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ESPN Celebrates Women’s History Month By Honoring Transgender Swimmer Lia Thomas

Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images

Paul Aubert Contributor
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In continuance of its Women’s History Month campaign, ESPN broadcast a minute-long segment Sunday honoring Lia Thomas, a biological male swimmer who competes against female swimmers.

The sports network applauded Thomas’ “transition” from male to female and celebrated Thomas’ swimming record at the University of Pennsylvania. The segment recapped how Thomas swam on the university’s men’s team before joining the women’s team in Dec. 2021.

“People will say, ‘Oh, she just transitioned so she would have an advantage so she could win.’ I transitioned to be happy,” Thomas says during the video. (RELATED: 16 Female Swimmers Say Trans Teammate Lia Thomas Should Not Be Allowed To Compete, Fear Retaliation For Speaking Up)

Thomas was a leading swimmer in the NCAA women’s swimming league, winning the NCAA’s women’s 500-yard freestyle championship and an Ivy League championship. When competing against men in the NCAA, however, Thomas ranks 65th in the country in the 500-yard freestyle.

“When Thomas competed in the men’s division in 2018-19, she ranked 554th in the 200 freestyle. She ranked fifth in the women’s division. In the 1650 freestyle, Thomas ranked eighth in the nation, as opposed to 32nd in the men’s division,” Outkick reported.

Watch the segment below:

In February one former University of Kentucky Swimmer alleged Thomas would expose his “male genitalia” in front of competitors in the women’s locker room. This was done without consent, Riley Gaines told Fox News.