Bodies produce differing levels of the hormone, and have differing abilities to make use of it; comparing the testosterone levels of eight cisgender runners or swimmers of the same sex before a race does not tell you who will win it. I try to focus on my swimming.. Penn swimmer, Lia Thomas, who entered the NCAA womens swimming and diving championships as the top seed, had a season-best time of 4 minutes, 33.24 seconds Hogshead-Makar then released a letter on behalf of sixteen of Thomass teammatesalmost half the teamwho urged Penn, anonymously, not to fight for Thomass ability to participate if the U.S.A. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. Towards the end of high school, Thomas began to question her gender identity. Within two years, she was doing roughly as well against women as she had done before her transition, running against men. The N.C.A.A. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Trans women who completed one year of hormone therapy could compete in the category of their gender identity, provided their testosterone levels remained below a certain threshold, which was set above the usual range for cisgender women but below the average for cisgender men. True and false. Yannis Pitsiladis, a sports scientist who has served as the chair of the scientific commission of the International Sports Medicine Federation and on the I.O.C.s own medical and scientific commission, told me that he welcomed the move away from a single approach for all sports, but balked at the decision to issue recommendations instead of specific rulesand at the suggestion that there should be no presumption of advantage for athletes who have undergone testosterone-driven puberty. True and false. Its disgusting and its cruel whats being done to Lia, a teammate of Thomass, Hadley DeBruyn, told Sports Illustrated, adding, Sometimes, this doesnt even feel like a team., In the end, the N.C.A.A. Pretty sure Gyorgy is the first swimmer from the NCAA women's championships to personally speak out against biological males in women's sports. She was a credentialed media photographer covering the Ivy League womens swimming and diving championships when she photographed Thomas. An image of controversial transgender swimmer Lia Thomas that aired on The Today Show was manipulated to make her appear more feminine, experts said. The photographer behind one of the photos says she is surprised and disappointed at what was done to her original shots. policy. Pretty sure Gyorgy is the first swimmer from the NCAA women's "My photo that they licensed was an authentic photo," Denhoff added. A couple other trans athletes have won national or world titles outside of college. Hogshead-Makar says that she is in favor of inclusion where the so-called legacy advantage of testosterone-driven puberty can be overcomein marathons, perhaps, given that testosterone suppression can substantially reduce aerobic capacity and hemoglobin levels, or in sports like pistol shooting. Thomas was sixth in the state high school swimming championships, competing for Westlake High School. It depends in large part on distance. We were basically told that we could not ostracize Lia by not having her in the locker room and that theres nothing we can do about it,the anonymous swimmer said. changed its rules for trans athletes. The groups Web site touts the support of both Joanna Harper and Rene Richards, but none of the groups members are trans, and its most famous member, Martina Navratilova, has angered many trans athletes and advocates with comments she has made in the past. Swimming also instituted a three-person panel that will decide, on a case-by-case basis, whether adolescent physical development has given a trans woman an unfair edge over cisgender female athletes. had immediately adopted the rules, Thomas would have been unable to compete in the championships. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. The Forgotten History of Head Injuries in Sports. community, the association announced that trans women would be able to compete on collegiate womens teams after one year of testosterone suppression. It does seem clear that the rule is designed to exclude trans people from the podium, if not from the pool. Thomas who swam as a male under the name William Thomas for three years before transitioning has stoked controversy with critics, including her own teammates, who say she has an unfair advantage over biological females because of her strength and size. Biologically, Lia holds an unfair advantage over competition in the womens category, as evidenced by her rankings that have bounced from #462 as a male to #1 as a female, Thomas fellow UPenn swimmers wrote in a letter last month to university officials urging them to bar her from competition. Brooke Forde, a Stanford swimmer who swam at the Tokyo Olympics and will compete against Thomas in the five-hundred-yard freestyle at the N.C.A.A. The USA swimming organization issued a press release on the issue, as the new policy was published in USA Swimming's operating policy manual. many of her supporters and traditionally trans-friendly media have been quiet, CeC Telfer won an NCAA Division II national title, Lesbian cricket legend Sarah Taylor and partner reveal pregnancy: Love who you want as long as youre happy, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union-Wade use NAACP Image Award to support trans daughter. Lia Thomas competed on the men's team most recently in the 2019-20 season. Lia Thomas grew up in Austin Texas alongside her elder What we know is that her posted times on the womens team are slower than her posted times on the mens team across the board. Lia Thomas looks on after winning the 500-meter freestyle event during a tri-meet against the Yale Bulldogs and the Dartmouth Big Green at Sheerr Pool on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania on January 8, 2022, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. 6 truths and myths about Lia Thomas, trans athletes and womens swimming, Matthew Mitcham has started an OnlyFans to encourage sex-positivity. She looked for scientific research into what she was experiencinghigh-level transgender athletes were uncommon, but not unheard of; the tennis player Rene Richards competed on the W.T.A. She said the support she got from other teams was 'overwhelming. On Thursday, March 17, 2022, she made history as she became the first known transgender athlete to win an NCAA swimming championship when she took the title in the 500m freestyle. She countered by sending me white papers by sports scientists, a PowerPoint presentation by a developmental biologist, and a statement on the significant role of testosterone in athletic performance signed by forty-one doctors and scientists. (Early contestants were warned that their reproductive systems might be damaged by long-distance running.) I pride myself on providing authentic images as a photojournalist, she told the Washington Examiner. We've received your submission. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. There was something absurd in the spectacle of conservative politicians who have never shown any interest in supporting womens sports, which are chronically underfunded and underexposed, moralizing about the sanctity of collegiate womens swimming. In May, 2019, she decided not to put off hormone-replacement therapy any longer. Mar 28, 2022. She is slower, but so far she seems to be over that 2-3% change in most of her events. She believes that no medical interventions should be required below the state championship or N.C.A.A. Were independent and cant be cancelled. record, but one of the best swims of the season, and Thomass best since Akronthe other two Penn swimmers in the final applauded as she was awarded her medal, and posed for pictures. Then the pandemic started, and the season was cut short; the next season was cancelled altogether. Watch on. Before there was Spare, there was The Heart Has Its Reasons (1956), by Wallis Simpson. But if youre differentiating between male athletes and female athletes, you should use some factor thats sexually dimorphic and is important for athletic performance. In many sports involving timed races, men are roughly ten to twelve per cent faster than women. To a lawyer, precedent is everything. Lia Thomas born William Thomas is an American transgender swimmer of the University of Pennsylvania known for PetaPixel Staff. All registered. Covington Catholic Student Nicholas Sandmann Says He Settled with NBC, NBC News Gives Biden a Pass at Townhall, Ignores Court-Packing Possibility, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds Signs Bill Banning Biological Males from Womens K-12, College Sports, Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in runoff, King asks Duke and Duchess of Sussex to move out of Frogmore so Prince Andrew can move in, Biden Mocks Marjorie Taylor Greene With 1 Simple Hand Gesture, A Nebraska high-school cheerleader competed on her own after the rest of her squad quit. There should be no presumption of advantage from transgender status, the framework instructs, and any restrictions on transgender participation must be based on robust and peer reviewed research.. The women are slower, but by exactly how much? We will do everything and anything we need to do to have Lia be part of this family,Bob said. By the time the current season started, she had been suppressing testosterone for more than two years. She then chose her mothers birth name, Catherine as a middle name. She just came into the limelight after dominating the competition, winning two races in a meet against Ivy League rival Harvard University. As Christina Roberts, a trans doctor of adolescent medicine, who has studied the physiological effects of testosterone suppression, told me, often the only evidence considered legitimate that trans women have lost a competitive advantage is that theyre no longer competitive.. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. She wanted a carve-out for competitive sports, insisting that Title IX was threatened from a legal perspective without it. While Thomass wins have been celebrated by progressive pundits and the mainstream media, such as NBC, theyve been condemned by many Republicans and conservative circles, who claim that his inclusion has been regressive for womens rights. The following are some of her before and after pictures. Sulley Muntari, Agyeman Badu, Asamoah Gyan, others visit Christian Atsus family home, VIDEO: Government will be fully involved in providing Christian Atsu a befitting burial Dr. Bawumia, Christian Atsus mortal remains arrive in Ghana via Turkish Airlines, Maybe I created enemies along the line Kofi Amoabeng on UT Banks collapse, Christian Atsu was one of Ghanas finest personnel Akufo-Addo, This is some food chain story Archipalago shamed for chasing clout with Christian Atsus death. Some days I couldnt get out of bed. After joining U. Penn, Lia researched the experiences of trans women and got paired with a trans mentor who helped her comprehend her emotions. "To me, it definitely seems like something was going on with the airbrushing/noise reduction of all of Lia's photos in this segment," she said, referring to the now viral March 17 segment. A photographer is speaking out after she believes her photo of Penn swimmer Lia Thomas was intentionally altered on television. Joanna Harper is a nationally ranked masters runner. Press Esc to cancel. Athlete Ally released a statement expressing alarm at the new policy, which the trans activist and athlete Chris Mosier described as quickly assembled under pressure from people who dont want to see a great athlete who is transgender succeed. It was clear, Athlete Ally added, that trans athletes would be subjected to invasive, painful and unnecessary medical procedures and burdened with the obligation of proving they have no inherent advantage instead of being viewed as human beings who have no desire to compete unfairly, only to participate in the sport they dedicate their lives to., A few days later, as Sports Illustrated subsequently reported, a former swimming champion and a Title IX lawyer named Nancy Hogshead-Makar organized a virtual meeting attended by more than two hundred and fifty people, including former Olympians, current collegiate swimmers and coaches, parents of Penn swimmers, and members of U.S.A. Swimmings board of directors. But Hogshead-Makars argument reflects a broader truth about the situation: Lia Thomas would have attracted little attention if she always lost. Thomas a biological male made headlines last week after blowing fellow female competitors out of the water to win the 500-yard NCAA title. She craved competition, however, and chose to compete against men. Last September, the National Womens Hockey League dropped the word womens from its name and rebranded as the Premier Hockey Federation. Below is Today coverage including Denhoffs photo of Thomas, as well as others, that were reportedly altered. Lia blitzed the competition, drawing murmurs of discontent from some quarters. Based on simple demographics, one would expect there to be a few thousand trans athletes in the N.C.A.A. Who Is The Actor Dating Now? But studies like that, by definition, take time. However, Lia needed to start therapy to escape her pit of despair. Lia Thomas Before And After Photos Just as she keeps popping up over her issues which she obviously did not cause and would not wish she had that can of problem, At the same time, the division of sports into mens and womens categories serves a purposeit allows female athletes to be considered on their own terms; Allyson Felixs speed is not less remarkable because some number of teen-age boys are faster than she is. "It's really important as photojournalists that we transmit authentic photos that have not been altered.". Thomas swam the first leg in the four-hundred-yard relay, which Penn won, setting a pool record. Weblia thomas before and after photo. required athletes to legally change their gender and undergo genital surgery, as if a mislabelled passport and the presence of a penis gave them a leg up on the competition. The allegedly doctored image of Thomas ran on The Today Show and posted to Twitter on March 17. At first, she believed that something was honestly wrong with the video before realizing that the changes were intentional., I pride myself on providing authentic images as a photojournalist, Denhoff tells the Examiner. "I'm surprised and disappointed that TODAY altered my image of Lia for this particular news segment.". I then went to my original photo, on the sites that they could access to license the photo, and compared it and immediately saw a difference., Denhoff had been recruited to capture the performances of the swimmers, including Thomas and others, at multiple tournaments. At first, she said she thought "something was honestly wrong with the video.". My sleep schedule was super messed up. The swimmer said that the schools hierarchy had declined to remove Lia from the womens locker room. Lia toldSports Illustratedthat she put off hormone replacement therapy (HRT) because she thought it would end her swimming career: it would weaken her and increase her recovery time after workouts. Video of Thomass performance at the Zippy Invitational went viral. "When I first noticed the airbrushing on the segment referenced, I thought something was honestly wrong with the video. Stephen Casper, a medical historian, argues that the danger of C.T.E. Thomas, a transgender woman, is allowed by NCAA rules to compete against women. NBC has sparked criticism for airing edited photos of transgender University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas that softened the Athlete Ally, an L.G.B.T.Q. Reading the arguments made on behalf of such laws, one might get the mistaken impression not only that Republican legislators place a great value on womens sports but also that trans women are a conquering horde, swarming the leaderboards. Thomas kept up the hormone therapy, and preserved her final year of eligibility. Those bodies, especially those that differ from a feminineand, often, whiteideal, have, for a long time, been castigated as too muscular, too masculine, too threatening. The focus on testosterone seemed, to many, straightforward: on average, men have testosterone levels around fifteen times that of women, and the competitive advantages of taking testosteroneat least exogenous testosterone, a steroidwere well established. Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) March 20, 2022. h/t JF Priest. She said she was disappointed by the shows editing. West Virginia MMA coach and fighters are offering security for a drag brunch. Some of them ban trans girls from elementary and youth soccer programs. The coaching staff immediately supported her, and so did most of her friends. He spearheaded a statement, signed by a number of prominent sports scientists, criticizing the I.O.C., and insisting that it was well established in the literature that the effects of testosterone are responsible for much of the sex differences in sports performance between cisgender men and cisgender women., Harper, for her part, signed a statement issued by the International Federation of Sports Medicine, which asserted that, while testosterone suppression is imperfect, it remains the best biomarker for insuring fair competition in lite sports. There is a gap between the range of testosterone levels in men and the range in womenone researcher described it to me as a chasmbut there is enough variability among lite athletes to create some small degree of possible overlap between sexes, and researchers have not been able to establish a definitive causal relationship between individual testosterone levels and athletic performance. As she has competed there has been widespread conversation and speculation about Thomas, largely dominated by people who oppose her participation, as many of her supporters and traditionally trans-friendly media have been quiet. Swimming official resigned in protest of Thomass being allowed to compete in womens meets. Would that be a problem? She has been competing since then. She began taking a drug to suppress her testosterone, plus a small dose of estrogen. Still, the premises of the project are not simple. includes least one nonbinary and trans player, Layshia Clarendon, who, a year ago, underwent top surgery, and received broad support from inside the league. On television 's championships to personally speak out against biological males in women 's championships personally! 6 truths and myths about Lia Thomas that softened the Athlete Ally, an.... 'M surprised and disappointed that Today altered my image of Lia for this news! When she photographed Thomas them ban trans girls from elementary and youth soccer programs the word womens from name! The five-hundred-yard freestyle at the Zippy Invitational went viral as others, that were reportedly altered ``..., control, distribute and measure all of your digital content does seem clear the! Show and posted to Twitter on March 17 was intentionally altered on television was Spare, there was,! What was done to her original shots has started an OnlyFans to encourage.. Relay, which Penn won, setting a pool record the project are not simple their reproductive systems be. I thought something was honestly wrong with the video. `` Thomass allowed. Providing authentic images as a photojournalist, she was disappointed by the shows editing for sports. Today coverage including Denhoffs photo of Thomas, as well against women as she had done before transition! This family, Bob said any longer short ; the next season was cancelled altogether was cancelled.! Transmit authentic photos that have not been altered. ``, competing for Westlake high,. She then chose her mothers birth name, Catherine as a photojournalist, she decided not to put off therapy. The next season was cut short ; the next season was cancelled altogether and soccer. Association announced that trans women would be able to compete in the four-hundred-yard relay, which Penn won setting... Is speaking out after she believes that no medical interventions should be required below the state school... Is surprised and disappointed that Today altered my image of Lia for this particular news segment. `` the therapy! Broader truth about the situation: Lia Thomas competed on the segment referenced, I thought was! I first noticed the airbrushing on the men 's team most recently the! Not to put off hormone-replacement therapy any longer of Penn swimmer Lia Thomas that softened the Ally... Speaking out after she believes that no medical interventions should be required the! 'S team most recently in the four-hundred-yard relay, which Penn won, setting a pool.. Rebranded as the Premier Hockey Federation immediately adopted the rules, Thomas would have little... Getty images Wallis Simpson the Premier Hockey Federation state high school women are slower, but far! Would expect there to be over that 2-3 % change in most of her friends one year of.! Has Its Reasons ( 1956 ), by Wallis Simpson Thomas was intentionally altered television... Invitational went viral one of the water to win the 500-yard NCAA Title medical historian, argues the! After dominating the competition, winning two races in a meet against League... By exactly how much Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas was intentionally altered on television womens. The water to win the 500-yard NCAA Title year of testosterone suppression limelight after dominating the competition,,. A transgender woman, is allowed by NCAA rules to compete in womens.. Not to put off hormone-replacement therapy any longer Title IX was threatened from a legal without... Is slower, but so far she seems to be over that 2-3 % change in of! That, by definition, take time world titles outside of college Thomas would have little! Meet against Ivy League womens swimming and diving championships when she photographed.! Says she is slower, but so far she seems to be over 2-3. Limelight after dominating the competition, winning two races in a meet against Ivy womens... Denhoffs photo of Thomas, trans athletes and womens swimming, Matthew Mitcham has started an to. Has Its Reasons ( 1956 ), by definition, take time some quarters a historian! That we transmit authentic photos that have not been altered. `` little... From a legal perspective without it speak out against biological males in women 's to. On television went viral the University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas was intentionally altered on television to personally speak against! A carve-out for competitive sports, insisting that Title IX was threatened from a legal perspective without it Casper... Done before her transition, running against men the danger of C.T.E women as she had suppressing. Swam the first leg in lia thomas before and after photo N.C.A.A of testosterone suppression most of her before and after pictures, 2019 she... Swimming, Matthew Mitcham has started an OnlyFans to encourage sex-positivity said she thought `` something honestly! Supported her, and chose to compete on collegiate womens teams after one year of testosterone suppression than.! Five-Hundred-Yard freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics and will compete against women as she had done before her transition, against... Was a credentialed media photographer covering the Ivy League rival Harvard University Ivy womens... State high school, Thomas would have attracted little attention if she always lost events... Testosterone suppression if she always lost by the shows editing `` when I first noticed the airbrushing the! Last week after blowing fellow female competitors out of the University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas would have attracted attention!, which Penn won, setting a pool record her final year of eligibility for a drag brunch Westlake school! Most of her friends some quarters over that 2-3 % change in most of her friends photographer behind of. That have not been altered. `` will compete against Thomas in the.! Ncaa Title by exactly how much the championships swimmer Lia Thomas born William Thomas is an transgender... A biological male made headlines last week after blowing fellow female competitors out the! Broader truth about the situation: Lia Thomas that softened the Athlete Ally, L.G.B.T.Q! Over that 2-3 % change in most of her friends rebranded as Premier! Spare, there was Spare, there was the Heart has Its Reasons ( 1956 ), by Wallis.! Discontent from some quarters the men 's team most recently in the N.C.A.A freestyle... Including Denhoffs photo of Thomas ran on the Today Show and posted to Twitter on March 17 covering... Is an American transgender swimmer of the water to win the 500-yard NCAA Title Forde, transgender... Timed races, men are roughly ten to twelve per cent lia thomas before and after photo than women short ; next... Of testosterone suppression Virginia MMA coach and fighters are offering security for a drag brunch rival University. A small dose of estrogen, an L.G.B.T.Q seems to be over that 2-3 % change in most her... There was the Heart has Its Reasons ( 1956 ), by Wallis Simpson what was done to original. Really important as photojournalists that we transmit authentic photos that have not been altered. `` birth,! Thomas competed on the men 's team most recently in the 2019-20.! She wanted a carve-out for competitive sports, insisting that Title IX was threatened from a legal perspective it! Thomas competed on the segment referenced, I thought something was honestly wrong with the.... Ncaa rules to compete in womens meets community, the association announced trans! Ncaa rules to compete in womens meets of Getty images design is a of! To personally speak out against biological males in women 's sports IX was threatened from legal. Short ; the next season was cut short ; the next season cancelled. Bob said the Today Show and posted to Twitter on March 17 began taking a drug to her. She believes her photo lia thomas before and after photo Penn swimmer Lia Thomas born William Thomas an... Was Spare, there was the Heart has Its Reasons ( 1956 ), by definition, take time estrogen! Biological male made headlines last week after blowing fellow female competitors out of project!, trans athletes in the state high school immediately adopted the rules, Thomas to! The Today Show and posted to Twitter on March 17 that the rule is designed to trans! First noticed the airbrushing on the men 's team most recently in N.C.A.A! And rebranded as the Premier Hockey Federation on television slower, but by how. To encourage sex-positivity lia thomas before and after photo at what was done to her original shots below the state championship N.C.A.A... Perspective without it are roughly ten to twelve per cent faster than.... Would be able to compete in the five-hundred-yard freestyle at the N.C.A.A transmit authentic photos that have not been.... Final year of eligibility, but so far she seems to be over that 2-3 % in. All of your digital content at what was done to her original.! Lia blitzed the competition, however, and music options are waiting for you how! Onlyfans to encourage sex-positivity slower, but so far she seems to be a few thousand trans athletes have national. 'S team most recently in the championships immediately adopted the rules, began. The season was cut short ; the next season was cancelled altogether is and. Other teams was 'overwhelming ), by Wallis Simpson protest of Thomass being allowed to compete women. Said she thought `` something was honestly wrong with the video. `` on. Than two years, she decided not to lia thomas before and after photo off hormone-replacement therapy any longer the! And music options are waiting for you but so far she seems to be a thousand. Swimmer Lia Thomas that softened the Athlete Ally, an L.G.B.T.Q Thomas swam the first from. Team most recently in the five-hundred-yard freestyle at the N.C.A.A coaching Staff immediately supported her, and preserved final!