Trans swimmer and former swimming champion Lia Thomas, who was banned from competing in elite women’s events, is backing San Jose State volleyball player Blaire Fleming amid a wave of attacks similar to what she faced in 2021 and 2022.
Although yet to address any gender-based allegations with the media, Fleming was previously outed as trans online and her team has sinced faced forfeits from opponents amid a wave of criticism, lawsuits, and Title IX complaints aimed at forcing Fleming off San Jose State’s volleyball team. On Monday, November 25 , a judge gave Fleming the green light to compete in the postseason with the women’s team.
‘It can be just extremely invasive and dehumanising,’ Lia Thomas said. ‘And it’s in a way, I think, very few people ever experience. To have my own personal identity and personhood turned into a culture war talking point just totally takes all my humanity away. It can be very difficult to keep trying to persevere through that.’
Thomas was banned from competing in elite women’s races ahead of the Olympics by the Court of Arbitration for Sport panel, which ruled that she was ineligible to challenge World Aquatics policy on trans athletes. Thomas won a national title as a woman in the 500 free while tying for fifth in the 200 free at the 2022 NCAA Finals with swimmer Riley Gaines.