Penn swimmer Lia Thomas opened up to Sports Illustrated about her decision to transition and her controversial season inside of the pool this year.
Thomas, a transgender athlete, previously competed for the men’s team. She’s since transitioned and competed for the women’s team, where she’s dominated.
“The very simple answer is that I am not a man,” she told Sports Illustrated. “I’m a woman — so I belong on the women’s team.”
SI sat down for an exclusive interview with Penn’s Lia Thomas, the woman at the heart of the debate over transgender athletes.
“I am here to swim,” she told @MileHighRobert https://t.co/aj5lgk7kdo pic.twitter.com/JR8eQK7aip
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) March 3, 2022
While Thomas has received an outpouring of support on social media, not everyone agrees with her right to swim for the women’s team.
Caitlyn Jenner, the former United States Olympian, weighed in on Thomas’ season earlier this month.
“I respect [Lia’s] right to transition and I hope she has a wonderful, wonderful life. But she grew up as a biological boy and I don’t think it’s fair that she’s competing in women’s sports,” Caitlyn said. “Her cardiovascular system is bigger, her heart is bigger, she’s got longer arms and legs.
“Three years earlier, she was on the men’s team ranked 462; now she’s No. 1 in the same event for women? Obviously, it’s not fair.”
Lia Thomas is set to compete in the NCAA Championships later this month.
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