A transgender swimmer won gold at the NCAA championships – but now she’s been engulfed in controversy. Lia Thomas gained national recognition when she joined Yale University’s women’s swim team after competing on the men’s team for three years.
An Uncertain Future
Thomas now faces an uncertain future in her sport thanks to a policy by the International Swimming Federation. This rule in question prohibits most individuals assigned male at birth from participating in women’s swimming events on the global stage. It stipulates that transgender swimmers must complete their transition by age 12 to be eligible for competition.
Ignoring the Evidence
The policy received strong support from 71.5% of the swimming governing board. This is despite scientific research suggesting that transgender women lose any significant sporting advantage after an average of two years on hormones. After that point, their advantages are within the realm of those that cis women may have over each other.
Concerns About Testosterone Levels
Despite winning the NCAA Division 1 Championship in the 500-yard freestyle, Thomas has faced criticism from people like Dr. Michael Joyner from the Mayo Clinic and physiologist Ross Tucker, who believe she maintains a competitive advantage over her female competitors due to testosterone levels. This is despite Thomas adhering to NCAA policy by undergoing testosterone suppression for a year.
Merely a Swimmer
In response to the controversy, Thomas asserted her identity as a woman and said that she considers herself merely a swimmer. Nevertheless, prominent figures in sports – including former Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner – have voiced concerns about transgender athletes competing against those of a different gender assigned at birth.
Trans People Don’t Like Caitlyn Jenner
Jenner argued that the swimmer who finished second, Emma Weyant from the University of Virginia, should be recognized as the rightful champion and emphasized the perceived need to preserve the integrity of women’s sports. It’s worth noting that Jenner is largely disliked by the transgender community and is often brought up in discussions about internalized transphobia.
The Research Is Clear
While varying personal opinions on the matter persist, scientific research is very clear. Transgender women lose their competitive advantage after two years of hormones. While a blanket ban on their participation in women’s categories is likely unnecessary, looking at cases individually could be the most reasonable step forward.
A Blanket Ban
News of the policy was shared across the internet and opinions varied. One person wrote: “Banning trans women from sports really does boil down to transphobia, or at least a false/conservative worldview. These people never suggest that we have stricter/lower testosterone limits for trans women, compared to cis women. They always go straight to banning. This is because suggesting such a solution would be accepting the implication that the physical differences between females and males are less large and less permanent than they originally believed. Since they can’t accept such an implication, the only solution they can conceive is to have a blanket ban on all trans women from sports.”
History Repeats Itself
Some commenters discussed how the same talking points being used to justify discrimination against transgender women were once used to discriminate against cisgender women. “There is also a history of the same crowd using the ‘men pretending to be a woman so they can win’ argument going back as a reason to disallow women from having competitive sports teams,” one person said.
Overestimating Transphobic People
Others explained why transphobic people will never understand the science that supports trans individuals. “If you expect transphobes to actually read data about trans people or interpret it accurately, you have overestimated them,” one person said.
Ignoring Scientific Evidence
Right-wingers outright admitted to ignoring scientific evidence. One person wrote: “I don’t care how many studies you Marxists show me. I don’t care how many articles you send. They’re all part of the agenda. You cannot change a biological advantage. Not with surgeries, not with hormones, not with anything else. You’re all delusional.”
The Hypocrisy Is Unreal
Some people discussed the conservative tendency to dismiss modern science. Replying to the aforementioned commenter, one person wrote: “I find it hilarious that the right loves to repeat the ‘facts don’t care about your feelings’ thing when they’re the one putting their feelings above facts. The hypocrisy is truly unreal.”
Trans People Are Being Murdered
Others called out the media. “I really don’t know where I stand here. Mostly, I find it odd that the media fixates on the sports thing when there are far more important and pressing things going on. Transgender people are being murdered, yet the media makes it sound like their biggest concern is sports. I don’t think trans women should just be allowed to compete with cis women with no testing – but a blanket ban would be awful and transphobic,” one person said.
“Men Can’t Give Birth”: Transgender Man Proves Transphobes Wrong and Gives Birth to Daughter
Upon discovering his partner couldn’t have children, Caleb – a transgender man from the UK – paused his transition to become pregnant.
“Men Can’t Give Birth”: Transgender Man Proves Transphobes Wrong and Gives Birth to Daughter
“This Lake is For Residents Only” Company Sacks Worker After She Questions Black Fisherman in Viral TikTok
Tanya, who was formerly an independent contractor, found herself in hot water when she appeared in a TikTok video that quickly gained widespread attention. Her actions in this viral video led to a shocking conclusion – the loss of her job.
“If He Thinks He’ll Be Able to Talk to You, He’s Way More Likely to Leave You Alone”: Woman Obtains Fake Phone Number to Trick Men
A woman on TikTok has shared a trick she uses to fool men into thinking they have her number.
“It’s Like the World Thinks Dads Are Children”: Mom Slams Hypocrisy as Husband’s Parenting Wins Praise for Taking Kids Out of the House
Emily Belson, a mother from Maryland, recently posted a TikTok criticizing the double standards when it comes to parenting.