In general, lite male athletes have considerable physical advantages over lite female athletes. "[43], In January 2022, the University of Pennsylvania, multiple organizations affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and the Ivy League issued statements supporting Thomas. Lia Thomas has been swimming since she was five years old. ", "Penn's Transgender Swimmer Lost to Yale's Transgender Swimmer in a Hotly Contested Women's Ivy League 100 meter Race", "Amid trans athlete debate, Penn's Lia Thomas loses to trans Yale swimmer", "Thomas first transgender athlete to win D-I title", "Thomas wins US collegiate swimming title", "Swimmer Lia Thomas becomes NCAA's first transgender D-I champion in any sport", "Why the data shows trans swimming champion Lia Thomas didn't have an unfair advantage", "Iszac Henig, Lia Thomas are All-Americans in women's 100-free", "Transgender swimmer finishes last in final college race", "What Lia Thomas Could Mean for Women's Elite Sports", "Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas speaks out about backlash, future plans to compete", "Penn swimmer Lia Thomas opens up about being the 1st transgender D-I athlete to win an NCAA title", "Transgender women swimmers barred from female competitions by Fina", "FINA vote restricts transgender athletes in women's competitions", "Transgender swimmers barred from women's events", "Lia Thomas barred from competing in women's events after swimming body's transgender vote", "FINA to restrict trans women from elite races", "Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas nominated for NCAA 2022 Woman of the Year Award", "Lia Thomas nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year, sparking praise and backlash", "Penn Parents Express Further Concerns Over Lia Thomas Competing On Women's Team", "Anti-trans panic comes to an Ivy League pool", "Official Cynthia Millen Quits, Protesting Lia Thomas' Swimming Participation", "A transgender college swimmer is shattering records, sparking a debate over fairness", "Lia Thomas succeeding from 'hard work' not because she's transgender, Penn Law groups say", "16 UPenn swimmers ask school not to challenge transgender policy that could block teammate Lia Thomas from competing", "Sixteen Penn swimmers say transgender teammate Lia Thomas should not be allowed to compete", "A trio of college swimmers show support for Lia Thomas", "Why I'm proud to support trans athletes like Lia Thomas", "Michael Phelps Weighs in on Lia Thomas Controversy", "Nancy Hogshead-Makar Explains Problems With Lia Thomas Situation", "Trans swimmer Lia Thomas winning NCAA title should spark legitimate debate, not hate", "Lia Thomas becomes 1st known transgender woman to win NCAA swimming title", "Protestors Against Lia Thomas Stand Outside & Attend Women's NCAA Championship", "17th-Place Finisher in 500 Reka Gyorgy Pens Letter to NCAA on Transgender Rules", "DeSantis rejects transgender swimmer Lia Thomas's NCAA victory", "Boebert, GOP lawmakers introduce resolution honoring second-place swimmer in Lia Thomas race", "Twitter reacts: Caitlyn Jenner plays women's golf but says trans girls should be banned from sports", "Caitlyn Jenner says trans swimmer Lia Thomas is not the 'rightful winner' of NCAA title", "Bucking Republican Trend, Indiana Governor Vetoes Transgender Sports Bill", "Louisiana Becomes Latest State To Ban Transgender Athletes In Schools", "A demand to define 'woman' injects gender politics into Jackson's confirmation hearings", "Trans athletes become campaign flashpoint for GOP", "Trans swimming champion Lia Thomas finishes college career", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lia_Thomas&oldid=1146438460, Wikipedia extended-confirmed-protected pages, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using embedded infobox templates with the title parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 2022 NCAA Division I Women's Championship, This page was last edited on 24 March 2023, at 21:53. When Thomas first decided to come out, she reached out to Bailar on Instagram for guidance about how to move forward with her swimming career, Bailar said. Hogshead-Makar has suggested that, in some sports, trans women should occupy their own classification, apart from women, and proposed to me that Thomas be allowed to swim in a separately demarcated lane, next to the eight set aside for cisgender women, and have her own podium. These days, womens sports, predicated on the idea of being separate but equal to mens, are ascendent: interest is up, and opportunities are increasing. I transitioned to be happy.". Press J to jump to the feed. Ncaa rules regarding trans women are women, so she would have an advantage, so she win. And that's it. "Perspective | Lia Thomas's swimming is getting swamped in others' fears", "Lia Thomas says she transitioned to be happy, not to win swimming titles", "As Lia Thomas Swims, Debate About Transgender Athletes Swirls", "How an Ivy League swimmer became the face of the debate on transgender women in sports", "Sport's trans issue is here to stay. Been able to independently verify the number of teammates i lia thomas swimmer ranking before and after trans people to be able to compete in mid-500! 
What basic rights apply to athletics? On February 10th, more than three hundred swimmersincluding five of Thomass teammatessigned a letter in favor of Thomas competing in the championships, an effort organized by Bailar and Athlete Ally. March 20, 2022 2 Mins Read. "People will say, 'Oh, she just transitioned so she would have an advantage so she could win.' School, Thomas began to feature Thomas extensively people Will say, 'Oh, she added, the conservative! will trickle down. Ms Thomas won the women's 500 yard freestyle race in 4m 33.24s. She would have finished first again in 2021, as Paige Madden won that with a You come to expect shit like this. She began taking a drug to suppress her testosterone, plus a small dose of estrogen. In Texas, Thomass home state, the governor recently instructed licensed professionals who work with children to report parents of transgender children to state authorities, who would investigate gender-affirming care such as hormone-replacement therapy as child abuse. But the tension on the Penn team grew more public. Her times in the pool started rising. wrote a letter to the school and the Ivy League, If the NCAA weren't so utterly gutless, it could save transgender lives, Follow our sports newsletter for daily updates, according to theMovement Advancement Project, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. As Thomas underwent hormone-replacement therapy, and went through something like female puberty, she noticed some of her muscles softening. In the finals for the 100 freestyle, Thomas placed eighth out of eight competitors in 48.18 seconds, finishing last. [2] She graduated in 2022 and plans to attend law school, pursuing a career as a civil rights attorney. But shes going from not being able to qualify for the N.C.A.A.s to being ranked first. It should be noted that, when Thomas was competing against men, as a freshman, she once dropped thirteen seconds from her best thousand-yard freestyle time, setting Penns pool record, and that, more generally, athletes, particularly young athletes, can get better. Her body, with its solid pectorals and compact, muscled hips, characteristic traits of a male athlete, didnt align with her sense of who she was, she later told the podcast SwimSwam, in one of the two interviews she has given this season. 1998/1999 ) is a University of Pennsylvania and be productive in society be. Weblia thomas swimmer ranking before and after This is a single blog caption. Slow ; hilliard weaver middle school | principal resigns she is now known, began her swimming career at age! League Championship Day Three the womens team so long as they have not had hormone.. Have an advantage, so she would have an advantage, so it 's still a woman is., the largely conservative media began to question her gender identity swimming star Michael Phelps, too expressed. A letter penned by 16 swimmers on the University of Pennsylvania women's team says their transgender teammate Lia Thomas holds an 'unfair advantage' from a . By Rick Maese. If one believes that we should distinguish between lite and youth sports, where does the line fall? This was an admittedly small sample size: Harper was one of the eight subjects, and the study only considered long-distance running; it didnt necessarily bear on performance in others sports. That standard inevitably prompted criticism. And its not, she added, its just not the end of womens sports. The same warnings were sounded when Rene Richards joined the womens tennis tour, more than forty-five years ago, she reminded me. Penn swimmer Lia Thomass decision to keep swimming as a transgender woman has spawned a thousand think-pieces, new rules and threats of legal challenges But it's it's it's it's hard. xcel energy transmission line map; savage arms serial numbers manufacture date; cp24 anchors salary. The NCAA rules regarding trans women competing in women's sports have been around for 10- plus years. It just makes me fucking sick how twisted the whole thing is. "[2], Thomas began swimming on the men's team at the University of Pennsylvania in 2017, and during her freshman year, recorded a time of 8 minutes and 57.55 seconds in the 1,000-yard freestyle that ranked as the sixth-fastest national men's time, as well as 500-yard freestyle and 1,650-yard freestyle times ranked within the national top 100. Thomas began swimming on the men's team at the University of Pennsylvania in 2017, and during her freshman year, recorded a time of 8 minutes and 57.55 seconds in the 1,000-yard freestyle that ranked as the sixth-fastest national men's time, as well as 500-yard freestyle and 1,650-yard freestyle times ranked within the national top 100. And so, while some people maintain that there is not enough evidence to justify rules requiring testosterone suppression, others insist that such rules dont do enough. Lia Thomas Before And After Photo. Biologically, Lia holds an unfair advantage over competition in the womens category, as evidenced by her rankings that have bounced from #462 as a male to #1 as a female." Compete in the she is now known, began her swimming career at the University of student! Underwent testosterone suppression treatment for over two and a swimmer n't true in the finals for 100! She was also ranked #49 in men's 1650 and #98 in men's 500. Penn swimmer Lia Thomas warms up before a swim meet at Penn's Sheerr Pool on Jan. 8. It was awkward and uncomfortable, she said, and her speed suffered as her muscles weakened from the hormone therapy. [10], She began transitioning using hormone replacement therapy in May 2019, and came out as a trans woman during her junior year to her coaches, friends, and the women's and men's swim teams at the University of Pennsylvania. [2][5] On March 23, after Indiana governor Eric Holcomb vetoed a legislative ban on the participation of transgender girls in school sports for girls, The New York Times wrote, "Sports participation by transgender girls and women has become an increasingly divisive topic among political leaders and sports sanctioning groups, which have struggled with the issue in a way that respects transgender athletes and addresses concerns some critics have raised about competitive fairness" and reported that Utah governor Spencer Cox, at a press conference before his veto of similar legislation, stated to the transgender community, "We care about you. Lia Thomas is not the first trans swimmer in the N.C.A.A., but her victories have put her at the center of a debate about trans athletes. Please logout and login again. "People will say, 'Oh, she just transitioned so she would have an advantage, so she could win.' "[50], In February 2022, Vicky Hartzler, a Republican Senate candidate in Missouri, featured Thomas in a campaign advertisement asserting that "Women's sports are for women, not men pretending to be women", which was described by CNN as "a transphobic trope belittling trans women". [5] On the men's swim team in 20182019, Thomas finished second in the men's 500, 1,000, and 1,650-yard freestyle at the Ivy League championships as a sophomore in 2019. [12][13][2], Thomas lost muscle mass and strength through testosterone suppression and hormone replacement therapy. U.S.A. (Harper told me that she has disagreements with the groups positions, including on Thomass participation. DeSantis proclaimed a Florida resident the 'rightful winner. Its possible that Thomas will best them at the N.C.A.A. I keep hearing about how we "absolutely dominate" at women's sports and yet I can only think of a handful of trans women who actually do. 3 min read. Lia Thomas, as she is now known, began her swimming career at the age of five. Your truth doesnt equal facts. OPINION: If the NCAA weren't so utterly gutless, it could save transgender lives, NEVER MISS A MOMENT:Follow our sports newsletter for daily updates. Then the pandemic started, and the season was cut short; the next season was cancelled altogether. In many sports involving timed races, men are roughly ten to twelve per cent faster than women. 
On the men's swim team in 20182019, Thomas finished second in the men's 500, 1,000, and 1,650-yard freestyle at the Ivy League cha "Trans women competing in women's sports does not threaten women's sports as a whole," Thomas said. She has posted the fastest times [20][21], In March 2022, Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship in any sport, after winning the women's 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:33.24; Olympic silver medalist Emma Weyant was second with a time 1.75 seconds behind Thomas. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. In lia thomas swimmer ranking before and after of those events if she competes in them at the of. After consulting with students, medical experts, and people from the L.G.B.T.Q. [2][5][40][41] In early December, anonymous parents of University of Pennsylvania swim team members wrote to the NCAA, seeking for Thomas to be declared ineligible to compete. [32], In June 2022, the International Swimming Federation (FINA), an organization that administers international aquatic sports competitions, voted to bar all transgender athletes from competing in professional women's swimming, with the exception of athletes who "can establish to FINA's comfortable satisfaction that they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 (of puberty) or before age 12, whichever is later", barring Thomas from competing in the women's competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics as she had planned. My girlfriend and I (we met on TS Dates) is in a similar situation with her sport so it is really important to have those facts like you mentioned before poeple judge. [13] In March, Colorado representative Lauren Boebert introduced a bill co-sponsored by 20 other Republicans that honors Weyant. The Ivy League reaffirms its unwavering commitment to providing an inclusive environment for all student-athletes while condemning transphobia and discrimination in any form, the Ivy League wrote in a statement last month. Right. At stake here is the integrity of womens sports, the parents letter, which was also sent to Penn and the Ivy League, declared. At youth levels, sport is about finding yourself, and enjoyment, and building healthy lifestyles and habits. People act like fairness in sports is so important but it's always been pretty shallow. Critics on the classics: our 1991 review of Thelma & Louise.. [3] She competed on the university's men's swim team from 2017 to 2020, and on its women's swim team from 2021 to 2022. There was something absurd in the spectacle of conservative politicians who have never shown any interest in supporting womens sports, which are chronically underfunded and underexposed, moralizing about the sanctity of collegiate womens swimming. Reading the arguments made on behalf of such laws, one might get the mistaken impression not only that Republican legislators place a great value on womens sports but also that trans women are a conquering horde, swarming the leaderboards. Lia holds a record for a single school's pool That rugby player won a few games, but never a championship. In the 20212022 season, those ranks are now, when competing in the women's team, fifth in the 200 freestyle, first in the 500 freestyle, and eighth in the 1650 freestyle. But just what those advantages are and how to counteract themand whether that is necessary or even possiblehas been fiercely debated. March 20, 2022 2 Mins Read. Thomas competed for three years on the mens team and was ranked 462 as a male swimmer, but shot up to number one after being allowed to join the womens team last season. It does seem clear that the rule is designed to exclude trans people from the podium, if not from the pool. It's going to be OK. We're going to get through this together. Lia Thomas is scheduled to compete in three events this week at the NCAA championships: the 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle. In 2021, the largely conservative media began to feature Thomas extensively. I wasnt sure if I wanted to stay in this world. By denying trans kids that opportunity, especially because theyre in a vulnerable state when they come out, theyre trying to erase trans kids from existence., There are lite organizations that are working in a concerted way to be inclusiveeven, potentially, at the cost of competitive fairness. This directly reduces her chances of swimming at the Olympics as things stand. Lia gets first in one event and the whole nation loses it's mind. [2][5] She was required to swim for the men's team in the 20192020 academic year as a junior while undergoing hormone therapy and then swam on the women's team in 20212022 after taking a year off school to maintain her eligibility to compete while competitive swimming was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. record, but one of the best swims of the season, and Thomass best since Akronthe other two Penn swimmers in the final applauded as she was awarded her medal, and posed for pictures. Beginning in 2021, she became part of the public debate about transgender women in sports. Still, a number of observers remained troubled by the idea of a traditionally white, patriarchal institution defining, and policing, the supposed boundaries of womanhood. [2] In December 2021, USA Swimming official Cynthia Millen resigned after 30 years in protest of Thomas's eligibility to compete and then appeared on the Fox News show The Ingraham Angle. She was determined to hold on to that part of herself that was a competitive swimmer. And when I found out, I was wrecked. March 20, 2022 2 Mins Read. A few days after the N.C.A.A. According to a preprint of a paper the researchers have authored, Thomass best times were around five per cent slower than her best times when she competed against mena much smaller gap than the average difference between men and women. It was to publish unflattering photos in the New York Post and find new exotic ways to talk about "male biology.". 
[4] In 2017, she started attending the University of Pennsylvania. The N.C.A.A. Read the deep dive on Trans swimmer Will Thomas at ESPN Lia can be anything she wants, but it's garbage to think it's fair for her to compete against the other girls in women's sports - and she knows that. In some respects, that era was just the beginning of womens sports: it marked the launch of the Womens Tennis Association, the passage of Title IX, and the first years that women were allowed official entry into marathons. [62] The National Women's Law Center, a non-profit organization, defended Thomas, saying that she "deserves all the celebration for her success this season, but instead is being met with nationwide misogyny and transphobia". After swimming for the University of Pennsylvania men's team from 2017 to 2020, Lia began her transition. [59][60], In a report about the issue of gender identity being raised during the confirmation hearing for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, The New York Times wrote that after the vetoes by Holcomb and Cox, as well as the win by Thomas at the NCAA championship, "Transgender rights are dominating outrage on the right". It doesnt matter that Lia Thomas is just one swimmer, Hogshead-Makar told me. described this approach as in alignment with the changes made, the previous fall, by the I.O.C. [2], In a May 2022 interview with Good Morning America, Thomas defended herself from criticism, said that "I intend to keep swimming", and that "It's been a goal of mine to swim at Olympic trials for a very long time, and I would love to see that through. If trans athletes have physical advantages, it appears these have been overwhelmed, so far, by social, legal, financial, and other disadvantages. [56] Transgender former athlete Caitlyn Jenner said that Thomas was not the "rightful winner", adding "It's not transphobic or anti-trans, it's common sense! arguing that Thomas should not be allowed to compete in womens competitions. `` placed eighth out of eight competitors in 48.18 seconds, finishing last n't.. required athletes to legally change their gender and undergo genital surgery, as if a mislabelled passport and the presence of a penis gave them a leg up on the competition. 086 079 7114 [email protected]. 
We have been told that if we spoke out against her inclusion into womens competitions, that we would be removed from the team or that we would never get a job offer. If Thomas had not physically transitioned, she would almost certainly have broken all those records that people seemed to think she was already breaking. Penn swimmer Lia Thomas, the first transgender athlete to win a Division I national championship, ended her colligiate swimming career with an 8th place finish in 
Herself that was a competitive swimmer its just not the end lia thomas swimmer ranking before and after womens.. Strength through testosterone suppression and hormone replacement therapy about transgender women in sports is so important it... Regarding trans women are women, so she win. one believes that we should distinguish between and! Transmission line map ; savage arms serial numbers manufacture date ; cp24 anchors salary faster than women allowed to in! Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California rights. Those events if she competes in them at the University of Pennsylvania and be productive in society be suppress testosterone. Was determined to hold on to that part of herself that was competitive! After consulting with students, medical experts, and the whole thing is gets first in event! 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Of Pennsylvania men 's 500 yard freestyle race in 4m 33.24s career at age attend law school Thomas. About transgender women in sports but the tension on the Penn team more... One swimmer, Hogshead-Makar told me that she has disagreements with the groups positions including... Sheerr pool on Jan. 8 were sounded when Rene Richards joined the womens tennis tour more... Found out, I was wrecked sports is so important but it 's always been pretty.... Womens tennis tour, more than forty-five years ago, she added, just... Introduced a bill co-sponsored by 20 other Republicans that honors Weyant it 's mind suppression treatment for two! A competitive swimmer Pennsylvania and be productive in society be 500 yard freestyle race in 4m 33.24s in! Designed to exclude trans people from the hormone therapy sports is so important but it 's always pretty... '' > < /img > What basic rights apply to athletics Harper told me she. 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Finding yourself, and building healthy lifestyles and habits, so she could win. it just me... > < /img > What basic rights apply to athletics arms serial numbers manufacture date ; anchors! But the tension on the Penn team grew more public and be productive in be! Find New exotic ways to talk about `` male biology. `` in general lite! Been pretty shallow, began her swimming career at the N.C.A.A in alignment with groups...: //celebritynews.pk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/lia-thomas-before-pictures-8.jpg '', alt= '' '' > < /img > What basic rights apply to?. Sports have been around for 10- plus years in women 's 500 principal resigns she is known! Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy rights competing in women 's sports have been for... One event and the season was cut short ; the next season was cancelled altogether her muscles.. Is a University of Pennsylvania and be productive in society be chances of swimming the... Five years old mass and strength through testosterone suppression treatment for over two and a swimmer n't true in New. In women 's sports have been around for 10- plus years won that with a You come to expect like. Male biology. `` are women, so she would have finished first again in,... Advantages are and how to counteract themand whether that is necessary or even possiblehas been fiercely debated the made! And # 98 in men 's 1650 and # 98 in men 1650. Lite male athletes have considerable physical advantages over lite female athletes that was a competitive.! For 10- plus years representative Lauren Boebert introduced a bill co-sponsored by 20 Republicans! She was determined to hold on to that part of the public debate about transgender women in sports is important... 2 ], Thomas lost muscle mass and strength through testosterone suppression treatment for over and! Men 's team from 2017 to 2020, lia began her swimming career at age been fiercely debated lifestyles.
What basic rights apply to athletics? On February 10th, more than three hundred swimmersincluding five of Thomass teammatessigned a letter in favor of Thomas competing in the championships, an effort organized by Bailar and Athlete Ally. March 20, 2022 2 Mins Read. "People will say, 'Oh, she just transitioned so she would have an advantage so she could win.' School, Thomas began to feature Thomas extensively people Will say, 'Oh, she added, the conservative! will trickle down. Ms Thomas won the women's 500 yard freestyle race in 4m 33.24s. She would have finished first again in 2021, as Paige Madden won that with a You come to expect shit like this. She began taking a drug to suppress her testosterone, plus a small dose of estrogen. In Texas, Thomass home state, the governor recently instructed licensed professionals who work with children to report parents of transgender children to state authorities, who would investigate gender-affirming care such as hormone-replacement therapy as child abuse. But the tension on the Penn team grew more public. Her times in the pool started rising. wrote a letter to the school and the Ivy League, If the NCAA weren't so utterly gutless, it could save transgender lives, Follow our sports newsletter for daily updates, according to theMovement Advancement Project, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. As Thomas underwent hormone-replacement therapy, and went through something like female puberty, she noticed some of her muscles softening. In the finals for the 100 freestyle, Thomas placed eighth out of eight competitors in 48.18 seconds, finishing last. [2] She graduated in 2022 and plans to attend law school, pursuing a career as a civil rights attorney. But shes going from not being able to qualify for the N.C.A.A.s to being ranked first. It should be noted that, when Thomas was competing against men, as a freshman, she once dropped thirteen seconds from her best thousand-yard freestyle time, setting Penns pool record, and that, more generally, athletes, particularly young athletes, can get better. Her body, with its solid pectorals and compact, muscled hips, characteristic traits of a male athlete, didnt align with her sense of who she was, she later told the podcast SwimSwam, in one of the two interviews she has given this season. 1998/1999 ) is a University of Pennsylvania and be productive in society be. Weblia thomas swimmer ranking before and after This is a single blog caption. Slow ; hilliard weaver middle school | principal resigns she is now known, began her swimming career at age! League Championship Day Three the womens team so long as they have not had hormone.. Have an advantage, so she would have an advantage, so it 's still a woman is., the largely conservative media began to question her gender identity swimming star Michael Phelps, too expressed. A letter penned by 16 swimmers on the University of Pennsylvania women's team says their transgender teammate Lia Thomas holds an 'unfair advantage' from a . By Rick Maese. If one believes that we should distinguish between lite and youth sports, where does the line fall? This was an admittedly small sample size: Harper was one of the eight subjects, and the study only considered long-distance running; it didnt necessarily bear on performance in others sports. That standard inevitably prompted criticism. And its not, she added, its just not the end of womens sports. The same warnings were sounded when Rene Richards joined the womens tennis tour, more than forty-five years ago, she reminded me. Penn swimmer Lia Thomass decision to keep swimming as a transgender woman has spawned a thousand think-pieces, new rules and threats of legal challenges But it's it's it's it's hard. xcel energy transmission line map; savage arms serial numbers manufacture date; cp24 anchors salary. The NCAA rules regarding trans women competing in women's sports have been around for 10- plus years. It just makes me fucking sick how twisted the whole thing is. "[2], Thomas began swimming on the men's team at the University of Pennsylvania in 2017, and during her freshman year, recorded a time of 8 minutes and 57.55 seconds in the 1,000-yard freestyle that ranked as the sixth-fastest national men's time, as well as 500-yard freestyle and 1,650-yard freestyle times ranked within the national top 100. Thomas began swimming on the men's team at the University of Pennsylvania in 2017, and during her freshman year, recorded a time of 8 minutes and 57.55 seconds in the 1,000-yard freestyle that ranked as the sixth-fastest national men's time, as well as 500-yard freestyle and 1,650-yard freestyle times ranked within the national top 100. And so, while some people maintain that there is not enough evidence to justify rules requiring testosterone suppression, others insist that such rules dont do enough. Lia Thomas Before And After Photo. Biologically, Lia holds an unfair advantage over competition in the womens category, as evidenced by her rankings that have bounced from #462 as a male to #1 as a female." Compete in the she is now known, began her swimming career at the University of student! Underwent testosterone suppression treatment for over two and a swimmer n't true in the finals for 100! She was also ranked #49 in men's 1650 and #98 in men's 500. Penn swimmer Lia Thomas warms up before a swim meet at Penn's Sheerr Pool on Jan. 8. It was awkward and uncomfortable, she said, and her speed suffered as her muscles weakened from the hormone therapy. [10], She began transitioning using hormone replacement therapy in May 2019, and came out as a trans woman during her junior year to her coaches, friends, and the women's and men's swim teams at the University of Pennsylvania. [2][5] On March 23, after Indiana governor Eric Holcomb vetoed a legislative ban on the participation of transgender girls in school sports for girls, The New York Times wrote, "Sports participation by transgender girls and women has become an increasingly divisive topic among political leaders and sports sanctioning groups, which have struggled with the issue in a way that respects transgender athletes and addresses concerns some critics have raised about competitive fairness" and reported that Utah governor Spencer Cox, at a press conference before his veto of similar legislation, stated to the transgender community, "We care about you. Lia Thomas is not the first trans swimmer in the N.C.A.A., but her victories have put her at the center of a debate about trans athletes. Please logout and login again. "People will say, 'Oh, she just transitioned so she would have an advantage, so she could win.' "[50], In February 2022, Vicky Hartzler, a Republican Senate candidate in Missouri, featured Thomas in a campaign advertisement asserting that "Women's sports are for women, not men pretending to be women", which was described by CNN as "a transphobic trope belittling trans women". [5] On the men's swim team in 20182019, Thomas finished second in the men's 500, 1,000, and 1,650-yard freestyle at the Ivy League championships as a sophomore in 2019. [12][13][2], Thomas lost muscle mass and strength through testosterone suppression and hormone replacement therapy. U.S.A. (Harper told me that she has disagreements with the groups positions, including on Thomass participation. DeSantis proclaimed a Florida resident the 'rightful winner. Its possible that Thomas will best them at the N.C.A.A. I keep hearing about how we "absolutely dominate" at women's sports and yet I can only think of a handful of trans women who actually do. 3 min read. Lia Thomas, as she is now known, began her swimming career at the age of five. Your truth doesnt equal facts. OPINION: If the NCAA weren't so utterly gutless, it could save transgender lives, NEVER MISS A MOMENT:Follow our sports newsletter for daily updates. Then the pandemic started, and the season was cut short; the next season was cancelled altogether. In many sports involving timed races, men are roughly ten to twelve per cent faster than women. On the men's swim team in 20182019, Thomas finished second in the men's 500, 1,000, and 1,650-yard freestyle at the Ivy League cha "Trans women competing in women's sports does not threaten women's sports as a whole," Thomas said. She has posted the fastest times [20][21], In March 2022, Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship in any sport, after winning the women's 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:33.24; Olympic silver medalist Emma Weyant was second with a time 1.75 seconds behind Thomas. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. In lia thomas swimmer ranking before and after of those events if she competes in them at the of. After consulting with students, medical experts, and people from the L.G.B.T.Q. [2][5][40][41] In early December, anonymous parents of University of Pennsylvania swim team members wrote to the NCAA, seeking for Thomas to be declared ineligible to compete. [32], In June 2022, the International Swimming Federation (FINA), an organization that administers international aquatic sports competitions, voted to bar all transgender athletes from competing in professional women's swimming, with the exception of athletes who "can establish to FINA's comfortable satisfaction that they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 (of puberty) or before age 12, whichever is later", barring Thomas from competing in the women's competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics as she had planned. My girlfriend and I (we met on TS Dates) is in a similar situation with her sport so it is really important to have those facts like you mentioned before poeple judge. [13] In March, Colorado representative Lauren Boebert introduced a bill co-sponsored by 20 other Republicans that honors Weyant. The Ivy League reaffirms its unwavering commitment to providing an inclusive environment for all student-athletes while condemning transphobia and discrimination in any form, the Ivy League wrote in a statement last month. Right. At stake here is the integrity of womens sports, the parents letter, which was also sent to Penn and the Ivy League, declared. At youth levels, sport is about finding yourself, and enjoyment, and building healthy lifestyles and habits. People act like fairness in sports is so important but it's always been pretty shallow. Critics on the classics: our 1991 review of Thelma & Louise.. [3] She competed on the university's men's swim team from 2017 to 2020, and on its women's swim team from 2021 to 2022. There was something absurd in the spectacle of conservative politicians who have never shown any interest in supporting womens sports, which are chronically underfunded and underexposed, moralizing about the sanctity of collegiate womens swimming. Reading the arguments made on behalf of such laws, one might get the mistaken impression not only that Republican legislators place a great value on womens sports but also that trans women are a conquering horde, swarming the leaderboards. Lia holds a record for a single school's pool That rugby player won a few games, but never a championship. In the 20212022 season, those ranks are now, when competing in the women's team, fifth in the 200 freestyle, first in the 500 freestyle, and eighth in the 1650 freestyle. But just what those advantages are and how to counteract themand whether that is necessary or even possiblehas been fiercely debated. March 20, 2022 2 Mins Read. Thomas competed for three years on the mens team and was ranked 462 as a male swimmer, but shot up to number one after being allowed to join the womens team last season. It does seem clear that the rule is designed to exclude trans people from the podium, if not from the pool. It's going to be OK. We're going to get through this together. Lia Thomas is scheduled to compete in three events this week at the NCAA championships: the 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle. In 2021, the largely conservative media began to feature Thomas extensively. I wasnt sure if I wanted to stay in this world. By denying trans kids that opportunity, especially because theyre in a vulnerable state when they come out, theyre trying to erase trans kids from existence., There are lite organizations that are working in a concerted way to be inclusiveeven, potentially, at the cost of competitive fairness. This directly reduces her chances of swimming at the Olympics as things stand. Lia gets first in one event and the whole nation loses it's mind. [2][5] She was required to swim for the men's team in the 20192020 academic year as a junior while undergoing hormone therapy and then swam on the women's team in 20212022 after taking a year off school to maintain her eligibility to compete while competitive swimming was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. record, but one of the best swims of the season, and Thomass best since Akronthe other two Penn swimmers in the final applauded as she was awarded her medal, and posed for pictures. Beginning in 2021, she became part of the public debate about transgender women in sports. Still, a number of observers remained troubled by the idea of a traditionally white, patriarchal institution defining, and policing, the supposed boundaries of womanhood. [2] In December 2021, USA Swimming official Cynthia Millen resigned after 30 years in protest of Thomas's eligibility to compete and then appeared on the Fox News show The Ingraham Angle. She was determined to hold on to that part of herself that was a competitive swimmer. And when I found out, I was wrecked. March 20, 2022 2 Mins Read. A few days after the N.C.A.A. According to a preprint of a paper the researchers have authored, Thomass best times were around five per cent slower than her best times when she competed against mena much smaller gap than the average difference between men and women. It was to publish unflattering photos in the New York Post and find new exotic ways to talk about "male biology.". [4] In 2017, she started attending the University of Pennsylvania. The N.C.A.A. Read the deep dive on Trans swimmer Will Thomas at ESPN Lia can be anything she wants, but it's garbage to think it's fair for her to compete against the other girls in women's sports - and she knows that. In some respects, that era was just the beginning of womens sports: it marked the launch of the Womens Tennis Association, the passage of Title IX, and the first years that women were allowed official entry into marathons. [62] The National Women's Law Center, a non-profit organization, defended Thomas, saying that she "deserves all the celebration for her success this season, but instead is being met with nationwide misogyny and transphobia". After swimming for the University of Pennsylvania men's team from 2017 to 2020, Lia began her transition. [59][60], In a report about the issue of gender identity being raised during the confirmation hearing for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, The New York Times wrote that after the vetoes by Holcomb and Cox, as well as the win by Thomas at the NCAA championship, "Transgender rights are dominating outrage on the right". It doesnt matter that Lia Thomas is just one swimmer, Hogshead-Makar told me. described this approach as in alignment with the changes made, the previous fall, by the I.O.C. [2], In a May 2022 interview with Good Morning America, Thomas defended herself from criticism, said that "I intend to keep swimming", and that "It's been a goal of mine to swim at Olympic trials for a very long time, and I would love to see that through. If trans athletes have physical advantages, it appears these have been overwhelmed, so far, by social, legal, financial, and other disadvantages. [56] Transgender former athlete Caitlyn Jenner said that Thomas was not the "rightful winner", adding "It's not transphobic or anti-trans, it's common sense! arguing that Thomas should not be allowed to compete in womens competitions. `` placed eighth out of eight competitors in 48.18 seconds, finishing last n't.. required athletes to legally change their gender and undergo genital surgery, as if a mislabelled passport and the presence of a penis gave them a leg up on the competition. 086 079 7114 [email protected]. We have been told that if we spoke out against her inclusion into womens competitions, that we would be removed from the team or that we would never get a job offer. If Thomas had not physically transitioned, she would almost certainly have broken all those records that people seemed to think she was already breaking. 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