Caitlyn Jenner: Biological boys should not be playing in women’s sports
Caitlyn Jenner discusses the NCAA board debating their transgender policy after success of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas sparking controversy.
Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner argued against transgender athletes born biological males participating in women's sports Wednesday as the NCAA board reviews its policy following the success of trans swimmer Lia Thomas.
"We need to protect women’s sports," Jenner told "America Reports" co-host Sandra Smith.
Noting that suicide is much higher in the transgender community than in the general public, Jenner said she respects University of Pennsylvania swimmer Thomas' decision to live her life authentically. However, the retired decathlete said it also comes with responsibility and some integrity.
"I don’t know why she’s doing this," Jenner said. Thomas competing in women’s sports, she said, is not good for the transgender community.
"She knows when she’s swimming she’s beating the competition by two laps. She was born a biological boy," Jenner pointed out. "She was raised as a biological boy. Her cardiovascular system is bigger, her respiratory system is bigger, her hands are bigger, she can swim faster. That’s a known."
OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST AND TITLE IX ADVOCATE CALLS FOR REEVALUATION OF TRANSGENDER POLICIES
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 8: Lia Thomas of the Pennsylvania Quakers after winning the 500 meter freestyle event during a tri-meet against the Yale Bulldogs and the Dartmouth Big Green at Sheerr Pool on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania on January 8, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
Transgender women athletes who went through typical male puberty during adolescence still hold a competitive edge over their biologically female competitors, and one year of testosterone suppression therapy as required by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) isn’t enough to ensure fairness in women’s sports, some scientists argue.
The scientific community is conflicted over the issue of fairness in women’s sports as trans athletes like Thomas make headlines for dominating female competitors. Women’s sports advocates and parents at Penn have recently spoken out against the NCAA and its rules on transgender student-athlete participation, which require trans women athletes to undergo at least a year of testosterone suppression treatment before competing on a women’s team.
Thomas, who competed on the men’s team for three years before switching to the women's team in 2020, has been receiving the treatment for nearly three years. She will compete at next month's Ivy League championships and has already qualified for the NCAA championships in March.
Unlike Penn and the Ivy League, which both issued statements defending Thomas and the NCAA policy in recent weeks, the NCAA itself has yet to weigh in on mounting criticism over its transgender athlete policy.
The NCAA’s board of governors is expected to review the policy during a meeting this week and issue a statement at that time, a spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 8: Lia Thomas of the Pennsylvania Quakers gets ready to compete in a freestyle event during a tri-meet against the Yale Bulldogs and the Dartmouth Big Green at Sheerr Pool on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania on January 8, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
Jenner said women’s sports have to be protected, and the NCAA needs to make the right decision.
"All of this woke world that we are living in right now is not working," she said. "I feel sorry for the other athletes that are out there, especially at Penn or anybody she’s competing against because in the woke world you have to say,‘Oh, my gosh, this is great 'and on and on and on. No, it’s not. We need to protect women’s sports and the NCAA needs to make the right decision tomorrow, and I think that is probably to stop this right now. Rethink it."