Lia Thomas’ former teammate recalls the humiliation of undressing infront of biological male Lia Thomas, know about the UPenn athletic director Alanna W Shanahan
An ex-swimmer for the women’s team at the University of Pennsylvania reported that she and her teammates were made to undress multiple times each week in the same locker room as biological male Lia Thomas. When they objected, they were given the option of receiving psychiatric counselling.
Who is Alanna W Shanahan UPenn athletic director after university forced girls to change infront of swimmer transgender Lia Thomas
On Thursday, Paula Scanlan, who is currently a representative for the Independent Women’s Forum, addressed a House Judiciary panel. Scanlan began by pointing out that, despite not having won an NCAA championship, she was the 400-yard freestyle champion of the New England Independent School League, a record that had stood since March 2017. She said, as reported by dailywire.com:
My teammates and I were forced to undress in the presence of Lia — a 6’4 biological male fully intact with male genitalia — 18 times per week.”
She further stated that, while some girls preferred to change in the bathroom stalls, others chose to use the family bathroom to avoid this. Then when they attempted to express their concerns to the athletic administration, they were informed that Lia swimming and using their locker room was an absolute requirement. They were also offered psychiatric treatments in an effort to reeducate their so that they would feel more at ease with the concept of undressing in front of a man.
To sum up the university’s response, we, the women, were the problem, not the victims,” she said. “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.”
WOMEN'S SPORTS ACTIVIST PAULA SCANLAN:
"We were told that Lia swimming and being in our locker room was a non-negotiable, and we were offered psychological services to attempt to reeducate us to become comfortable with the idea of undressing in front of a male." pic.twitter.com/pA42el4J78
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 27, 2023
Thomas claimed in April that female athletes who criticise her for participating in women’s sports are “transphobic” but are too afraid to express it.
Who is UPenn’s athletic director?
Alanna W. Shanahan is in her third year as the University of Pennsylvania’s Director of Athletics and Recreation despite the controversy.
Penn has experienced significant competitive success during her leadership, with the university’s teams placing 60th overall in the Learfield Directors’ Cup in both 2021–22 and 2022–23, outperforming almost 350 Division I programmes, a school record.
Shanahan has led the Quakers to nine regular-season conference team championships and five postseason conference titles. However, Shanahan’s handling of the fallout from the Lia Thomas scandal has drawn criticism.
Thomas transitioned in 2019 and joined the female team in 2021 after previously competing for the male squad. She competed in women’s swimming events at Penn, which prompted a letter from worried swim parents raising issues with the legitimacy of women’s sports and the treatment of female athletes.
The NCAA did not respond to the parents’ pleas. However, Penn’s athletic director, Shanahan, wrote to the team to let them know that the university completely supports all of its swimmers. 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,” according to Sports Illustrated, includes the university’s Department of Counselling and Psychological Services.
Scanlan, however, is sure that the issue extends beyond her former team members’ uneasiness. After publication, her opinion post on the scientific distinctions between biological males and females was swiftly taken down.
The controversy over Lia Thomas’ participation in women’s swimming competitions has polarised opinions and continues to be at the centre of a larger national conversation regarding the acceptance of transgender athletes in women’s sports.