NCAA will allow trans swimmers to compete this season after an outpouring of support for UPenn’s Lia Thomas

In the wake of an open letter in support of UPenn’s Lia Thomas signed by more than 300 athletes, the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) will allow trans women to compete in the 2021-22 swimming championships. The organization’s about-face comes after a recently introduced USA Swimming policy change restricted trans women’s participation. 

“[We] support and welcome transgender and nonbinary athletes in our sport,” reads the open letter, which was published by the LGBTQ2S+ non-profit Athlete Ally earlier this month. “We express our support for Lia Thomas, and all transgender college athletes, who deserve to be able to participate in safe and welcoming athletic environments.”

The signatories—including current and former swimmers from the NCAA, international athletes and several Olympians—asked the NCAA not to adopt USA Swimming’s current policy mid-season. They also asked the NCAA to establish “clear and consistent guidelines” for new eligibility policies with proper communication in advance of future seasons, and ensure that trans and non-binary athletes be “directly engaged” in the development of such policies.

The policy change—which was announced earlier this month in the middle of the 2021-2022 season—increased requirements for testosterone suppression among transfeminine athletes and subjected them to review by a panel of medical experts. Last month, the NCAA also released a new constitution rolling back inclusion guidelines for trans athletes. These new regulations barred Thomas, a trans woman who met the NCAA’s previous guidelines, from competing at the NCAA championships at the time.

Just a day after the open letter’s publication, a press release from the NCAA conceded that implementing new regulations in the middle of the season is inequitable. “The subcommittee decided implementing additional changes at this time could have unfair and potentially detrimental impacts on schools and student-athletes intending to compete in 2022 NCAA women’s swimming championships,” the statement reads.

The change cleared Thomas, who is a college senior in her last year of eligibility for the competition, for the rest of the season. However, USA Swimming’s new policy will affect future updates to eligibility requirements for trans athletes, which will change in upcoming seasons.

“Pre-coming out and pre-transition I had a lot of uncertainty about my future in swimming and whether or not I would be able to keep swimming at all,” Thomas said in a December interview with sports publication SwimSwam. “I’m just thrilled to be able to continue to swim and I love to compete.”

Thomas became a frequent target of hate and scrutiny from right-wing media outlets after setting multiple NCAA records this season. According to the progressive watchdog Media Matters, the conservative network Fox News aired 32 segments on Thomas over a six-week period in which they misgendered her and attacked gender-affirming health care. 

An anonymous member of her team also reportedly spoke out against Thomas’ inclusion in the sport in an interview with FOX News Digital last month. A few days later, 16 members of the UPenn’s women’s swimming team sent school and Ivy League officials a letter indicating that Thomas should be sidelined, according to the Washington Post. However, members of the university’s swimming and diving team also released a statement expressing “full support for Lia in her transition,” per ESPN.

“We value her as a person, teammate, and friend,” team members wrote. “The sentiments put forward by an anonymous member of our team are not representative of the feelings, values, and opinions of the entire Penn team, composed of 39 women with diverse backgrounds.”

The Feb. 10 letter also references right-wing media scrutiny, urging the NCAA to “not allow political pressure to compromise the safety and wellbeing of college athletes everywhere.” 

Thomas is currently competing in the Ivy League Championships, where she won gold in the 500-yard freestyle event on Thursday. She is also scheduled to swim the 200 freestyle and either the 1,650 or 100 freestyle.

Her teammate Andie Myers, who competes in the freestyle and butterfly races, wore a facemask with the trans flag colours on Thursday to show her support.

“I want everyone at this meet to know that I support her,” Myers said. “She’s worked for all of this and she’s given up so much to transition and to be authentically herself. I think it’s really important and I think it’s really brave what she’s doing today.”