Good morning! This one will get your Monday juices flowing.
This past week, I spoke about Lia Thomas, who is the transgender athlete that won the NCAA Women’s 500m Swimming Championship.
After receiving a bunch of responses, I figured it’s best to address it with all of you.
When I started this newsletter, I told myself I would always voice my opinion, but also be unbiased and hear every side with the chance I might change my point of view.
This is one of those moments.
I urge you to read with an open-mind and remove your pre-conceived notions.
Let’s dive in 👇
The Background
First off — I could care less what people say, do, or think (because at the end of the day we’re all the same).
Want to change genders? Fine by me.
Democratic? Republican? Independent? Fine by me.
Want to own a gun? Don’t want to own a gun? Fine by me.
Everyone is entitled to do what they want, say what they think, and have their own opinions (within legal boundaries of course).
That’s what is so great about freedom.
But where I get caught up — is when people say one thing, but do the opposite.
Most of us refer to these people as hypocrites.
I believe transgenders competing in women’s sports is one of those times.
However, it’s more ironic - than hypocritical.
The Story
To be clear, this has nothing to do with transgenders and everything to do with women’s sports.
Lia Thomas went from the 462nd best male swimmer to the #1 female swimmer in a little over a year after changing genders.
So while many of you might not think this is a big deal, you’re missing the bigger picture.
Two scenarios:
If Michael Phelps transitioned to a woman and started competing in the women’s olympics (smashing every record in the process) you would say something.
If a male college basketball player averaging 2.0 PPG transitioned to a woman and then averaged 30 PPG and led the team to a national title you would speak up.
Why?
Because then it would be blatantly obvious that it’s unfair.
Let me give you a third scenario:
If a woman swimmer started taking steroids and went from 462nd in the country to #1 in just one year you would speak up.
To me, the Lia Thomas scenario is exactly the same.
It’s About Sports As A Whole
I don’t know what’s wrong with our current generation where the majority has to completely change everything because of 1 person or a super small minority.
The transgender swimming scenario proves my point.
Because of 1 person, Lia Thomas, all of women’s sports get hurt.
Instead of hurting the feelings of Lia Thomas by saying that she can’t compete, we hurt hundreds of other women swimmers much worse.
Think of 2nd place finisher Emma Weyant who would have finished first.
Think of the girl that came in 4th place, that worked her whole life to get on the NCAA podium, but came away with nothing.
Think of the female swimmer that would have been offered a scholarship at the University of Penn if Lia wasn’t on the team.
Are You Really Pro-Women’s Sports?
I’m all for allowing people to do what they want, but the irony is that all the hard work women are putting towards making sports more equitable goes to waste when you allow a former male to come in and dominate.
So while you might say I’m anti-trans — which is not the truth…
I could say your anti-women — which is probably not the truth.
You see, this debate is un-winnable for both of us.
But what I do know, is that it’s a loss for women’s sports as a whole because all the people that started to look into women’s sports — aren’t hearing about the good news out of the WNBA or Women’s Soccer or NIL deals — but instead about the controversial topic involving a transgender winning the women’s swimming championship.
So all the money, time, and resources that go in to the equity of women’s sports gets thrown out of the door because of one story like this.
By pleasing 1 person, you hurt millions of other women’s athletes at the same time.
I could go on and on about the irony here but I think you get my point.
I’m 100% pro-women’s sports.
Many of you say your pro-women’s sports…but are you?
Want to Be Heard?
I’m all for a good debate and open-minded conversation.
I am truly curious what people think about this topic.
How unfair it is seems blatantly obvious to me…maybe I’m missing something.
The comments are all yours — please voice your opinion for all to see, I just voiced mine:
Agree 100+%
You’re also parroting right-wing talking points with your “462nd male rank to 1st female rank”. Do you realize that she started taking HRT when she was competing as a male and her lap times plummeted?