The news that transgender swimmer Lia Thomas had been nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year award sparked outrage among conservative groups online, with some calling the decision shameful.
Thomas, who swims for the University of Pennsylvania, is one of 577 athletes nominated for the award, which annually recognizes female athletes for their achievements in collegiate sports. However, the decision to include Thomas (a biological male who identifies as a woman) on the list of contenders has sparked the ire of conservatives, who argue it’s unfair to have a transgender athlete compete in women’s sports.
LIA THOMAS NOMINATED FOR NCAA WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
“UPenn must have forgotten that in order to qualify for the NCAA Woman of the Year award, one must actually be a woman. There is nothing brave about competing against people whom you have a biological advantage over,” Young America’s Foundation, a conservative youth organization, wrote in a tweet. “Shame on them for nominating Lia Thomas.”
Thomas has garnered widespread attention over the last year, particularly after winning the women’s 500-yard NCAA championship in March. The victory angered several conservatives and some UPenn swimmers, who pointed to Thomas’s background of swimming for the men’s team at UPenn for three years.
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The 577 athletes nominated for the Woman of the Year Award comprise Division I, Division II, and Division III student-athletes across 23 sports. At least 125 of those nominated compete in multiple sports, according to the NCAA.
