from competing in women’s sports. And the reactions came like wildfire on every social media platform. Some people were livid, with comments like, “Such performative bullsh*t,” and “Finally, our daughters will be safe!”

On the other hand, others called the move “misogyn*st.” But the big question people started asking was about athletes like Nikki Hiltz. Nikki, who came out as transgender and nonbinary on International Transgender Day of Visibility in 2021, has been competing in the women’s category. Now, with this new law, could their future being part of the sport be at risk?

Back in March 2021, Nikki shared their journey on Instagram, saying, “Hi, I’m Nikki and I’m transgender.” She explained that they don’t identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. Nikki described their gender as fluid, feeling like “a powerful queen” some days or “just a guy being a dude” on others.

That moment of coming out was huge, and it led to a U.S. Trials record in the 1500m last year, earning them a spot on the Olympic team. But with this new executive order, the big question is: Will Nikki Hiltz still be able to compete in the women’s Wanamaker Mile at the 2025 Millrose Games? Or will this new law prevent them from continuing to break barriers?

When are the Millrose games? Is Nikki Hitlz participating in it?

The 2025 Millrose Games are happening on February 8. If you want to be there to witness the chaos (in the best way possible), tickets for the women’s NYRR Wanamaker Mile are available starting at just $27.03. Now, let’s talk about the talent. The lineup for the women’s NYRR Wanamaker Mile is basically the Avengers of track and field.

The nonbinary athlete decided to skip a 3,000-meter race in Boston earlier this year to focus on the Millrose Games. But why? Because they felt like “kicking some college kid’s a*s” and boosting their confidence before taking on this stacked Wanamaker Mile field. We’re pretty confident about Nikki Hiltz’s chances, especially with the way they’ve been breaking records.

They hold the American mile record. As if that wasn’t enough, they also clinched the 2023 US 1500m championship. They followed it up by picking up a shiny silver at the 2024 World Indoor Championships. But do you remember when they ran the mile at the 2020 Millrose Games in 4:24.45, finishing 5th with a 1500m split of 4:07.09? That was just a warm-up!

Fast forward to 2024, and Nikki decided to shake things up by running the 2-mile at Millrose instead of their usual mile. And while they were in 4th place with a new PB of 9:15.80, it was nearly 40 seconds faster than their previous best. Everybody wonders if Nikki can continue participating in women’s races because of this newly implemented regulation. But what exactly is the new law?

What is Trump’s new law? How will it affect women’s sports?

The executive order that President Trump signed recently has prompted extensive discussion. This law makes transgender athletes ineligible to participate in female sports competitions. This includes the ones at major events like the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. At the signing event, Trump presented it as protecting “women’s sports.”

The order advocates that the IOC and NCAA, together with other governing bodies, should refuse transgender athletes admission to competition in cis-gender categories. By barring transgender women from competing in female categories, the law could limit opportunities for many athletes who identify as women. Athletes like Nicki Hitlz will face some big challenges going forward. But currently, it seems they’ve no choice but to accept them.

While some argue that it levels the playing field, others see it as a threat to the progress made in ensuring all women, including transgender women, have equal access to sports. If the law pushes more sports organizations to adopt exclusionary policies, it may hinder the spirit of inclusivity that many women’s sports have worked hard to foster.

Seeing all this, Nikki Hiltz refuses to be silenced by such policies. Hiltz declared that despite the order, they would still compete at the Millrose Games. As they put it, “Guess what? In just a few days, I’ll be standing on the start line of a women’s race at one of the biggest indoor meets in the world. And ope, guess what? I STILL won’t identify as a woman.”

She further added, “You can sit at your desk and sign a piece of paper and make trans people’s lives far more difficult than necessary but you will NEVER erase us or our joy.” By resisting, Hiltz sees themselves as a symbol of hope, saying, “I hope I can be a small beacon of hope and a form of resistance this weekend in NY at the @millrosegames for all trans people.”

If you’re still wondering whether Nikki Hiltz will be able to compete, it’s probably a yes. Nikki was born a woman, competed in women’s sports, and identifies as nonbinary. But she wasn’t born a man. She’s always been part of the women’s sports world. So, even with all the controversy, her situation still fits within that space. It’s a tricky issue that blends policy, sports, and personal identity in ways that challenge what many people expect. What’s your take on it? It’s a conversation that’s far from simple.