At the Ivy League women’s swimming championships this week, many eyes in the crowd will be fixed on Lia Thomas, a star of the University of Pennsylvania team.
In recent months, Thomas has made headlines not only for her speed — handily winning one Ohio race that went viral — but also for her gender identity.
In 2019, while competing on the men’s team, Thomas began to medically transition, taking testosterone blockers and estrogen.
Although her swim times slowed considerably, she’s still a top competitor in several women’s events, raising questions about the role of testosterone in athletic performance.