Who is Lia Thomas? Transgender swimmer banned by University of Penn and the controversy surrounding her

Time of India

a day ago

(Image via Instagram/ Lia K Thomas)
Lia Thomas, a name once associated primarily with collegiate swimming, has become a lightning rod in the ongoing debate over transgender inclusion in women's sports. A former men's swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania, Thomas transitioned in 2019 and later joined the women's swim team, making headlines in 2022 when she became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title.
That victory in the 500-yard freestyle event sparked immediate controversy—raising questions about competitive fairness, athletic policy, and gender identity.
Now, in July 2025, the issue has taken a decisive turn. The University of Pennsylvania has agreed to 'ban transgender women from competing on women's athletic teams' and to revise its athletic records, following pressure from the U.S. Department of Education and a broader federal investigation into potential Title IX violations.
As one of the most high-profile athletes in this space, Lia Thomas remains at the heart of a complex and highly charged national conversation.
Who Is Lia Thomas? Everything we know about her
Lia Catherine Thomas is an American swimmer born in May 1999, raised in Austin, Texas, alongside her older brother. Excelling in freestyle races during high school, she claimed a place among Texas's top athletes and became an All‑American swimmer. In 2017, she enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania, joining the men's swim team as a freshman.
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By 2019, her times in the 500-, 1000-, and 1650-yard freestyles ranked nationally—she clocked an impressive 8:57.55 in the men's 1000-yard, for instance.
In summer 2018, Lia came out as transgender to family and coaches. A year later, she began hormone replacement therapy, a process she later described as a relief: 'Almost immediately … I felt better'. During the 2019–20 season, she continued to compete on the men's squad while undergoing medical transition.
After a COVID‑19–induced pause in collegiate sports, she joined the women's team in 2021–22, having complied with NCAA rules requiring a minimum of 12 months of testosterone suppression.
Her emergence on the women's team was meteoric. In January 2022 at the Ivy League meet, she not only shattered school and league records, but also posted what became the season's fastest time in the women's 200-yard freestyle—1:41.93.
In March, she made history by winning the NCAA Division I women's 500-yard freestyle in 4:33.24, becoming the first openly transgender woman to win a national title in any NCAA sport.
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The backlash against Thomas's participation intensified after her NCAA championship. Some of her critics included political leaders, fellow athletes, and advocacy groups who argued that her participation undermined the integrity of women's sports.
In 2025, under the Trump administration, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights launched an investigation into whether the University of Pennsylvania's inclusion of Thomas violated Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs and activities.
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According to the People.com report published on July 1, 2025, UPenn 'agreed to ban transgender women from competing on women's athletic teams.'
The settlement also requires UPenn to restore records to biological women who lost to Thomas, send them personal apology letters, and 'implement biology-based definitions of male and female students.'
A spokesperson for the Department of Education told People.com: 'The University of Pennsylvania has agreed to ban transgender women from competing on women's athletic teams, restore records and send apology letters to biological female swimmers who lost to Lia Thomas.'
Education Secretary Linda McMahon praised the outcome, saying it 'represents a huge win for fairness and the future of women's sports.' A statement from the Department further noted that 'Thomas, who identifies as female, is biologically male and competed on the men's swim team for three years prior to joining the women's team.' The case marks the first time the Department has successfully pressured a university to take such corrective steps over transgender athlete participation.
The University's agreement also comes amid a broader legal environment in which similar policies are being enacted across multiple states.
Thomas's lawyers have not commented publicly on the university's decision, and Thomas herself has remained out of the spotlight in recent months. According to People.com, 'It's not clear whether Thomas will pursue legal action or respond publicly to the agreement.' Some of Thomas's former teammates, however, have taken steps of their own.
'Three former UPenn swimmers who competed against Thomas filed a lawsuit in federal court earlier this year against UPenn, the NCAA, and other collegiate sports bodies, alleging that they violated Title IX and caused emotional distress by allowing Thomas to compete,' People reported.
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Lia Thomas stands at a crossroads of identity and ideology—her achievements embody both personal triumph and institutional upheaval.
From her early promise in Texas pools to her historic national title, Lia's journey ignited a movement that split locker rooms and legislatures alike. The University of Pennsylvania's recent agreement to expunge her records signals not just a shift in policy, but a shift in public conscience.
Whether seen as a trailblazer for transgender inclusion or a symbol of imbalance in women's sports, Lia's story prompts urgent questions about fairness, humanity, and who gets to make the rules. Her legacy—and the future of trans athletes—now hang in the balance.
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