Natalie Daniels, a new mother and marathon runner, faced a firestorm of controversy just days before the Boston Marathon on April 21. A TikTok video posted by U.S. Olympian Nikki Hiltz spotlighted Daniels’ concerns about transgender athletes competing in the women’s category, igniting a heated debate. Daniels, who welcomed her first child six months prior, had expressed in a promotional interview with XX-XY Athletics her hesitation to race alongside biologically male trans athletes.

Hiltz, a transgender and non-binary athlete, used the platform to challenge Daniels’ stance, urging her to withdraw from the marathon. The post unleashed a torrent of vitriolic messages directed at Daniels, including chilling threats like, "I live in Boston, and if I see you on the street, I’m going to hunt you down." Another commenter cruelly targeted her infant son, wishing he would "come out as trans and never speak to you again."

"The cruelty was rabid," Daniels told WTFNewsRoom, recounting the emotional toll. "I’d find myself in tears, overwhelmed by being labeled a hateful bigot." Despite the hostility, Daniels ran the marathon, finishing in a remarkable 2:50:04, securing 110th place amid roaring crowd support that drowned out the anticipated heckling.

Daniels’ ordeal didn’t end there. Her running club, Light Horse Track Club in Washington, D.C., confronted her over the interview. She alleges they demanded she publicly affirm that biological males can become women through hormones and surgery—a statement clashing with her Christian values. Refusing to comply, Daniels was ousted from the club via text and email. Undeterred, she’s now launching her own running club with XX-XY Athletics, channeling her passion into advocating for women’s sports.

Daniels ties her fight to a broader cultural issue, noting a reductive view of womanhood in society. During her pregnancy, a medical survey assumed her condition stemmed from failed birth control, not choice, fueling her resolve to protect female athletes’ spaces. "It’s about the dehumanization of women," she said, linking her marathon journey to a deeper stand for identity and fairness.

Boston Marathon News

New Mom Marathoner Faces Threats Over Trans Inclusion Stance, Runs Boston Strong