Previously competing as a man at the University of Pennsylvania’s swim team, transgender athlete Lia Thomas retired from swimming after slaying the competition as a woman.
Thomas made the surprising and emotional announcement in a statement that highlights the “isolation” and “discrimination” she’s experienced, while other competitors say her participation in women’s events is “grossly unfair” that sport “allows biological men to compete against women.”
Online users are showing no sympathy for Thomas, saying that the women are now being oppressed by “males walking amongst us in dresses and makeup.”“Nobody wants me on their team,” said swimmer Lia Thomas, who’s has been at the center of explosive debates surrounding the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports.
As a transgender athlete, Thomas has been the topic of extensive discussions on equity, gender, and the integrity of competition in women’s sports.
In a statement, Thomas reveals that her decision to retire follows “the challenges” that have been “more emotional than physical, stemming from the ongoing struggle to find acceptance and fairness in a sport I hold dear. No athlete should experience isolation or discrimination based on their identity rather than being celebrated for their accomplishments.”Critics and other athletes her inclusion is unfair.