(ConservativeInsider.org) – Collegiate swimmer Lia Thomas recently won the 500-yard freestyle race at the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship in Atlanta, Georgia. However, Thomas competed as a biological male in both 2018 and 2019 before becoming a trans female, leading many to wonder, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R), if second-place swimmer Emma Weyant, a Florida native, was the rightful winner of the race.
Before coming out as transgender, Thomas was not frequently on the podium at swimming competitions. However, after beginning testosterone-suppressing supplements, the NCAA allowed Thomas, who still has the build and body of a male, to compete against women and began breaking records left and right. It’s no surprise that they beat out other competitors in the 500-yard freestyle championship race by over a second and a half.
Understandably, this has angered many biologically female competitors who cannot compete against someone who grew up as a male. So, on Tuesday, March 22, Governor DeSantis declared second-place swimmer Emma Weyant the true winner of the 500-yard freestyle race. He shared his reasoning in a full statement posted on Twitter:
By allowing men to compete in women's sports, the NCAA is destroying opportunities for women, making a mockery of its championships, and perpetuating a fraud.
In Florida, we reject these lies and recognize Sarasota's Emma Weyant as the best women's swimmer in the 500y freestyle. pic.twitter.com/tBmFxFE3q6
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 22, 2022
Lia Thomas has faced immense scrutiny for winning this women’s competition as a biological male, and the criticism is a lot for any young person to bear. However, this competition also asked biological women to impossibly compete against biological men after years of fighting for equality in women’s sports.
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