USA Paralympic volleyball star Monique Matthews a champion for trans visibility

Name: Monique Matthews
Country: USA
Sport: Sitting Volleyball
Previous Paralympic experience: London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2021
Social Media: Instagram

Who is Monique Matthews

Monique Matthews is part of a continuing sitting volleyball dynasty dating back more than a decade. An all-state softball player turned U.S. Women’s National Team captain after losing part of her left leg in a freak forklift accident in her teens, Matthews has racked up a copious amount of medals during her career in the sport.

Three of those awards are Paralympic medals: a silver in 2012 and back-to-back gold medals in 2016 and 2021. Individually, USA Volleyball recognized Matthews as Women’s Sitting Player of the Year three times (2015, 2017, 2019) and earned the title of “Best Blocker” at the Tokyo Games.

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Given how decorated her career already is, it’s easy to feel like any tournament Team USA enters with her on the squad makes a podium finish a foregone conclusion. But the importance of her presence goes beyond her ability on the court.

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Matthews welcomes the chances her place in sports provides for speaking on LGBTQ topics both personal and general. Trans visibility and the challenges of accessing gender-affirming care came to the forefront when her husband, Landon Matthews, came out as trans and the couple reached out to fans for aid.

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A post shared by Monique Matthews (@moniqueusav7)

“He is my biggest supporter,” Matthews said in a Team USA interview. “He’s the one that pushes me … He is the best support I could ever ask for.”

Matthews and Team USA were there for him when his family didn’t accept him after coming out, and that experience is part of what fuels the Paralympian’s passion for LGBTQ advocacy through athletics.

“Pride month is so important for these young kids whose families still don’t approve,” Matthews said. “It’s a great way to show younger generations, and even older generations, that being LGBTQ is nothing to be shunned for.”

Monique Matthews at the Paris Summer Paralympics

Matthews and Team USA enter their quest for a third straight gold medal in Paris with plenty of wind at their backs. After winning bronze at the 2022 World Championship following an upset loss to Brazil, Team USA went undefeated at the 2023 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championships to qualify for the 2024 Games.

The team has lost only one match in international competition since falling to Brazil in the 2022 World semifinal. That run included a 6-0 sweep at the 2024 ParaVolley Women’s Super 6 tournament in June. Matthews shined during that tournament, contributing as a leading scorer and blocker as Team USA downed Italy, France and China en route to the title.

Those three teams are important as that trio joins Team USA in Pool A of the Paralympic competition. The American squad proved they can dominate at the highest level multiple times over, but they’ll have to do it again on the sport’s largest stage.

Team USA opens play against China, who they beat in the last two Paralympic gold medal matches, so they will be tested early. But their recent record shows they are more than ready for the challenge.

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