Lia Thomas, a former Penn swimmer who is a biological male, has criticized women who use feminism to promote “transphobia.” In a conversation with fellow transgender swimmer Schuyler Bailar on his podcast “Dear Schuyler,” Thomas stated that some of his former teammates had been deeply transphobic when they petitioned the NCAA to bar him from competing alongside women.

Lia Thomas: ‘feminist’ adversaries who want her banned from competition are misogynistic transphobes

Thomas called out his teammates for having a “half-support” attitude, where they would say they respect her as a “woman”, but not in the context of competing. She believed they were using feminism as a guise to push their transphobic beliefs, adding that people in that camp may have an implicit bias against trans individuals but do not want to manifest it fully.

Bailar agreed with Thomas, stating that certain women had “twisted” feminism to exclude trans people. He argued that excluding trans individuals would reduce women to their reproductive capacity, which is anti-feminist. 

However, Riley Gaines, a Kentucky swimmer and biological female who competed against Thomas in the women’s 200-meter freestyle event at the NCAA championships, responded to Thomas, calling his take selfish. 

https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_/status/1640025392965644294?s=20 

Gaines argued that the Biden administration’s proposed bill denies science, truth, and common sense and erases decent and fair treatment for women in sports.Title IX has resulted in unintended negative consequences, such as increased health risks for female players, a decline in the number of women coaches, and heightened vulnerability to abuse. 

The advancements that women have made in the sports industry should be celebrated, rather than undermined by the radical leftist agenda. President Biden’s recent decision to allow men to participate in women’s sports is seen as a setback to the progress that women have made since the implementation of Title IX in 1972. 

Advocates on the Left have called for gender-neutral facilities, including bathrooms, locker rooms, and domestic violence shelters, in the interest of inclusivity and diversity. However, requiring women to share these spaces with biological males puts them at risk and violates their privacy — potentially leading to a higher risk of being taken advantage of.