Katie Barnes (they/them/their) is an award winning journalist and author covering the intersection of sports and gender. They are the author of acclaimed book, Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates, which chronicles the origins of the anti-transgender athlete movement. Fair Play was named a “Must-Read of 2023” by Time Magazine and received starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus.
As a Senior Writer at ESPN, Katie hhas profiled women’s sports superstars and rising stars alike, from Maya Moore to Paige Bueckers to Azzi Fudd to Amanda Nunes. In addition to athlete profiles, they are a leading journalist in the coverage of legislation and policy affecting transgender and intersex athletes. In 2019, they were an executive producer on the 30 for 30 short Mack Wrestles, which told the story of transgender wrestler Mack Beggs as he graduated high school and left home for college.
Katie’s work has been recognized by the Associated Press of Sports Editors, The Year’s Best Sportswriting, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Curve Foundation. In 2017, they were named Journalist of the Year by NLGJA – The Association of LGBTQ Journalists. Their 2021 profile of WNBA trailblazer Layshia Clarendon was nominated for the Dan Jenkins Medal, a prestigious award for outstanding sports journalism.
Katie studied American Studies, History, and Russian Studies at St. Olaf College, and Student Affairs in Higher Education at Miami University (OH), and thus believes that no degree is prophetic. A retired fanfiction writer, Katie now enjoys writing with their name attached, but wears their fandom as a badge of honor.
Katie actually likes cornfields, and thinks there is nothing better than a summer night’s drive through the Indiana countryside. When not transcribing a mountain of interviews, you can usually find Katie hanging out with their wife and cats, Atticus and Zora, attempting to write for fun, or playing video games.
Katie Barnes 