Why are former college athletes angry about Lia Thomas’ nomination for Woman of the Year award?
The University of Pennsylvania nominated transgender athlete Lia Thomas for the NCAA Woman of the Year award, and some were quick to voice criticism.
Critics have spoken out against the University of Pennsylvania for nominating Lia Tomas, a transgender woman, for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.
A former swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania, Thomas sparked a debate regarding transgender athletes as she racked up victories earlier this year. She won the 500-yard freestyle competition at the 2022 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.
Detractors cite Thomas’ ‘unfair advantage’
The NCAA had announced the nominations of more than 240 candidates for the award, and the inclusion of Thomas caused her critics to blast the move on social media. Some say that she has an unfair advantage over her competitors.
University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, who was tied with Thomas at fifth place at the NCAA swimming championships and was also nominated for the award, posted a vehement statement on Twitter.
“Being the real girl in that photo and also University of Kentucky’s nominee for NCAA WOTY, this is yet another slap in the face to women,” she wrote.
Being the real girl in that photo and also University of Kentucky's nominee for NCAA WOTY, this is yet another slap in the face to women. First a female national title and now nominated for the pinnacle award in collegiate athletics. The @NCAA has made this award worthless. https://t.co/MRCieqbltd
— Riley Gaines (@RileyGaines) July 16, 2022
Former all-American tennis player Kim Jones, whose daughter competed against Thomas, spoke on Fox & Friends First, saying that UPenn’s nomination of Thomas was “humiliating and devastating”, and communicating the message that “women don’t matter.”
In defense of Lia Thomas
Others defended the university’s move on social media, saying that Thomas deserved the award for having won the 500 freestyle.
Author Nathan Kalman-Lamb wrote, “There is nothing even remotely strange about her being nominated by Penn for NCAA Woman of the Year. It would in fact be absurd and problematic if they had not nominated her.”
Lia Thomas won the national championship in the 500M. There is nothing even remotely strange about her being nominated by Penn for NCAA Woman of the Year. It would in fact be absurd and problematic if they had not nominated her.
— Happiness Vampire (@nkalamb) July 16, 2022
Others showed their support for the 22-year-old’s nomination.
Congratulations to Lia Thomas on her well-deserved nomination for the 2022 @NCAA Woman of the Year award! https://t.co/mAWJWdgR7a
— Athlete Ally (@AthleteAlly) July 18, 2022
All the people freaking out about UPenn nominating Lia Thomas for NCAA "Woman of the Year": only two Ivy Leaguers even made an A final at NCAA women's swimming and diving: Thomas, and Yale's Iszac Henig, a trans man. Of course they nominated her.
— Megan McArdle (@asymmetricinfo) July 16, 2022
Thomas forces reevaluation of contest rules
FINA, the body that formulates rules for international swimming, last week approved new guidelines for transgender swimmers.
Related stories
The “gender inclusion policy” will only allow swimmers who transitioned before the age of 12 to compete in women’s events, effectively putting a ban on majority of transgender women.
FINA is currently studying a proposal for the creation of a new open competition category, which they say would provide all athletes a chance to compete at an elite level.