Lia Thomas Seeded First in Three Events at This Week’s Ivy League Championships; No. 2 In Fourth Event

Lia Thomas Seeded First in Three Events at This Week’s Ivy League Championships

The Ivy League Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships will be held this week (Feb. 16-19) at Harvard University and Lia Thomas appears on the psych sheets as the top seed in three events and as the second seed in another event. Thomas is a senior at the University of Pennsylvania who previously competed as a member of the Penn men’s squad.

A transgender woman, Thomas’ presence in women’s competition for Penn this season has been a hotly debated topic. Supporters of Thomas note that she followed the guidelines set forth by the NCAA for transgender participation and is simply competing in the category in which she identifies. Opponents of Thomas argue that, due to undergoing male puberty, she has an unfair advantage over biological women and should not be allowed to compete in the women’s category.

While the Ivy League has supported Thomas since the beginning of the season and never considered forbidding her from the conference-championship meet, the NCAA initially indicated it would abide by USA Swimming’s guidelines for transgender participation. Yet, when USA Swimming announced stringent parameters, the NCAA walked back its statement and is now requiring Thomas to produce a testosterone level of less than 10 nmol/L to be eligible for next month’s NCAA Championships.

At this week’s Ivy League Champs, Thomas will be the overwhelming favorite for titles in the 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle and 1650 freestyle. She is seeded first by nearly five seconds in the 200 free, by more than 13 seconds in the 500 freestyle and by 24 seconds in the 1650 free. She is the No. 2 seed in the 100 freestyle and is expected to contribute to several Penn relays.

Here are the psych sheets for the Ivy League Championships.

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2 years ago

He is a cheater. Should be swimming against men and use men’s locker rooms. It’s okay to be a narcissist, but do not force women pout of their own competitions and do not force them to be looked at by a male while undressing and changing. Thomas at the bare minimum should change in the men’s locker room or in a stall.
Why punish women for one cowardly men’s need for attention?

-1

Laurie

2 years ago

Reply to L

Agree 100%! Lia is a man and will always be a man. Doesn’t matter how he “feels”. Human sex is binary, male or female, and immutable. It’s unfair to biological females for a male to be competing as a female.

HarryM

2 years ago

Reply to L

Agreed.

Stacy

2 years ago

Reply to HarryM

Thanks for policing gender Harry. Way to be a man.

John Vogel

2 years ago

This is so wrong. Stand up for female sports, real females, not guys in dresses.

Stacy

2 years ago

Reply to John Vogel

Thanks for policing gender John. Way to be a man. Personally, as a woman in sports, I love it when men tell me how to be a woman in sports. Thanks again! So much.

-2

Alfreda

2 years ago

Reply to Stacy

Stacy, there is more than one way to see “policing gender.” Don’t tell me (a woman) who is female and who is not. Thanks! So much.

Seth

2 years ago

Good luck to all the swimmers.

Alfreda

2 years ago

Reply to Seth

Oh yeah, It’s “luck” the women need now…hard work sure won’t pay off any more, right?

Stacy

2 years ago

Reply to Alfreda

Actually, from what I know of Lia, like most women in sports, she has been working really hard. No luck required.

-3

2 years ago

Reply to Alfreda

Stacy, from what I know of “Lia,” unlike “most women in sports” he has man parts. No luck required.

Stuart

2 years ago

Thomas is a complete dork. Time for him to man up and play with his own kind.

Stacy

2 years ago

Reply to Stuart

Stuart, time to shut up and take your own advice.

-2

Susan

2 years ago

Reply to Stacy

Regardless of what Lia “feels” he is, he was born and raised as a male with all the advantages males have in sports and all the male parts. Lia will never biologically be a women. It is just not fair in any way, shape or form for him to compete against biological women as a woman just because he identifies as a women. Unbelievable that the NCAA would allow this to happen!

Amy

2 years ago

Men’s athletic advantage over women starts before puberty. I don’t know where this trope started that it’s only going through puberty that gives men the advantage over women, but it’s not true.

And the level of testoterone he’s allowed is much higher than any woman’s.

It’s so offensive to call this man “she.” HE is APPROPRIATING womanhood.

It is really crazy that this guy gets to identify into races he knows he’ll win.

Dave Thompson

2 years ago

I have a swimmer, a male aged 17 years – he now identifies as an 11-year-old (male) – is he allowed to compete as an 11-year old?

Anonymous

2 years ago

Reply to Dave Thompson

Love it

Stacy

2 years ago

Reply to Dave Thompson

No Dave, because he isnt 11.

-1

Susan

2 years ago

Reply to Stacy

So using your same logic Stacy, Lia should not be allowed to compete against women because he is not a biological woman.

Helen

2 years ago

Woman is not a dress to be worn. Lia Thomas is a cheat and should not be anywhere near sport, let alone women’s sport. HE is also a pervert changing in girls locker rooms with HIS genitals in full view and being able to see girls undress. HE is heterosexual and UPenn facilitates sexual abuse of girls.

Alfreda

2 years ago

Reply to Helen

Thank you, Helen.

Mom

2 years ago

Reply to Helen

>UPenn facilitates sexual abuse of girls.

I think this part of the equation is not getting enough attention. These girls not only have to swim against a man, but they also have to undress in front of one. It is degrading, and the university is fully complicit.

Susan

2 years ago

Reply to Helen

Totally agree Helen!

Anonymous

2 years ago

The real women in this competition should boycott the event! Period. Since he will win anyway!

Larry Panetta

2 years ago

The real female swimmers need boycott all events this make chatter enters. Let him swim alone.

noneof yourbusiness

2 years ago

Holy Junk Everybody – this article leaves out extra info:

William Thomas = Male Swimmer RANKED #462 in Men’s Collegiate Swimming (hint: this guy sucks).

Lia Thomas = “Female” Swimmer RANKED #1Women’s Collegiate Swimming (hint: William and Lia ARE THE SAME PERSON)

This “swimmer” isn’t trying to be transgender. This “swimmer” is GAMING THE SYSTEM tro where since there are no rules against a male swimmer switching to the women’s team because he is a complete garbage swimmer and cannot compete on a level playing field against his peers – he has to go compete against a group of people who have a different physcial performance range … in order to make himself feel better. He IS NOT transgender – he is just using the loophole in society’s “feelings” atmosphere and taking advantage of the political conflict.

(no offense to women – was trying to state the diff between men/women physical abilities w/o p*ssing anyone off)

Men who cannot compete physically with other men – That is their f*cking problem. Those Men SHOULD NOT push their inferiority off onto Women because they suck. Those weaker Men need to get the hell out of Sports fiond something better to do with their lives because they ARE NOT ATHLETES. Those “Men” are disgracing actual Women and actual Men.

Season

2 years ago

Reply to noneof yourbusiness

Lia self identifies as a woman and therefore can join any women’s team that she qualifies for. And it doesn’t matter if she has male parts; she’s a woman. The Transphobia here is amazing. Meanwhile, the Penn whiners were born with the greatest unfair advantage of all; they are in tip 1% of wealthiest people in the world. They had their own pools and private lessons that poor kids never had. That is not meaning competition or fair. They should have their own league for the 1%ers; oh that’s right they do – the Ivy League. Lol.

-1

Maywee

2 years ago

Reply to Season

Bull$hit

Alfreda

2 years ago

Reply to Season

“And it doesn’t matter if she has male parts; she’s a woman”

LOL! “That she qualifies for”–that remains to be seen in future. At the moment, he’s on borrowed time.

Veritas

2 years ago

Reply to Season

War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength
Lia Thomas is a Woman

SETH

2 years ago

Reply to Season

Season, I agree.

OceanSpirit

2 years ago

Reply to Season

What does these women being in the 1% have to do with them competing against a man? Nothing. I’m so tired of people tap dancing around the words and grammar we use to explain what’s happening. Lia can decide in his mind that he wants to be a woman but he will never be one because he’s a MAN. When he competed on the men’s team he was ranked somewhere like 462. He transitions to be “called” a woman, joins the women’s team and is now ranked number 1. LIA THOMAS IS A CHEATER. End of story. All of his wins have a big fat asterisk next to them. They are not legitimate. If he were still racing against men, we wouldn’t even know his name.

Thinking Person

2 years ago

Also from Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984: “The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”

Veritas

2 years ago

Reply to Thinking Person

I keep reading that the issue is fairness. That’s one aspect, but the much more important issue is whether you can recognize and affirm the truth or whether you will live your life by lies. Orwell used the example of 2 + 2 being equal to 3, 4 or 5, depending on what the party needed. If you could persuade yourself to believe that, then you would debase yourself so much that you would do pretty much anything the party needed. Requiring the imprisoned population behind the Iron Curtain to repeat similar nonsense was an essential part of keeping control over them. The same principle applies here.

Season

2 years ago

Reply to Veritas

What Orwell wrote about came true long ago. And to your list, you can add; Inclusion means Exclusion (of poor Whites in particular), Diversity means Homogeneous (as dark as possible), and Equity means Communism (all pigs are equal except for some pigs who are more equal). Penn girls team are most more equal pigs of all since they worked so hard to be born to rich parents. They should be honored really.

2 years ago

Reply to Veritas

Season–so you are just jumping on the dystopia bandwagon–how convenient for you. The disruption came in handy for you.

Anonymus

2 years ago

Reply to Veritas

The Ivy League is known for great intellect unfortunately their swimming governing body appears to be devoid of common sense. As ideoogues they see unconcerned with fairness or the welfare of their female swimmers. Apparently, the leadership in the Ivy League uses a ‘groupthink’ decision making model. Perhaps they should consider the concepts of Irving Janis regarding their decision and show concern for their female swimmers. Maybe the female swimmers should boycott the championships and let Lea swim alone.

CoBa

2 years ago

If cultural appropriation is wrong, then surely this man is guilty of gender appropriation and at least as wrong.

Fair game

2 years ago

Interested in what is happening in the Figure Skating world? I guess things happen, like it or not…sigh.

OceanSpirit

2 years ago

These women athletes are racing against a man. Have you seen his shoulders? I’m so tired of people tap dancing around the words and grammar we use to explain what’s happening. Lia can decide in his mind that he wants to be a woman but he will never be one because he’s a MAN. When he competed on the men’s team he was ranked somewhere like 462. He transitions to be “called” a woman, joins the women’s team and is now ranked number 1. LIA THOMAS IS A CHEATER. End of story. All of his wins have a big fat asterisk next to them. They are not legitimate. If he were still racing against men, we wouldn’t even know his name.

John Vogel

2 years ago

You guys could not have said it better. Need to keep this MAN out of NCAAs. @. out of female locker rooms.

Truth

2 years ago

No problem using his MALE body to score MALE times, get his MALE genitals out & has the audacity & entitlement of a MALE.

Where is his dysphoria? What about him is trans?

I WEAR A T-SHIRT TO GO SWIMMING

Women stop being mansplained. Women are constantly objectified we KNOW how it feels to be uncomfortable & dislike our bodies.

These men LOVE their bodies. It isn’t dysphoria it’s the opposite. It’s euphoria boners, which is a euphemism for fetish my friends.