UPenn could face civil rights violation after trans athlete ban
(NewsNation) — The University of Pennsylvania is among three colleges under investigation for a potential civil rights violation for allowing a transgender woman to compete in women's sports.
It follows President Donald Trump's executive order banning transgender women from competing in women's sports, where noncompliant schools will be investigated for Title IX violations.
The investigation is a win for former UPenn swimmer Margot Kaczorowski, who first spoke to NewsNation on the issue in 2022.
Kaczorowski, who was a teammate of Lia Thomas, is suing UPenn, Harvard, the Ivy League and the NCAA, accusing them of violating Title IX regulations by allowing Thomas, who Kaczorowski calls 'a trans-identifying male swimmer,' to compete in women's races.
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According to Kaczorowski, instead of listening to her and other teammates' concerns with Thomas' participation, the UPenn administrators directed them to seek counseling and support from UPenn's counseling and psychology and LGBTQ center.
'We were forced to use the same locker rooms as Thomas when we were not told ahead of time that it would be the case,' Kaczorowski told NewsNation.
'There were countless girls who lost out on various opportunities to race and compete. … I just feel very strongly that no girl should ever lose out on an opportunity because of male advantages and just believe women deserve equal rights,' she added.
Kaczorowski said Trump's executive order is 'a great first step in the right direction towards having a national consensus on the issue.'
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The three female plaintiffs, including Kaczorowski, are not seeking money. What they want is a judge to declare Thomas was ineligible to compete in women's races and vacate Thomas' records.
'We were being silenced that entire year and made to be fearful that if we were to speak the truth, that our lives would be ruined … and I want the records to come off the board. I want the real record-holders to be put back on the women's record board.'
The NCAA sent NewsNation a statement saying they wouldn't comment on pending litigation but wanted to reiterate they support women's sports and Title IX going forward.
'College sports are the premier stage for women's sports in America, and while the NCAA does not comment on pending litigation, the Association and its members will continue to promote Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women's sports and ensure fair competition in all NCAA championships,' it said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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