Transgender Ivy League swimmers face off
Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer who has shattered records on the University of Pennsylvania women's team, lost two events Saturday to Yale's Iszac Henig, a trans male swimmer, the New York Post and Daily Mail reported.
In UPenn's final home meet of the season, Henig won the 100-meter freestyle with a time of 49.57 seconds, while Thomas finished fifth with a time of 52.84 seconds. In the 400-meter freestyle relay, Henig finished his leg in 50.45 seconds to Thomas' 51.94 seconds.
Current NCAA rules require that trans women athletes like Thomas complete a full year of testosterone suppression treatment before being allowed to play women's sports. According to NBC News, Thomas completed two-and-a-half years of treatment and has support "from her school, from her team, [and] from her league." Last month, Thomas finished a 1,650-meter freestyle event 38 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. In video of the race, the crowd hardly responds to Thomas' win but cheers loudly for the runner up.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Henig explained in a June New York Times article that he was allowed to continue competing on the women's team after he agreed to delay testosterone treatment, even though that meant donning a "women's swimsuit for competition and [being] reminded of a self I no longer feel attached to." After one of his wins, Henig pulled down his bathing suit top, revealing the scars from his double mastectomy.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
FBI nabs dozens in alleged NBA gambling ringSpeed Read Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier are among 34 people indicted in connection with federal gambling investigations
-
Trump orders NFL team to change name, or elseSpeed Read The president wants the Washington Commanders to change its name back to the 'Redskins'
-
Thunder beat Pacers to clinch NBA FinalsSpeed Read Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals
-
MLB lifts ban on Pete Rose, other dead playersspeed read 16 deceased players banned for gambling and other scandals can now be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
-
Canada beats US in charged 4 Nations hockey finalSpeed Read 'You can't take our country — and you can't take our game,' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted after the game
-
Eagles trounce Chiefs in Super Bowl LIXspeed read The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22
-
Indian teen is youngest world chess championSpeed Read Gukesh Dommaraju, 18, unseated China's Ding Liren
-
Europe roiled by attacks on Israeli soccer fansSpeed Read Israeli fans supporting the Maccabi Tel Aviv team clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters in 'antisemitic attacks,' Dutch authorities said



