LGBT + activists have come out in support of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, who has received a torrent of abuse for competing for the University of Pennsylvania.
Thomas, 22, made headlines last month after setting several records for women at her college.
He competed at the Zippy International earlier this month, establishing a new group and setting a record in the preliminaries of the 500-meter freestyle, before swimming more than 12 seconds faster in the finals.
Her time of 4 minutes 34.06 seconds is currently the best in the country for the women's college event.
Despite meeting the eligibility standards set by the NCAA for women's events, Thomas has been the target of a torrent of abuse.
This includes a column by announcer and journalist Piers Morgan, who accused Thomas of "destroying women's sport." She claimed it was "cruel and discriminatory" for her to compete in the pool against cisgender women.
Thomas has now received the support of LGBT + activists, including the Human Rights Campaign, the world's largest LGBTQ + civil rights organization.
The organization tweeted: "Living your truth is an incredible and powerful feeling. We stand in solidarity with Lia and all the athletes who compete in the sports they love and on teams consistent with their gender identity."
The president of the Human Rights Campaign, Joni Madison, also wrote: "Attacking trans youth in this way is absolutely unacceptable.
"Lia, I am here for you. I support you. And I will continue to fight every day to make the world a safe space for trans youth to thrive."
Thomas gave an interview to SwimSwam Podcast earlier this month, detailing her transition from male to female.
He explained how the transition began in May 2019, beginning hormone replacement therapy.
Thomas continued to compete on the men's team, however, and his performances waned.
A year after starting testosterone suppression, she submitted all of her medical work to the NCAA and was approved to compete on the University of Pennsylvania women's swim team.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the entire 2020-21 season to be canceled, meaning that Thomas has only just started competing as a woman, claiming that her teammates fully supported her.
"There have been many struggles in the 12 months before everyone came out, the initial discomfort and the uncertainty of starting the transition first," he said.
"It seems like there is a lot to do and things you have to take care of, and it looks like this mountain.
"But you manage day by day, and you build confidence every day, and I feel safe and good in my swimming and in all my personal relationships.
"The transition has allowed me to have more confidence in all those aspects of my life, in which I was struggling long before I came out.
"The team has been incredibly supportive from the beginning ... I feel very supported. Just treated like any other member of the women's team."
