National Review article link
The NCAA has chosen a path that is exceedingly unfair to biologically female athletes. There is a very real possibility this side show will disrupt the championships next week. Some lady who would have won the title in her event will have to accept the fact that a biological man was allowed to steal her medal.
I know we have parents of State swimmers on this board. I wonder what they think of having to compete in this unfair situation. IMHO, the Penn parent quoted above has it right. Treat this individual with dignity and respect but don't allow them to compete against biological women.
Quote:
Lia Thomas, who competed on Penn's men's team for three years, has ruffled feathers this season as the swimmer set pool, school, and Ivy League records. Critics have pointed out that Thomas has an unfair biological advantage from years of competing as a man.
One Penn parent told Sports Illustrated that while "Lia is a human being who deserves to be treated with respect and dignity," that it is "not transphobic to say I disagree with where she's swimming."
Thomas told the magazine that argument is disingenuous: "The very simple answer is that I'm not a man."
"I'm a woman, so I belong on the women's team. Trans people deserve that same respect every other athlete gets," Thomas said.
Thomas also denied media reports that Thomas has an attitude, including that the swimmer jokes about how easy it is to win races, that Thomas purposely swam slowly at a meet against Iszac Henig, a trans man who swims on Yale's women's team; and that Thomas is the self-proclaimed "Jackie Robinson of trans sports."
Of 37 swimmers on the team, sources told Sports Illustrated that six to eight of the swimmers are adamant supporters of Thomas while half the team opposes Thomas competing against women and the rest have disengaged from the debate.
"At stake here is the integrity of women's sports," the parents wrote in the letter to Penn and the Ivy League. "The precedent being setone in which women do not have a protected and equitable space to competeis a direct threat to female athletes in every sport. What are the boundaries? How is this in line with the NCAA's commitment to providing a fair environment for student-athletes?"
Now, Thomas is preparing to swim at the NCAA Women's Division I Swimming and Diving Championships, beginning March 16 in Atlanta. Thomas is a favorite to win individual titles in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events, according to the report. The swimmer could even break collegiate records set by Olympians Katie Ledecky and Missy Franklin.
The NCAA has chosen a path that is exceedingly unfair to biologically female athletes. There is a very real possibility this side show will disrupt the championships next week. Some lady who would have won the title in her event will have to accept the fact that a biological man was allowed to steal her medal.
I know we have parents of State swimmers on this board. I wonder what they think of having to compete in this unfair situation. IMHO, the Penn parent quoted above has it right. Treat this individual with dignity and respect but don't allow them to compete against biological women.
The NCAA has chosen a path that is exceedingly unfair to biologically female athletes. There is a very real possibility this side show will disrupt the championships next week. Some lady who would have won the title in her event will have to accept the fact that a biological man was allowed to steal her medal.
I know we have parents of State swimmers on this board. I wonder what they think of having to compete in this unfair situation. IMHO, the Penn parent quoted above has it right. Treat this individual with dignity and respect but don't allow them to compete against biological women.