This week, the University of Pennsylvania issued an apology to female swimmers from their 2021-2022 team who faced the discomfort of changing next to a transgender athlete, Lia Thomas, formerly Will Thomas. The school also reinstated records set by Thomas, who made history as the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title.

While this development didn’t stem from a moral awakening, it was prompted by a federal investigation into the school’s violation of Title IX for permitting a biological male to compete in women’s sports. Nonetheless, it marks a notable victory for fairness.

Lia Thomas, who swam on the men’s team for three years before transitioning, had a clear physical advantage that drew widespread criticism. Despite meeting NCAA hormone therapy requirements, Thomas’ size and strength—standing 6 foot 1—gave him an undeniable edge over female competitors.

While Thomas received accolades, some female swimmers, including teammates, felt silenced. Paula Scanlan, who swam for UPenn, revealed that the university insisted they be quiet about their discomfort, offering counseling to suppress dissent, which she described as a frightening approach to silencing critics.

The controversy intensified when Thomas’s participation turned into a national debate, highlighted by competitive clashes, like Riley Gaines, who tied with Thomas at an NCAA event and became a vocal advocate for fairness in women’s sports. Gaines took significant personal risks to challenge the prevailing narratives.

Despite attempts to silence critics, voices like Gaines and Scanlan pushed back against the false narrative of “transwomen are women,” emphasizing that many female athletes feel unfairly disadvantaged. Support from organizations like the Alliance Defending Freedom bolstered this stance.

Today, around 80% of Americans agree that biological males should not participate in women’s sports, yet advocating for fairness once meant risking social and professional repercussions. These early dissenters bravely challenged the status quo, sparking a broader conversation about fairness and gender in sports.