April Hutchinson delivered a deeply personal and impassioned speech on protecting women’s sports and standing against biological males competing in female divisions in an event put on by Regina Civic Action Awareness Network (RCAAN).Hutchison began her speech by discussing her personal journey, including childhood sexual abuse that started at five years old by her neighbour, her struggles with identity, alcoholism, and a suicide attempt in 2018. She became sober in 2019 after a month in rehab and took up powerlifting to channel her energy and rebuild her life.Through that, she encountered a male athlete competing in her women’s division, who she calls “Mr. Andres.” .“Mr. Andres” holds multiple women’s powerlifting records in Canada and has won over ten competitions.Hutchison reported this to the Canadian Powerlifting Union (CPU), received no reply, and began speaking out publicly after giving them a month to reply.Despite warnings and eventual suspension from the CPU for referring to “Mr. Andres” as a “biological male,” April stood firm, stating her integrity mattered more than any medal. Her advocacy gained international support and media exposure, including interviews with Piers Morgan and Tucker Carlson. .She pointed out that “Mr. Andres” still holds women’s powerlifting records and had made death threats to her and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, leading to a short suspension for “Mr. Andres” from competing in the CPU.Hutchinson praised policy changes made by the International Powerlifting Federation that now require documentation for male-to-female athletes and several other requirements, which she helped bring about. She encouraged the audience to keep “speaking up” and resist “pressure to conform to compelled speech or policies” that she said threaten fairness in sports and safety in women’s spaces, such as washrooms.Hutchinson concluded her speech by urging men to stand up for women, especially in situations involving shared spaces like locker rooms and washrooms. .She emphasized that telling the truth is essential and called on the crowd to keep using their voices, take action locally, and support legislative changes like Alberta’s Bill 29.The RCAAN event was at the Connexus Arts Centre with close to 200 people in attendance.After her speech, Hutchinson took several questions from the audience.One question was about her motivations, and she said her advocacy for women’s spaces is deeply rooted in protecting future generations..She does not have children but fights to protect women such as her nieces.Hutchinson expressed disappointment in political leaders like Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre for not taking a public stance on keeping biological males out of women’s sports in the past election, as she pointed out that the majority of people agree with it.Asked what to do when someone encounters a male in a woman’s space, Hutchinson encouraged children and adults to “speak up” when they see men in women’s washrooms or change rooms, advising to “be polite but firm” in the confrontation. She also recommended parents teach children about biological sex and standing firm on that truth..During the Q&A, Hutchinson explained that her suspension from her sport’s federation was due to non-compliance with a pronoun policy, which she views as “compelled speech.”Hutchinson refused to use female pronouns when talking about and speaking to “Mr. Andres.”She also highlighted other cases of male athletes competing in women’s divisions and breaking records, calling it a “complete joke.” .Hutchinson criticized the mainstream media’s silence on the issue, citing CBC as an example.The event closed with praise and a standing ovation for Hutchinson’s courage in her fight to save women’s sports and spaces.
