Trans athlete Lia Thomas has opened up about the response related to the backlash received after she won the US college title in 500-yard swimming. She said that her decision to transition came because she wanted to be herself and that a big deal was made about it. During March, Lia's first-place win as a transwoman came into the limelight that instigated a huge culture war in the USA as the conservatives and those skeptical of transwomen's presence in women's sports downplayed her achievements and a huge debate raged even outside of the USA. Thomas was embraced by her fellow athletes with a few exceptions and the LGBTQ+ community continues to tackle the cycle of hatred as sports envelop them further into the heteronormative discouse. 

The biggest misconception, I think, is the reason I transitioned. People will say, 'Oh, she just transitioned so she would have an advantage, so she could win.' I transitioned to be happy, to be true to myself. Trans women competing in women's sports does not threaten women's sports as a whole. Trans women are a very small minority of all athletes. The NCAA rules regarding trans women competing in women's sports have been around for 10-plus years. And we haven't seen any massive wave of trans women dominating."

Lia Thomas