Nothing says “let’s celebrate women” quite like forcing women to celebrate a man.
As part of its Women’s History Month campaign, ESPN ran a minute-long promo Sunday featuring Lia Thomas — a biological male who competed on the women’s swim team at the University of Pennsylvania.
The entire segment paints a picture of Thomas as a pioneer for transgender athletes in Division I sports. It praises Thomas’ persistence and triumph through adversity. And it celebrates Thomas’ championship in the women’s 500 freestyle.
The whole thing is downright nauseating, but you can watch it here.As the segment notes, the Texas native competed for three seasons on the men’s swim team at UPenn before transitioning. Lia Thomas made her women’s debut in December 2021.
“Being trans is not a choice,” Thomas said. “I didn’t have any other choice because not transitioning was not leading me anywhere.”
If by “not leading anywhere,” Thomas means not winning any races, that’s absolutely true.
When Thomas competed in the men’s division in 2018-19, she ranked 554th in the 200 freestyle. She ranked fifth in the women’s division. In the 1650 freestyle, Thomas ranked eighth in the nation, as opposed to 32nd in the men’s division.
Finally, in the men’s 500 freestyle, Thomas was 65th in the country. But she won the championship on the women’s side.
The biological advantage is undeniable.ESPN presented Thomas as a martyr for the transgender community.
“People will say ‘Oh, she just transitioned so she would have an advantage, so she could win,’” Thomas said. “I transitioned to be happy.”
It’s entirely disingenuous to suggest that Thomas’ critics don’t want her to be happy. Or to say we don’t want her to wear dresses or change her name and pronouns or whatever else she needs to do to feel genuine.
What critics aren’t okay with is Thomas (and others like her) taking opportunities away from biological females by competing with an unfair advantage.
ESPN knows this. But by ignoring the actual issue at hand, the network can stand tall on its podium of self-righteousness in the same way Thomas towers over female competitors.“She competed amidst criticism from the swimming community, competitors and teammates,” the narrator said. “She said she hopes her persistence serves a larger purpose.”
And what purpose is that, exactly? To pave the way for more biological men to enter women’s spaces and ultimately destroy the integrity of female athletics altogether?
Notice how they just nonchalantly threw in “criticism from competitors and teammates” without acknowledging the validity of the criticism.
The women’s feelings don’t matter. Only Lia’s do.
ESPN is clinging tightly to its woke agenda.
Last year, the international swimming federation (World Aquatics) barred trans women from competing in the female category altogether. And just this week, World Athletics followed suit for international track and field events.
The point? Biology matter, and many are following the science and working to protect women’s sports.
But ESPN can’t let go.So in honor of Women’s History Month, we at OutKick would like to celebrate the women who have stood up to protect their sports. Who want to feel safe and comfortable in their own locker rooms. The women who have said, ‘Enough is enough, and biology is real.’
And the bravery to do all of this while mainstream media like ESPN want to silence them in the name of progress.
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