An American Olympian who lost to swimmer Lia Thomas at Thursday's 2022 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships has spoken out in support of transgender athletes.
Erica Sullivan - a 21-year-old swimmer who won the silver medal in the 1500-meter freestyle event at the 2020 Summer Olympics - is speaking up for 22-year-old Lia Thomas.
Earlier this week, Thomas made headlines when she became the first transgender woman to win NCAA swimming title. However, Thomas' victory was met with a mixed response, as naysayers continued to question her place in the championships.
Now, Sullivan has penned an op-ed for Newsweek detailing why - despite falling short to Thomas in the 500-yard freestyle - she is defending her place in sports, along with other trans athletes.
Just one day after claiming third place in the event, Sullivan wrote: "I have been given a platform to advocate for my community, and I can't sit silently by as I see a fellow swimmer's fundamental rights be put up for debate."
The former Olympian went on to explain how all swimmers "embody a diverse set of identities and characteristics", but nobody ever questions the "validity of how cisgender athletes' unique traits and skills, or who they are, contribute to their success".
Sullivan then writes how University of Pennsylvania swimmer Thomas "has been unfairly targeted for just that - for being who she is, a transgender woman."
The Texas Longhorns freshman went on to explain that Lia does not "win every time", but that any victory she earns is deserved. Sullivan also pointed out that Thomas "trained diligently to get to where she is and has followed all of the rules and guidelines put before her".
She added:
"Forcing an athlete to hide an essential part of herself in order to participate isn't a solution. If I were to remain closeted, my mental health would deteriorate, and I wouldn't be able to perform at my best in any part of my life. I wouldn't want that for myself, or for any of my teammates."
Sullivan added that she is proud to be one of the 300+ NCAA, Team USA, and Olympic swimmers who signed an open letter from Schuyler Bailar and Athlete Ally "in support of Lia and all transgender and nonbinary swimmers".
She ended the piece by saying that she'll continue to cheer on Thomas and all over swimmers continuing to proudly be themselves.
Earlier this month, Thomas commented on the antagonism she has faced as a trans athlete. Speaking to Sports Illustrated, the young swimmer said: "I'm not a man. I'm a woman, so I belong on the women's team. Trans people deserve that same respect every other athlete gets."
After coming out to her friends and family, Thomas began hormone replacement therapy in 2019, despite concerns about the impact it would have on her body and her ability to compete in the beloved sport.
In accordance with NCAA policies, Thomas was permitted to join the women's swim team following a year of hormone replacement therapy.