The Imposter In The Pool
Lia Thomas should stay in his lane. Instead, he's being allowed to devastate women's swimming.
A trans-identified male swimmer is stealing titles, records and opportunities from the women to whom they rightly belong.
22-year-old Lia (formerly Will) Thomas is a senior at the University of Pennsylvania. For three years he competed on the men’s swimming team.
Thomas now ‘identifies as female’ and has begun the process of transition. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association policy on transgender participation, male athletes can compete as part of a women’s team if they have completed ‘one calendar year of testosterone suppression treatment’.
Consequently, Thomas is now permitted to compete on the Penn University’s women’s swimming team and, not surprisingly, he has been winning or smashing records practically every time he snaps on his goggles.
In November, he competed at a meet where he set new school ‘women’s records in the 200-metre freestyle and 500-metre freestyle events. At the beginning of December he competed in the Zippy Invitational Event in Ohio where he not only set a school record in the 1650 metre freestyle, but also obliterated two US records.
On Friday 3rd December he ‘won’ the 500-metre freestyle race with a time of 4:34.06, breaking the US record in the process. His time was a full 14 seconds quicker than his nearest rival. The following day he ‘won’ the 200-metre freestyle in 1:41.93, giving him the record for the fastest ‘female’ US time ever for that race.
On Sunday 5th December, Thomas ‘won’ the 1,650 metre freestyle in a record time of 15:59.71 seconds, on this occasion beating his nearest rival, teammate Anna Sofia Kalandaze, by a whopping 38 seconds. This result meets the NCAA qualification requirements meaning that Thomas will have automatic entry into the national championship next March.
How are women expected to compete on these terms? How are they expected to beat his records when he’s 38 seconds ahead of his nearest rival? His times are going to stand forever. Or at least until another Lia comes along.
Two of Thomas’ teammates have spoken out about this intolerable situation, both talking to the website, OutKick. Of course, they have both had to remain anonymous, fearful of reprisals from trans activists and from their own university.
The first woman told the website that almost all of the team members have expressed their dissatisfaction to coach, Mike Schnur.
“Our coach just really likes winning. He’s like most coaches. I think secretly everyone just knows it’s the wrong thing to do…”
This account certainly seems to be borne out by reports in the press which call Schnur ‘obsessed with winning’. Thomas himself describes Schur as one of his biggest supporters and allies. No wonder, when he knows no other team can possibly match the times of a male. The hashtag #PennCheats is picking up steam on Twitter as more discuss the issue.
The female swimmer went on to explain how she and her teammates are forced to affect support for Thomas themselves.
“When the whole team is together, we have to be like, ‘Oh my gosh, go Lia, that’s great, you’re amazing.’ It’s very fake.”
A second woman from the team spoke to OutKick. Despite having been ‘strongly advised’ against talking to the media by the university, she gave this interview to express how frustrated she and her fellow teammates are, even being driven to tears, over the unfairness of Thomas being allowed on the team.
“They feel so discouraged because no matter how much work they put in it, they’re going to lose. Usually, they can get behind the blocks and know they out-trained all their competitors... Now they’re having to go behind the blocks knowing no matter what, they do not have the chance to win.”
As for Thomas, he clearly has no shame or regrets about trampling all over the accomplishments and opportunities of the women whose team he muscled his way onto. On Thursday he gave an interview to swimming podcast, SwimSwam.
He denied that he had any unfair advantage and praised the guidelines which allow him to compete against females.
“I’m proud of my times, my ability to keep swimming and to continue competing. They’re suited up times, I’m happy with them, my coaches are happy with them, that’s what matters to me… Continuing to swim after transition has been an incredibly rewarding experience.”
How does he stay afloat with that brass neck?
So stunning. So brave. So utterly contemptuous of women. So narcissistic. So very clearly an Autogynephile. So very obviously A MAN.
I'd love to see female athletes making an organised protest, like Female Athletes Stand For Women- Female swimmers (and runners) attend the events as per normal, and take their positions at the block as if ready to go but when the starter gun fires, resume standing position.
Just stand. Silent. Let the man go off by himself, competing with no one, beating no one.
Treat his presence like a pitch invasion.
Once the disgraceful cheat is out of their way, the all-female race begins, and they proceed as normal. Maybe a sport-focused feminist organisation can organise to have records kept, and awards for achievements.