A teammate of controversial transgender swimmer Lia Thomas said University of Pennsylvania officials warned women swimmers they’d face consequences for speaking out against the presence of Thomas — a biological male who identifies as female — on the women’s swim team.
“They’ve made it pretty clear if you speak up about it, your life will be over in some way, you’ll be blasted all over the Internet as a transphobe … you’ll never be able to get a job,” the teammate told Matt Walsh as part of his just-released “What Is a Woman?” documentary, according to the Daily Wire.
What are the details?
The Penn swimmer asked to have her identity shielded for the interview over fear of retribution, the outlet reported, and she told Walsh there were “a lot of things we couldn’t talk about.”
While the swimmer said though Thomas’ dominating performance helped the team and the university, winning began to feel “tainted.”
And of course there was the “locker room situation” — presumably the awkwardness stemming from Thomas changing in front of female swimmers. Yet it was clear, the swimmer said, that “if you even brought up concerns about it, you were transphobic.”
The swimmer added that “if you even bring up the fact that Lia’s swimming might not be fair, you’re immediately shut down” and “called a ‘hateful person’ or ‘transphobic.'”
After Walsh asked if any heart-to-heart conversations took place as a team or with a coach about the presence of Thomas, the anonymous swimmer replied that “Penn actually brought in people high up in the athletic department to talk to us — like brought in someone from the LGBTQ center, they brought in someone from psychological services.”
Walsh was shocked: “So, you’re upset about what’s happening, and so you need psychological help?”
The swimmer replied affirmatively and added that the higher ups said, “Lia’s swimming is a non-negotiable; however, we can help you make that OK. That’s what we’re here for.”
The University of Pennsylvania on Thursday didn’t immediately respond to TheBlaze’s request for comment regarding the anonymous swimmer’s claims.
(H/T: Louder With Crowder)