Trans swimmer Lia Thomas vows to fight trans athlete bans amid U.S.A. shift on issue

Former University of Pennsylvania trans swimmer Lia Thomas recently voiced support for the trans athlete community amidst growing opposition from the American public to trans inclusion in women’s sports.

According to ‘AOL’, Thomas addressed the issue at the HiTOPS trans youth forum on Saturday via Zoom, stating, “I am going to keep fighting as much as I am able to. In order to fight the battles we need to fight, we have to stick together and support each other.”

These remarks come three years after Thomas competed in the women’s category for UPenn during the 2022 Ivy League and NCAA championships, having previously been a part of the men’s swimming team under the name Will Thomas. At that time, the NCAA’s gender eligibility policy permitted trans athletes to compete with women and share their locker rooms, which Thomas utilised to set new women’s records. In 2022, Thomas was prominently featured in positive media coverage, including interviews on ESPN, NBC News, and ‘Good Morning America.’

However, since then, the landscape has changed significantly. President Donald Trump has enacted a national ban on trans athletes in women's sports, the NCAA has updated its policies to prevent biological males from competing on women’s teams, and data indicates a majority of Americans now oppose trans inclusion in women's sports. Nevertheless, Thomas advocates for trans athletes to have control over their own inclusion, expressing, “It has to be the athletes deciding for themselves where they feel most affirmed and most comfortable. Having routes that are safe and non-discriminatory, that allow them access to that.”

Thomas’ participation on UPenn’s women’s swimming team during the 2021-22 season has led to multiple lawsuits and a suspension of $175 million (approximatelly £134 million) in federal funding to the university for alleged Title IX violations. Riley Gaines, along with other women who competed against Thomas in 2021-22, is leading a lawsuit against the NCAA, challenging its previous gender identity policy.

In February, three of Thomas’ former teammates filed a lawsuit against the university, the Ivy League, and the NCAA, seeking the revocation of Thomas’ records in the women’s category and alleging the university promoted a pro-trans ideology on the team. The former swimmers, Grace Estabrook, Margot Kaczorowski, and Ellen Holmquist, claim that allowing Thomas to compete harmed them and violated federal law. According to the lawsuit, UPenn administrators advised women struggling with Thomas’ inclusion to seek counselling and attend a session titled “Trans 101," suggesting that any woman having an issue with a trans-identifying male on the team needed psychological support.

After the 2022 college season, Thomas attempted to qualify for the Olympics as a woman but was denied. World Aquatics later changed its policy to bar trans athletes who underwent male puberty from competing in the women’s category. Thomas challenged this rule in court but lost in 2024, expressing her devastation over losing access to her sport and reaffirming her commitment to fight for her inclusion.

A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey revealed that most Americans, including a substantial proportion of Democrats, oppose allowing transgender athletes to compete in women's sports, with 79% of the 2,128 respondents against biological males who identify as women participating in women's sports. Among those identifying as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% were against trans athletes competing with women. A national exit poll by the Concerned Women for America legislative action committee indicated that 70% of moderate voters considered the issue of trans participation in women's sports and use of women's bathrooms important, with 6% deeming it the most important issue and 44% considering it “very important.”

Riley Gaines, who notably tied with Thomas at the 2022 NCAA championships, later became a significant conservative political influencer and believes Thomas’ participation in the women’s category significantly affected the 2024 election outcome. Gaines remarked to Fox News Digital, “I think we should send a thank-you note to people like Will Thomas, I really do, signed and sealed by me. I will sign the thank-you note, I will write it, because I believe he handed us the election.”