Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, who built headlines after winning an NCAA Division I nationwide championship, responded to critics who say that she gained an unfair advantage competing against females.
Thomas spent three a long time swimming for the Penn men’s team, then joined the women’s squad for the 2021-2022 year.
“The largest misconception, I think, is the purpose I transitioned,” Thomas informed ABC News and ESPN. “People will say, ‘Oh, she just transitioned so she would have an benefit, so she could get.’ I transitioned to be happy, to be legitimate to myself.”
Thomas received the 500 freestyle at the NCAA swimming and diving championships in March, just a month soon after 16 of her teammates wrote a letter to the college and the Ivy League stating that Thomas should not be competing from women of all ages.
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Thomas placed fifth in the 200 freestyle and eighth in the 100 freestyle at the championships and added she was miserable while placing up superior swimming periods competing versus guys.
“Trans ladies competing in women’s sports activities does not threaten women’s sports as a entire,” Thomas explained. “Trans girls are a really modest minority of all athletes. The NCAA guidelines with regards to trans gals competing in women’s athletics have been all over for 10- in addition several years. And we have not witnessed any massive wave of trans women of all ages dominating.”
“Trans persons never changeover for athletics. We changeover to be satisfied and authentic and our legitimate selves. Transitioning to get an benefit is not a thing that ever variables into our conclusions.”
Additional than a dozen states prohibit transgender college students from participating in sports that are consistent with their gender identity, in accordance to the Movement Development Challenge.
Her critics say that Thomas designed an unfair edge in the women’s industry and utilized her reduced rankings as a male competitor to her getting the tops in her area as a feminine as proof.
“It really is no diverse than a cis (cisgender) lady getting a location on a travel team or a scholarship. It can be a aspect of athletics, the place individuals are competing in opposition to one particular each individual other. It truly is not having away possibilities from cis females seriously,” Thomas mentioned. “Trans gals are women of all ages, so it’s nonetheless a lady who is acquiring that scholarship or that opportunity.”
Thomas has graduated from Penn with designs on attending legislation faculty and stated she would do it all in excess of once again, even with the criticism.
“I’ve been equipped to do the sport that I adore as my reliable self,” she explained.
