Caitlyn Jenner: Lia Thomas shows NCAA needs to ‘protect women’s sports’
Caitlyn Jenner haꦐs spoken out against Lia Thomas, the University of Pennsylvania transgender swimmer who has been demolishing the competition and shattering school records.
Jenner and emphasized her belief that she does not believe trans💞gender athletes should compete in sports of the gender to which they have transitioned.
“I’ve said from the beginning, biological boys should not be playing in women’s sports,” Jenner said. “We need to protect women’s sports.”
Thomas swam for three years as a male at Penn before undergoing a gender transition. She has shattered school records this year, and could potentially challenge for national championships and conceivably break NCAA records set by future Olympic gold medalists Missy Franklin and Katie Ledec▨ky. ও
NCAA bylaws currently permit athletes who have transitioned from male to female to compete as females if they have undergone a year of testosterone suppression.🧸
“Obviously this is about Lia Thomas who has brought a lot of attention to this issue,” Jenner said. “First of all, I respect her decision to live her life authentically. 100 percent. But, that also comes with responsibility and some integrity. I don’t know why she’s doing this. For two reasons: 1. It’s not good for the trans community. We have a lot of issues in the trans community that are very difficult and very challenging. We have a suicide rate that’s nine times higher than the general public.”
Jenner, 72, transitioned in 2015. She won the gold medal in men’s Decathlon in the 1976 Olympics as Bruce Jenner.
“[Lia Thomas] is also not good for women’s sports,” Jenner said. “It’s unfortunate that this is happening. I don’t know why she’s doing it. She knows when she’s swimming she’s beating the competition by two laps. She was born as a biological boy. She was raised as a biological boy. Her cardiovascular system is bigger. Her respiratory system is bigger.
“Her hands are bigger. She can swim faster. That’s a known. All of this is woke world that we’re living in right now is not working. I feel sorry for the other athletes that are out there, especially at Penn or anyone she’s competing against, because in the woke world you have to say, ‘Oh my gosh, this is great.’ No it’s not.”
The NCAA, as well as the Ivy League, have supported Thomas.
“Over the past several years, Lia and the University of Pennsylvania have worked with the NCAA to follow all of the appropriate protocols in order to comply with the NCAA policy on transgender athlete participation and compete on the Penn women’s swimming and diving team,” The Ivy League said in a statement on Jan. 6. “The Ivy League has adopted and applies the same NCAA policy. The Ivy League reaffirms its unwavering commitment to providing an inclusive environment for all student-athletes while condemning transphobia and discrimination in any form. The league welcomes her participation in the sport of women’s swimming and diving and looks forward to celebrating the success of all of our student-athletes throughout the season.
🐲The NCAA will with it⭕s board of governors on Thursday to discuss the issue of transgender athletes.
“We need to protect women’s sports, and the NCAA needs to make the right decision tomorrow, and that’s to stop this right now,” Jenner said. “Re-think it. Texas ruled no more transgender athletes in the state — you can only compete in what your original birth certificate says. The IOC is looking into these issues. It’s a complicated subject.”
