A Dark Chapter for Women’s Athletics Ends: Lia Thomas and the Hubris of the Transgender Movement 

Four years ago, the transgender revolution was advancing with breathtaking speed. In the summer of 2021, New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard was allowed to compete in women’s weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympic Games, despite being a biological male. In January 2022, The New York Times celebrated Amy Schneider’s run on the television show Jeopardy, referring to the contestant—a biological male—as the “most successful woman to compete on the show.” Also in 2022, USA Today recognized Rachel Levine, then-U.S. Assistant Health Secretary and the highest-ranking person to identify as transgender in the Biden administration, as one of its “Women of the Year.” However, the story that captured the most national attention was that of Lia Thomas, a biological male swimmer who set multiple records while competing on the University of Pennsylvania women’s team.

Thomas’ exploits provoked a nationwide reaction that has culminated in a remarkable reversal.

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Education announced an agreement with the University of Pennsylvania, which in April was found to be in violation of Title IX, the 1972 law that prohibits sex discrimination in any educational program or activity receiving federal funding. According to the resolution, Thomas’ records have been vacated, and the university has agreed to send a personalized apology to female athletes who lost to Thomas. Additionally, the school agreed to restore titles to female athletes and pledged it “will not allow males to compete in female athletic programs.”  

Female swimmer Riley Gaines, who tied with Thomas in the 2022 200-yard freestyle final at the NCAA Women’s Championship, responded to the news on X, writing, “Are pigs flying? God bless @realDonaldTrump.”

A few years ago, such an agreement would have been highly unlikely. Thomas’ NCAA championship win was heralded by national outlets, including The New York Times and CNN. During the 2021-2022 season, Thomas won 19 events, three league titles, and one national championship and finished the season as the top-ranked swimmer for Division I Mid-Major schools and the highest-rated Ivy League and University of Pennsylvania women’s swimmer. Sports outlets like ESPN and Sports Illustrated fawned over Thomas’ victories and provided glowing coverage of the swimmer’s gender transition.  

After the Obergefell v. Hodges decision in 2015, many believed that transgender ideology would achieve broad cultural acceptance, much like same-sex marriage. For a time, it appeared that the Overton window had permanently shifted, with transgender ideology advancing steadily through America’s cultural institutions. However, a growing number of pundits across the political spectrum now believe that the transgender movement has stalled due to overreach—particularly in the areas of women’s sports, compelled pronoun usage, and gender transitions for minors. 

Some political observers even suggest that transgender-related issues played a significant role in the 2024 presidential election. In the final weeks leading up to the election, the Trump campaign released a provocative advertisement titled “Kamala is for they/them, President Trump is for you.” The ad aired tens of thousands of times in key swing states. According to one Democratic group, this ad shifted voter sentiment by 2.7 percentage points in Trump’s favor among those who viewed it.

The shift away from uncritical acceptance of transgender ideology was evident even during the Biden administration. Starting in 2021, many conservative-leaning states passed legislation to protect minor children from gender transition procedures and to prohibit biological males from competing in women’s sports. Significantly, the second Trump administration has made opposition to transgender ideology a matter of national policy. In his inaugural address, Trump surprised many observers when he announced, “As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female.” 

Shortly after re-taking office, President Trump signed a series of executive orders that included: (1) prohibiting males from competing in sports intended for women and girls, (2) barred individuals with gender dysphoria from serving in the military, and (3) cut off federal funding for hospitals or clinics that promote or facilitate gender transitions for children. Additionally, the U.S. State Department issued guidance that American embassies should only fly the American flag and not any activist flag, such as the Pride or Progress flags that the Biden administration allowed to fly over 99 U.S. embassies in 2022. 

Yesterday’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Education marks the conclusion of a dark chapter for women’s athletics. In response to Lia Thomas’ record-breaking swim season in 2022, I previously argued that “unless people are comfortable with Lia Thomas winning national championships meant for women… Americans of every background and political persuasion must be willing to stand up to gender identity ideology.” Thankfully, millions of Americans have stood up.

However, the threat posed by gender ideology remains. Although overreach by transgender activists may have temporarily set the movement back, there are indications that its supporters remain committed to advancing their agenda. It is inevitable that politicians, in some—if not many—jurisdictions, will attempt to mandate affirmation of transgender ideology. Whether through compelling speech (e.g., use of a person’s preferred pronouns), threatening tax-exempt status for ministries that hold to biblically informed convictions on human sexuality, or requiring LGBT-inclusive school curricula, these laws will pressure many Americans to violate their consciences and faith. Thus, even as we celebrate the end of this dark chapter with yesterday’s announcement related to Lia Thomas, continued vigilance is required.