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American transgender swimming champion, Lia Thomas will be stripped of University of Pennsylvania swimming titles after the Ivy League school agreed to demands from the Trump administration.
Following an investigation by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, UPenn will also issue formal apologies to every biological female competitor who lost out to a transgender athlete. The probe concluded the university violated Title IX by “allowing a male to compete in female athletic programs and occupy female-only intimate facilities.”
“Today’s resolution agreement with UPenn is yet another example of the Trump effect in action,” said Education Secretary Linda McMahon. “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, UPenn has agreed both to apologize for its past Title IX violations and to ensure women’s sports are protected for future generations of female athletes.”
Under the agreement, the university must adopt “biology-based definitions for ‘male’ and ‘female’ under Title IX” and publicly commit to no longer allowing biological men to compete in women’s sports or use female-only locker rooms.
The decision was welcomed by athletes who had competed against transgender athletes.
“As a former UPenn swimmer who had to compete against and share a locker room with a male athlete, I am deeply grateful to the Trump administration for protecting women and girls and restoring our rightful accolades,” said Paula Scanlan, a former Penn swimmer. “I’m also pleased my alma mater has finally taken not just the lawful path, but the honorable one.”
Riley Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer and vocal advocate on the issue, added: “I hope today’s decision makes clear to educational institutions they can no longer trample on women’s civil rights. This should renew hope for every female athlete that their country’s leaders won’t relent until they have the dignity, safety, and fairness they deserve.”
