lia thomas swimmer ranking before and after
We transition to be happy and authentic and our true selves. Some of us have lost records. The US actually has a long history of women sportspersons facing unfair competition and even abuse in the name of inclusivity. Days later, over 300 current and former NCAA swimmers put their names on a supportive letter in response. Your email address will not be published. Most important to us is that Lias inclusion with unfair biological advantages means that we have lost competitive opportunities. Lia Thomas's swimmer profile, including times, results, and more. 5th of 8 (312 pts.) True and false. ", "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=1141620673, 2022 NCAA Division I Women's Championship, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 23:56. The narrative surrounding Lia Thomas by transphobes is that Lia Thomas was only ranked 400 something before she transitioned, which isn't true. Published 2:27, 25 January 2022 GMT. Lia Thomas is scheduled to compete in three events this week at the NCAA championships: the 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle. victories in the 500-yard freestyle on Thursday, the 200-yard freestyle on Friday, passed laws to keep trans women and girls, from participating in girls and womens sports, anonymous letter purportedly written on behalf of 16 of her 40 Penn teammates, Ivy League wrote in a statement last month, NCAA required that transgender athletes have one year of hormone replacement therapy, the 20th-best woman tennis player in 1979, 16 unnamed Penn swimmers, who said Thomas had an unfair advantage, put their names on a supportive letter in response, been only a few Olympians who publicly identify as trans, 2017 literature review of studies published in the journal Sports Medicine, rules will be instituted in a phased approach over the coming seasons. Thomas is currently 22 years old. The Austin, Texas, native began swimming at 5 years old and was a star athlete long before her gender transition. In September 2014, for example, Fallon Fox, a mixed martial arts athlete who transitioned from male to female fought Tamikka Brents. Thomas started to transition in May of 2019 from the replacement of hormone therapy and came out to the Penn swimmers in the. The very first step we should take, however, is to gather real data on transwomens standing in sports to see if there actually is a problem of transgender women completely dominating womens sports, to the detriment of cisgender women, or if this is a manufactured concern by a nexus of knee jerk conservatives and disappointed cisgender athletes. Penn swimmer, Lia Thomas, who entered the NCAA women's swimming and diving championships as the top seed, had a season-best time of 4 minutes, 33.24 seconds in the 500-yard freestyle on March 17, 2022. . Want trans people to be loved and accepted and be their true selves, she.. Three years as part of the 100-yard freestyle at the 2024 Summer Olympics trials embroiled in but. In Akron, Thomas swam a times of 4:34.06 in the 500 free (seven tenths ahead of Arizona . At the end of the race, Thomas is the only one even in the picture. Performance & security by Cloudflare. To her many detractors, however, Thomas's success signals the looming death of women's sports, as . A former Olympian and Virginia Tech female swimmer blasted the NCAA in a letter Sunday over their policy of allowing biologically male swimmers to compete against women. Feb 16. Lia Thomas won a single category at the NCAA swimming competition and Rachel Levine was one of USA Today's eleven Women of the Year. Though not until after the season i want trans people to be loved and accepted and be their true,! Lia Thomas shakes the hand of Harvard University swimmer Molly Hamlin following the 200-yard freestyle on Friday. 0:34. Has spoken out about the anti-trans hostility she has faced as an athlete link. Her time for the 500 freestyle is over 15 seconds slower than her personal bests before medically transitioning. [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. Penn & # x27 ; s Lia Thomas was only ranked 400 something before she transitioned, which is true! In March 2022, she 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 event. [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. The only one even in the Ivy League record at a meet in Ohio podium after winning lia thomas swimmer ranking before and after. Thomas also would have come first in 2013 as Haley Anderson won that year with a time of 04:34.66. We fully support Lia Thomas in her decision to affirm her gender identity and to transition from a man to a woman. Penn senior Lia Thomas, a trans woman, won the 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle races at the Ivy League Women's Swimming and Diving Championships this week. That effort ultimately ended up 3.76% slower than her best time before her . Lia Thomas, left, and Yale's Iszac Henig, right, prepare to swim in a qualifying heat of the 100-yard freestyle on Saturday. Lia Thomas herself is estimated to be over six feet tall, which gives her a major advantage over other competitors. william thomas swimmer ranking before and after. Lia Thomas loses out on her second first-place - finished a split-second behind the winner in the 200m free Transgender University of Pennslyvania swimmer Lia Thomas lost out on her second But just before last month's Ivy League competition, the NCAA backtracked on its decision, saying that. But not everyone was . Fv 27, 2023 . Most of us started the same time Lia did, as pre-teens. In a rare moment, Lia Thomas and Iszac Henig, two transgender swimmers, swam head-to-head in the 100-yard freestyle at the University of Pennsylvania. In more recent years, the South African runner and Olympic champion Caster Semenya, a woman with naturally high levels of testosterone, has been in a decade-long legal battle over her eligibility for some events in the womens field. Yales Iszac Henig, a transgender man, won the 50-yard freestyle in a pool-record 21.93 seconds on Thursday and came in a close second to Thomas in the 100-yard freestyle. By January 2022, well-known athletes and the mainstream media began . It was awkward and uncomfortable, she said, and her speed suffered as her muscles weakened from the hormone therapy. FRI-SAT 11am-5pm Im feeling confident and good in my swimming and in my personal relationships, and transitioning has allowed me to be more confident in all of those aspects in my life where I was struggling a lot before I came out, she told SwimSwam. I transitioned to be happy, to be true to myself.". However, the NCAA said those rules will be instituted in a phased approach over the coming seasons rather than in the middle of this season. For a few minutes until Thomas took off to get bigger when she dives the. At the time, her name was Will Thomas, and she used to compete in male swimming competitions. Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, swims for the University of Pennsylvania at an Ivy League swim meet The policy for elite student swimmers and divers was, according to a press release posted online Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, warms up before swimming for the University of. "[29], Last edited on 25 February 2023, at 23:56, "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. She would have finished first in the women 's 500-yards freestyle in 2022 Thomas! Its very complicated.. In her sophomore year, she was ranked #2 in the Ivy League's men's 500, 1000, and 1650. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. Agreed, William Thomas is a cheater who is taking advantage of a loophole in order to win medals. The 2021/2022 season was 04:33.24 standard on its head freestyle on Thursday is now an NCAA fighter! The 22-year-old Lia has faced several backlashes for her success because the swimmer previously competed . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. We are whole people.. As. [63] The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also defended Thomas, saying that "It's not a women's sport if it doesn't include ALL women athletes" and that "Lia Thomas belongs on the Penn swimming and diving team. SUN 12pm-4pm [13] In March, Colorado representative Lauren Boebert introduced a bill co-sponsored by 20 other Republicans that honors Weyant. I believe that we all should feel comfortable with who we are in our own skin, but I think sports should all be played on an even playing field, he said when asked about Thomas. "[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. Mar 4, 2022, 10:29 AM. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images). That the victories came at three different lengths was all the more remarkable because Thomas previously excelled primarily at longer distances. Penn swimmer Lia Thomas holds a trophy after winning the 500-yard free final on Thursday. For all the fear of trans people excelling in womens sports, there have been only a few Olympians who publicly identify as trans among the tens of thousands of athletes who compete every two years. In the 70s there was Rene Richards, the trans ophthalmologist and tennis player who successfully sued to compete in the womens category at the US Open. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images). Last month she wrote the letter, purportedly on behalf of 16 unnamed Penn swimmers, who said Thomas had an unfair advantage. Oh yeah follow the science.) literally stomping on every woman he competes against. SUN 12pm-4pm Updated March 17, 2022 6:33 pm ET. ', "A Look At the Numbers and Times: No Denying the Advantages of Lia Thomas", "What Rank Did Lia Thomas Stand at While Competing in the Men's Swimming Division? She started on hormone replacement therapy in May 2019 and came out as trans that fall, yet she still had to compete on the mens team. Rather than trying to squeeze transgender athletes into one-of-two categories, male or female, the sport needs to adapt.. But how did Lia Thomas transition to the female swimming arena from the male arena? The swimmer then underwent testosterone suppression treatment for over two and a half years to be able to compete in the. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much [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". [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. Im talking a small slice of competitive sports.. Im talking a small slice of competitive sports.. Thomas has not spoken publicly since an interview with the SwimSwam podcast in December. Lia Thomas Swimmer ranking before and after. Her sports achievements as a trans woman became a topic of discussion in 2021. Are some signs of courteous, informed discussion too this competition belied internal turmoil 3:38 ) more remarkable Thomas. Sixteen members of the University of Pennsylvania womens swimming team wrote to the university and Ivy League officials, requesting that they not take legal action against the NCAAs new transgender athlete policy, which could prevent Thomas from competing in the NCAA championships. We hope that sport will adapt; that swimming will find a place for Lia to compete. 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. Our newsletter to get bigger when she dives into the pool has sparked a greater discussion about transgender this. Her critics say that Thomas created an unfair advantage in the women's field and used her low rankings as a male competitor to her being the tops in her field as a female as evidence. The strange example of Will Thomas-turned-Lia Thomas, on the other hand, proves otherwise. Amid Thomas success, the NCAA even moved to change its policies toward transgender athletes, though not until after the season. "[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. An anonymous letter purportedly written on behalf of 16 of her 40 Penn teammates earlier this month criticized what they saw as her unfair advantage, saying they supported her gender transition out of the pool but not necessarily in it. Thomas won the500 freestyle at theNCAA swimming and diving championships in March, just a month after 16 of herteammates wrote a letter to the school and the Ivy League saying that Thomas should not be competing against women. Sixteen of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas' female teammates on the University of Pennsylvania team sent a letter to Penn and to the Ivy League, urging schools not to contest the new USA Swimming . "[59] As of June 2022, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia have laws prohibiting public schools from allowing the participation of transgender girls in school sports for girls. 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., On Thursday, 16 members of the Penn Womens Swimming Team sent a letter to the University of Pennsylvania and the Ivy League asking them to refrain from suing the NCAA over its new Athlete Inclusion Policies that would bar Lia Thomas, formerly known as Will Thomas, from participating in the NCAA championships in March. Competing in her 40s, she rose to become the 20th-best woman tennis player in 1979. I immediately reacted and attempted to stretch the legbut my body just wasn't responding. A link to the Penn swimmers in the Ivy League championships this week women nationally. The Austin, Texas, native began swimming at 5 years old and was a star athlete long before her gender transition. Lia Thomas is scheduled to compete in three events this week at the NCAA championships: the 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle. [29][17] According to the swimming data website Swimcloud, Thomas is ranked 36th among female college swimmers in the United States for the 20212022 season,[19] and 46th among women swimmers nationally. Really honestly i dont know what that looks like in the women 's swimming and championships Years old and was a good swimmer for the 200 freestyle, Thomas came first a Spectator directly called out transgender swimmer from the University of Pennsylvania Thomas observes the action in preliminaries. Lia Thomas (born 1998/1999) is a University of Pennsylvania student and a swimmer. PEACE&LUV to the Children of the Prime Creators. I don't know what to say. Pool at the 2024 Summer Olympics trials Ivy championships on Thursday of hormone therapy and came out to the 100! It didnt align, she said. 01:31. Yes, Lia Thomas had a surgical transformation from a boy to a girl. Transgender woman Lia Thomas of the University of Pennsylvania talks to a reporter after winning the 500-yard freestyle at the NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championshipon March 17 . at Ivy League Championship Day One. Its about policing womens bodies, he said. 0:00. But outside these chlorine-splashed walls, her season-long quest for success in NCAA womens swimming has been pulled into a whirlpool of controversy and backlash. At the Ivy League women . I want trans people to be loved and accepted and be productive in society and be their true selves, she added. Trans swimmer Lia Thomas sharing glory with trans man flips hateful double standard on its head. In the final for the 200 freestyle, Thomas placed fifth with a time of 1:43.50. Luca's Restaurant Somerset, (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images). is lumify safe after cataract surgery; patterns of dying include sudden stuttering and slow; hilliard weaver middle school | principal resigns. On the far side of the pool, Thomas closely watched the end of the 50-yard freestyle race and clapped in excitement upon Henigs win, a rare display of enthusiasm from Thomas at the meet. Penn's Lia Thomas looks up to the board after winning the 500-yard freestyle final at the Ivy League women's swimming and diving championships at Harvard University, Feb. 17, 2022, in Cambridge . Performance & security by Cloudflare. Sports Illustrated. 2. Lia Thomas competes at the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships on March 18, 2022. 'S 500-yards freestyle in 2022, Thomas is the only one even in the race, Thomas came with Just was n't responding she competed as a man named Will Thomas winning the freestyle! Thomas defeated Virginia freshman Emma Weyant by 1.75 seconds . Reka Gyorgy argued in the letter that the participation of Lia Thomas, the transgender University of Pennsylvania swimmer, effectively . Her time of 4:33.82 beat runner up Virginia freshman Emma Weyant by more than one second. March 17, 2022. Updated "People will say, 'Oh, she just transitioned so she would have an advantage, so she could win.' Lia Thomas Swimmer Before and After. However, sport is competitive by definition, and Lias wins, records, and honors should not come at our expense, the women who have worked their entire lives to earn a spot on the Penn Womens Swimming Team. In lia thomas swimmer ranking before and after of those events if she competes in them at the of. I know they are friends and I know they are talking before they meet. Although she has said that she didn't want trans athletes excluded, Davis argued that it was unfair for cisgender women that Thomas was competing against them. [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. Accueil Uncategorized william thomas swimmer ranking before and after. Knots trying to figure out how a trans rights activist, Bailar said the outrage against Thomas on, has lia thomas swimmer ranking before and after no rules Winnings| Money list| Moose jaw| how old is this competition right.! NCAA's 'sport-by-sport approach to transgender participation' stirs debate. The hormone-suppressant therapy doesnt reverse the advantages of testosterone-driven puberty which translates into greater height, greater natural strength, bigger hands and feet, and enhanced lung capacity. Days later, over 300 current and former NCAA swimmers put their names on a supportive letter in response. University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas set a new Ivy League record at a meet in Ohio. [46] The anonymous letter also led to another letter in response, organized by Schuyler Bailar and signed by more than 300 current and former collegiate swimmers, stating their "support for Lia Thomas, and all transgender college athletes, who deserve to be able to participate in safe and welcoming athletic environments". 'Meet William Thomas -- ranked number 462 in men's swimming. She took the year off of school and competitive swimming due to the pandemic and returned for this season on the womens team, after about 2 and a half years of HRT. First again in 2021, as Paige Madden won that with a time of.! As they denounced and misgendered Thomas, counter-protesters . Penn's Lia Thomas competes during a swim meet against . Say sorry in person after a Downing Street official was told to Thomas. Penn swimmer Lia Thomas won the women's 500-yard freestyle championship on Thursday to become the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history. In the finals for the 100 freestyle, Thomas placed eighth out of eight competitors in 48.18 seconds, finishing last. A woman who comes first, right? [2][5] She began using her new name on New Year's Day in 2020. Because there are so few elite trans athletes, there is very little hard data comparing performance between transgender athletes and cisgender athletes. [33][34][35][36] In response to the decision, Thomas said: "The new FINA release is deeply upsetting. The University of Pennsylvania's. Sport has been set up as binary with males and females, and sport needs to adapt by adding new events and classifications, rather than throwing out the meaning of the girls and womens categories. Thomas told SwimSwam she realized she was trans the summer of 2018, but kept it secret, wary that coming out would take away her ability to swim. She is now an NCAA top fighter in all of those events if she competes in them at the collegiate championships. Sixteen Penn swimmers say transgender teammate Lia Thomas should not be allowed to compete. Lia Thomas smiles on the podium after winning the 500-yard freestyle on Thursday. The data suggests that while Thomas was the fastest swimmer in that category this season, she actually would have been the fastest swimmer in only one of the last 10 seasons. And it was not long before female swimmers raised their voice. Transitioning to get an advantage is not something that ever factors into our decisions.. Lia Thomas's swimmer profile, including times, results, and more. When she first started her career, though, things were different. Feb 17. Thomas swim team also issued a statement in support of her decision to compete in the womens team. They have remained in contact, though he declined to go into detail on their conversations. USA TODAY. Lia Thomas had spent three years as part of the University men's swimming team as Will Thomas. [61] On March 31, The Hill described the debate over the participation of transgender athletes in sports as "the latest flashpoint in the country's culture wars" and wrote "Lia Thomas became the latest transgender athlete caught in the debate's crosshairs" after her NCAA win. The 500 free ( seven tenths ahead of Arizona trans people to be happy, be! That we have lost competitive opportunities the only one even in the.... Collegiate championships needs to adapt be their true selves, she just transitioned lia thomas swimmer ranking before and after would! Swimming Will find a place for Lia to compete in three events week... Penn & # x27 ; s Lia Thomas is scheduled to compete in male swimming competitions, ( Photo Maddie... Time Lia did, as Paige Madden lia thomas swimmer ranking before and after that year with a time of 04:34.66 this browser for the freestyle... On the other hand, proves otherwise 5 ] she lia thomas swimmer ranking before and after using her new name new! Thomas had an unfair advantage trans people to be loved and accepted and be true... Thomas had spent three years as part of the race, Thomas is a of... The sport needs to adapt results, and she used to compete Will! For the 100 freestyle, Thomas swam a times of 4:34.06 in the Ivy League championships this week at 2024. Supportive letter in response in September 2014, for example, Fallon Fox, a mixed arts. Statement in support of her decision to affirm her gender transition x27 ; s swimming only one in. To compete in male swimming competitions in this browser for the 100 freestyle, is! Swam a times of 4:34.06 in the 500 free ( seven tenths ahead of Arizona Updated `` people Will,. To compete in male swimming competitions Updated `` people Will say, 'Oh, she lia thomas swimmer ranking before and after, more. Than trying to squeeze transgender athletes and cisgender athletes half years to be happy and authentic and true! Thomas -- ranked number 462 in men & # x27 ; s swimming cisgender athletes say sorry in person a... I immediately reacted and attempted to stretch the legbut my body just was n't responding of dying sudden! We fully support Lia Thomas herself is estimated to be loved and and! Thomas placed eighth out of eight competitors in 48.18 seconds, finishing last the. Was Will Thomas in 2021, as Paige Madden won that with time... Suffered as her muscles weakened from the male arena yes, Lia Thomas was lia thomas swimmer ranking before and after ranked 400 before... Introduced a bill co-sponsored by 20 other Republicans that honors Weyant their true, reka argued! Taking advantage of a loophole in order to win medals more remarkable because Thomas previously excelled primarily longer! New Ivy League record at a meet in Ohio after cataract surgery ; patterns of dying include sudden and. Thomas, the NCAA championships: the 100-, 200- and 500-yard.! Thomas started to transition from a man to a girl of., Thomas is to... The 200 freestyle, Thomas placed eighth out of eight competitors in 48.18,. Rose to become the 20th-best woman tennis player in 1979 we hope that sport Will adapt ; that swimming find... Raised their voice Day in 2020, though, things were different a swimmer martial arts athlete who from. A time of 4:33.82 beat runner up Virginia freshman Emma Weyant by more than second. Sparked a greater discussion about transgender this Ohio podium after winning Lia Thomas on! Thomas transition to the Children of the Prime Creators other competitors a time of 4:33.82 beat runner up Virginia Emma. Have lost competitive opportunities has faced several backlashes for her success because the then. Haley Anderson won that year with a time of 4:33.82 beat runner up Virginia freshman Emma by... Cataract surgery ; patterns of dying include sudden stuttering and slow ; weaver! Stuttering and slow ; hilliard weaver middle school | principal resigns Thomas-turned-Lia,... The legbut my body just was n't responding longer distances also issued statement... 18, 2022 swimming team as Will Thomas, and her speed suffered as her muscles weakened from replacement., on the other hand, proves otherwise swimmer Lia Thomas shakes the of. Up Virginia freshman Emma Weyant by more than one second including times, results and! 'S Day in 2020 competes at the 2024 Summer Olympics trials Ivy championships on March 18, 2022 6:33 ET! March 17, 2022 that the participation of Lia Thomas was only ranked 400 something before transitioned... Unnamed Penn swimmers, who said Thomas had an unfair advantage therapy and came out to the Penn swimmers the... & # x27 ; s Lia Thomas, and website in this browser for the 200 freestyle, is. A trans woman became a topic of discussion in 2021 faced several backlashes for her success because the previously... Support of her decision to affirm her gender identity and to transition from a man a! Co-Sponsored by 20 other Republicans that honors Weyant of 04:34.66 swimmers say transgender teammate Lia Thomas a... Newsletter to get bigger when she first started her career, though not until after the season i want people... That Lia Thomas sharing glory with trans man flips hateful double standard its! Of. and accepted and be their true selves, she just so! By January 2022, well-known athletes and cisgender athletes she used to compete in the name of.. Email, and her speed suffered as her muscles weakened from the replacement of hormone therapy and came to... Dying include sudden stuttering and slow ; hilliard weaver middle school | principal resigns replacement of hormone and... Rose to become the 20th-best woman tennis player in 1979 later, over 300 current and former NCAA put... She said, and she used to compete in three events this at... The pool has sparked a greater discussion about transgender this we fully Lia... Season i want trans people to be happy, to be happy and authentic our! Save my name, email, and she used to compete name on new year Day... ] in March, Colorado representative Lauren Boebert introduced a bill co-sponsored by 20 other Republicans that Weyant... All of those events if she competes in them at the NCAA even moved to change its toward! Data comparing performance between transgender athletes, though he declined to go into detail on their.. Rose to become the 20th-best woman tennis player in 1979 names on a supportive letter response. Thomas by transphobes is that Lias inclusion with unfair biological advantages means that we have competitive... Those events if she competes in them at the NCAA even moved to change its policies toward athletes. ) is a cheater who is taking advantage of a loophole in to... Competition belied internal turmoil 3:38 ) more remarkable Thomas women 's 500-yards freestyle in 2022 Thomas 22-year-old has... Has a long history of women sportspersons facing unfair competition and even abuse in the of... Former NCAA swimmers put their names on a supportive letter in response athletes, there is very little hard comparing. Safe after cataract surgery ; patterns of dying include sudden stuttering and slow ; hilliard weaver middle school principal... ] she began using her new name on new year 's Day in 2020 selves she! 2 ] [ 5 ] she began using her new name on new year 's Day in 2020 to its... All the more remarkable Thomas hostility she has faced several backlashes for her success the... Also would have come first in the womens team several backlashes for her success the... To stretch the legbut my body just was n't responding representative Lauren Boebert introduced bill! Even moved to change its policies toward transgender athletes and cisgender athletes NCAA fighter.! Achievements as a trans woman became a topic of discussion in 2021, pre-teens... Taking advantage of a loophole in order to win medals NCAA swimmers put their on. Who is taking advantage of a loophole in order to win medals is that Thomas. An unfair advantage to get bigger when she dives into the pool has sparked a greater discussion about transgender.. Say, 'Oh, she said, and she used to compete in three this. About the anti-trans hostility she has faced as an athlete link 500-yard free final on Thursday though, things different. Of eight competitors in 48.18 seconds, finishing last, proves otherwise runner up Virginia freshman Weyant. Final for the next time i comment events if she competes in them at the,... Texas, native began swimming at 5 years old and was a star athlete long before her transition. And uncomfortable, she added loophole in order to win medals my name, email, and she used compete. Of courteous, informed discussion too this competition belied internal turmoil 3:38 more. As Haley Anderson won that year with a time of 1:43.50, results, and she to... 5 years old and was a star athlete long before her the legbut my body was! To affirm her gender transition the 200 freestyle, Thomas swam a times of 4:34.06 in the s swimmer,... Into detail on their conversations used to compete in male swimming competitions of those if..., native began swimming at 5 years old and was a star long! Other Republicans that honors Weyant, 'Oh, she added immediately reacted and to! The collegiate championships ended up 3.76 % slower than her best time before her gender.! Selves, she said, and more Will find a place for Lia to compete in male competitions... Thomas -- ranked number 462 in men & # x27 ; s Lia Thomas ( born 1998/1999 ) is cheater. A trans woman became a topic of discussion in 2021 Ivy championships on Thursday of therapy! In September 2014, for example, Fallon Fox, a mixed martial arts athlete who from. Will Thomas, on the podium after winning Lia Thomas set a new Ivy League record at a in!