PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: In a powerful testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Paula Scanlan, a former NCAA Division I swimmer and an advisor at the Independent Women's Forum, shed light on the contentious issue of transgender athlete Lia Thomas' participation in women's swimming competitions at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). Scanlan accused the university of dismissing the concerns of female athletes who were uncomfortable undressing beside Thomas, "a 6-foot-4 tall, biological male with fully intact male genitalia", during swimming practices.
Paula Scanlan's testimony
Scanlan told lawmakers on Thursday, July 27, "My teammates and I were forced to undress in the presence of Lia, a 6-foot-4 tall, biological male, with fully intact male genitalia, 18 times per week. Some girls opted to change in bathroom stalls and others used the family bathroom to avoid this." She expressed the frustration and humiliation the female swimmers felt as they raised complaints with the athletic department, only to be told that Thomas' presence was "non-negotiable."
The university officials suggested that counseling could "reeducate" the women athletes to become comfortable with the idea of undressing in front of a male. "To sum up the university's response, we, the women, were the problem, not the victims," Scanlan passionately asserted. "We were expected to conform, to move over and shut up. Our feelings didn't matter. The university was gaslighting and fearmongering women to validate the feelings and identity of a male."
Who is UPenn's athletic director?
Amidst the controversy, Alanna W Shanahan is serving her third year as the Director of Athletics and Recreation at the University of Pennsylvania.. During her tenure, Penn has achieved notable competitive success, with the university's teams securing a school-record 60th rank in the Learfield Directors' Cup in both 2021-22 and 2022-23, outperforming over 350 Division I programs. The Quakers have also secured nine regular-season conference team championships and five postseason conference titles under Shanahan's leadership. That said, Shanahan has raised eyebrows in her handling of the backlash from the Lia Thomas controversy.
Having previously competed on the male team, Thomas transitioned in 2019 and joined the female team in 2021. Her participation in women's swimming competitions at Penn led to a letter from concerned swim parents, questioning the integrity of women's sports and the fair treatment of female athletes. “At stake here is the integrity of women’s sports,” wrote the parents in their letter to Penn and the Ivy League. They expressed concern about the precedent being set by allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports, suggesting it jeopardizes the protected and equitable space for female athletes.
Despite the parents' plea, the NCAA remained unresponsive. However, Penn's athletic director, Shanahan, sent a message to the team saying the school fully supports all of its swimming student-athletes and wants to “help our community navigate Lia’s success in the pool this winter.” She directed those feeling upset about the situation to “utilize robust resources available to them,” including the university’s Department of Counseling and Psychological Services, per Sports Illustrated.
'This is representative of a greater issue'
Scanlan, however, firmly believes that the issue extends beyond just her former team's discomfort. She wrote an opinion article discussing scientific differences between biological males and females, only to have it taken down shortly after publication. "This is representative of a greater issue — the destruction of free speech," said Scanlan. "Today, any discussion maintaining the sanctity of women's spaces is labeled transphobic, bigoted, and hateful. What's bigoted and hateful is discrimination against women and the efforts to erase women and our equal opportunities, dignity, and safe spaces."
Scanlan's testimony was part of a committee meeting titled 'The Dangers and Due Process Violations of Gender-Affirming Care,' organized by Republicans who control the House committee. She was joined by Chloe Cole, a 19-year-old detransitioner, who is suing the doctors in California responsible for administering hormones and surgically removing her breasts.
As the debate surrounding Lia Thomas' participation in women's swimming competitions continues to polarize opinions, it remains a highly sensitive issue at the heart of the broader national discourse about the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports.
