Sign the letter

Philadelphia has long been a “City of Firsts.”

The nation’s first capital. The first library. The first university. The first hospital. The first computer.

That legacy isn’t just history. It shows up in how this city leads.

In 2021, Philadelphia became the first U.S. city with a major road race to offer a nonbinary division with equal prize money through the Philadelphia Distance Run.

Since then, races like the Broad Street Run and the Philly 10K have continued that progress, proving that equitable competition is not only possible, but already happening here.

And yet, the Philadelphia Marathon, our city’s largest and most visible race weekend, continues to fall short of that standard.

The issue

The Philadelphia Marathon Weekend currently does not offer an elite nonbinary division.

This means that nonbinary athletes who qualify for elite competition must choose between:

• registering as male or female, misgendering themselves, or
• competing outside the elite field and losing access to the event’s highest level of competition and prize money

Despite almost four years of advocacy, meetings, and proposals from community leaders and organizations, including Queer Run and Lez Run, this inequity remains unresolved.

Affected nonbinary runners are pursuing a legal claim seeking equitable treatment.

It brings us no joy that it’s come to this.

This isn’t a new or complicated idea. Philadelphia has already shown that equal competition is possible. The Marathon and the City have an opportunity to do what is right and to affirm Philadelphia’s place as a leader in inclusive sport.

The pattern

Over the past several years, some members of the running community have engaged in good-faith conversations with Marathon leadership to push for more equitable policies.

At the same time, the Marathon has continued to build and strengthen partnerships across the Philadelphia running community.

And increasingly, we are seeing a pattern:

Conversations about equity are happening… but they are not shaping decisions.

Advocacy continues to be led by Queer Run, Lez Run, and a small number of directly impacted athletes.

Meanwhile, many in the broader running community, whether due to lack of awareness or a belief that this issue is not significant enough, continue to move forward with Marathon partnerships and participation without publicly addressing or advocating for change.

We’re often asked to explain this issue, to share context, to walk through why it matters.

And we do. We show up for those conversations because we care about this community.

But too often, those conversations happen right before decisions are made to engage with the Marathon anyway.

At a certain point, conversations that don’t change anything start to feel like part of the problem.

Why this matters

The Philadelphia Marathon is more than a race. It is a defining event for the city’s running community.

When nonbinary athletes are excluded from equitable participation at the elite level, it sends a clear message about whose achievements are fully recognized and valued, and whose are not.

And when community organizations continue to partner with or support the Marathon without addressing this inequity, it reinforces the idea that inclusion for nonbinary runners is optional. It also tells non-binary runners: you can show up, but not fully.

This position also affects many queer and trans runners. It directly impacts dignity, safety, and belonging in the sport. And it raises a deeper question:

If we’re willing to accept the exclusion of nonbinary runners here, what else do we start to accept?

In a moment where queer and trans people and our rights are increasingly under attack, the lines we draw — and the ones we fail to — matter.

What we’re asking

We are calling on the Philadelphia running community to take an active role in advancing equity.

To our peer running organizations and community leaders

We’re asking you to stand with us and to act:

• Publicly advocate for nonbinary equity in conversations with Marathon and City of Philadelphia leadership
• Use your platforms, partnerships, and access to push for change
• Consider how and when you engage with Marathon-affiliated events while this issue remains unresolved
• Show that you stand with us by signing onto this letter.

To Philadelphia Marathon Weekend and the City of Philadelphia

• Establish an elite nonbinary division with equal prize money and recognition. Full stop.

This is doable. And it aligns with what Philadelphia says it stands for. It should not require legal action to make it happen. Let elite nonbinary runners compete against other elite non-binary runners.

Join us

We invite Philadelphia’s running community and individual runners to stand with us. Show that everyone belongs in this sport: sign our letter

Add your name.

Share this message.

Be part of moving our community forward.

We’ll share the letter with the Philadelphia Marathon and City leadership.

Since 2021, Philadelphia has already shown what equitable racing can look like.

Let’s make sure the Marathon does the same. Because it’s the right thing to do. And because this is the kind of leadership Philadelphia is known for.