Former PENN swimmer Paula Scanlan reveals HORRIFIC details of sharing changing room with Lia Thomas in latest testimony before Congress
Lia Thomas' former teammate Paula Scanlan has now opened up and testified before the Congress about the uncomfortable experience of sharing changing rooms with the trans athlete.
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Paula Scanlan (L) and Lia Thomas (R) [Pic Credit: Fox News/The National Desk]
The issue regarding the involvement of transgender athletes in women’s sporting events has turned into a massive debate. After former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines openly called out the organization and Lia Thomas, several women athletes joined her. One of them was Paula Scanlan, who has now testified against the NCAA swimmer before Congress.
Scanlan had earlier revealed how the NCAA had allowed Thomas to take part in events despite their protest. She was also part of the University of Pennsylvania swim team that had to share a locker room with Thomas. Speaking before the Congress she once again described the horrific and uncomfortable moment in dealing with Thomas.
She was one of the six witnesses to speak before the house in Washington D.C. Scanlan shared her and her teammates’ experience of being exposed to male genitalia. “My teammates and I were forced to undress in the presence of Lia, a 6-foot-4 biological male, fully intact with male genitalia, 18 times per week,” Scanlan said.
Scanlan further revealed how other girls decided to use bathroom stalls instead of the room. As per the statement by Scanlan, when they tried to speak up regarding this matter, the authorities silence them. They informed them that Thomas’ presence was “non-negotiable” and were offered psychological classes to get used to idea of undressing in front of a male.
Paula Scanlan SLAMS NCAA for offering them classes instead of taking action
After sharing the horror details of sharing a common room with Lia Thomas, Paula Scanlan, and others decided to complain about this. They received a major shock when the organizers did not listen to their issue. They in fact told the swimmers were offered the chance to “re-educate” themselves by offering them psychological classes.
“To sum up the university’ response, we the women were the problem, not the victims. We were expected to conform, to move over and shut up. Our feelings didn’t matter,” Scanlan said in her remark. The former PENN swimmer further revealed the traumatic experience of her being sexually assaulted and how the presence of Thomas on the podium made it a great issue. Her teammate and Thomas’ rival, Riley Gaines then applauded her for opening up about the situation.
Thomas, the current NCAA swimming champion, had earlier competed as a male in 2019. The athlete later participated as a trans athlete and joined the swimming team. For this move, Thomas has severed severe backlash but has refused to back down from her stance.
This matter is certainly gonna take some time to cool down. Various states in the US have already laid out a ban on trans athletes from competing in women’s events at school and college levels. The number of these states is likely to increase in the future.
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Vinay Dave
(1781 Articles Published)