I’ll take a recent episode of Jeopardy! for 300. What is a historic episode where trans woman Amy Schneider qualified for the Tournament of Champions?
Schneider will become the first trans person ever to compete in the Tournament of Champions. On Tuesday, she won her tenth game in a row on the series. Her win means she will compete in the annual tournament against the season’s top 15 players.
$61,800! ????That’s Amy Schneider’s new personal best for single-day earnings! And she’s now 5th in highest winnings (regular-season play)! pic.twitter.com/N0tYccx3vD
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) December 3, 2021
In a recent video posted to The official “Jeopardy!” Twitter account, Schneider said she wore a trans pride flag while competing for other members of the queer community.
Thank you for your thoughtful message, Amy. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Xj02Jd8Nkm
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) November 26, 2021
“Thanksgiving is a time for family, and sadly it’s still true for a lot of trans people that that can be difficult for them, that they may have a difficult relationship with their families. I’m fortunate enough not to have that issue myself, but I know it’s out there, so I just wanted to send that message of support,” she said.
Related | A Brief But Thorough History of the Word ‘Transgender’
She then took to her personal Twitter to further explain her decisions on the show.
So, obviously the thing I hinted at yesterday was the trans flag pin I wore in today’s episode (not going to spoil anything else about the episode yet), so I wanted to explain a bit about why I chose to wear it.
— Amy Schneider (@Jeopardamy) November 26, 2021
“I didn’t want to make too much about being trans, at least in the context of the show. I am a trans woman, and I’m proud of that fact, but I’m a lot of other things, too,” Schneider wrote on her Jeopardy! appearance.
“The fact is, I don’t actually think about being trans all that often, and so when appearing on national television, I wanted to represent that part of my identity accurately: as important, but also relatively minor. But I also didn’t want it to seem as if it was some kind of shameful secret. While it’s gratifying to know that people didn’t necessarily know I was trans until they read about it, I do want people to know that aspect of me. I think being trans is really cool!”
She also took her moment in the spotlight to share links to support Trans Lifeline and the Transgender Law Center, which she says are close to her heart.
There’s no word on when the Tournament of Champions will occur, but fans believe it will air sometime next fall. Either way, good luck, Amy!
