The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports

Historian Michael Waters uncovers the overlooked lives of trans and intersex athletes in the 1920s and 1930s and shows how Nazi officials used the 1936 Berlin Games to invent sex testing that still shapes Olympic rules today. Drawing on archival letters, news reports, and personal interviews, the book weaves a gripping narrative of resilience, erasure, and political maneuvering that changed global sport.

~ Included because it offers a powerful, well-researched look at the roots of gender policing in athletics and celebrates the queer pioneers who challenged rigid definitions of masculinity and femininity, making it essential reading for anyone interested in sports history and LGBTQ+ rights. ~