Transgender Swimmer Lia Thomas Is an NCAA ‘Woman of the Year’ Nominee

Former Male Swimmer Has Been Nominated for “Woman Of The Year” Award

(TheRedWire.com) – NCAA schools can each nominate one graduating woman this year for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year award. There are 577 eligible student-athletes for the prestigious award. Male-turned-female transgender swimmer Lia Thomas is among them. Penn University nominated Thomas because she broke numerous women’s NCAA records and became the first transgender champion after she won the women’s 500-yard freestyle event.

The controversial decision comes after Thomas competed for three seasons as a male on Penn’s men’s swimming team. At best, his record was middle of the pack among men. Yet, she set school records in five women’s events as a woman.

Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas is a nominee for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year award https://t.co/ovwHn1dPST

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 18, 2022

After the University of Pennsylvania announced its decision, it received significant blowback. Riley Gaines, a graduating senior from the University of Kentucky, was also nominated for the award. She tweeted the decision was a slap in the face to women.

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 told Fox News it’s challenging to understand Penn’s view of the value of women in today’s society when it makes these kinds of decisions. She called the decision humiliating and devastating to women.

Former NCAA champion swimmer Marshi Smith said the NCAA publicly needs to recognize a biological difference between men and women. She questioned how society could protect girls and women if it couldn’t agree on this fundamental truth.

Do you think the criticism against Penn’s decision to nominate Thomas warranted?