History of Lia Thomas in Timeline

Lia Thomas is an American swimmer who gained national attention as the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship, winning the 500-yard freestyle in 2022. Her participation in women's swimming sparked considerable debate surrounding transgender women's inclusion in women's sports. Subsequently, she was barred from competing in women's events by World Aquatics. Thomas's career has become central to discussions about fairness, inclusion, and the evolving landscape of sports regulations concerning transgender athletes.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

May 1999: Lia Thomas Born

In May 1999, Lia Catherine Thomas was born. She is an American swimmer who later became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship.

Others born on this day/year

2017: Joins UPenn Men's Swim Team

In 2017, Lia Thomas began swimming on the men's team at the University of Pennsylvania. During her freshman year, she achieved notable times in various freestyle events.

2017: Attends University of Pennsylvania

In 2017, Lia Thomas started attending the University of Pennsylvania. She also competed for Westlake High School, where she finished sixth in the state high school swimming championships for boys' events.

2018: Top UPenn Men's Team Times

During the 2018 season, Lia Thomas recorded the top UPenn men's team times in the 500 free, 1,000 free, and 1,650 free.

2018: Comes out as transgender to family

During the summer of 2018, after her freshman year at college, Lia Thomas came out as transgender to her family, having begun to question her gender identity towards the end of high school.

2018: Men's Team Ranking

In the 2018–2019 season, while competing on the men's team, Lia Thomas was ranked 554th in the 200 freestyle, 65th in the 500 freestyle, and 32nd in the 1650 freestyle.

May 2019: Starts Hormone Replacement Therapy

In May 2019, Lia Thomas began transitioning by starting hormone replacement therapy.

2019: Peak in Distance Swimming

In 2019, Lia Thomas's event progression peaked in distance swimming.

2019: Ivy League Championships

In 2019, as a sophomore on the men's swim team, Lia Thomas finished second in the men's 500, 1,000, and 1,650-yard freestyle events at the Ivy League championships.

2019: Men's Team Ranking

In the 2018–2019 season, while competing on the men's team, Lia Thomas was ranked 554th in the 200 freestyle, 65th in the 500 freestyle, and 32nd in the 1650 freestyle.

2020: Swims for Men's Team

During the 2019-2020 academic year, Lia Thomas swam for the men's team as a junior while undergoing hormone therapy, in order to maintain eligibility.

December 2021: Cynthia Millen Resigns from USA Swimming

In December 2021, USA Swimming official Cynthia Millen resigned after 30 years in protest against Lia Thomas's eligibility to compete.

December 2021: Parents Seek NCAA Ineligibility Ruling

In early December 2021, anonymous parents of University of Pennsylvania swim team members wrote to the NCAA, seeking for Lia Thomas to be declared ineligible to compete.

2021: Swimming Rank

According to the swimming data website Swimcloud, in 2021–2022 season Thomas was ranked 36th among female college swimmers in the United States and 46th among women swimmers nationally.

2021: Meets NCAA Requirements

By 2021, Lia Thomas had met the NCAA hormone therapy requirements to swim on the women's team.

2021: Women's Team Ranking

In the 2021–2022 season, while competing on the women's team, Lia Thomas's ranking improved to fifth in the 200 freestyle, first in the 500 freestyle, and eighth in the 1,650 freestyle.

2021: Dip in Sprint Swimming

Lia Thomas's event progression for sprint swimming reflected a dip at the start of the 2021–2022 season before returning to near-lifetime bests in the 100 free and a lifetime personal best in the 50 free in 2021.

January 10, 2022: Washington Post Article

On January 10, 2022, The Washington Post published an article discussing Lia Thomas's record-breaking performances and her potential to be a favorite at the NCAA championships, while also noting the ongoing debate surrounding her participation.

January 2022: Sixth Place Finish Against Yale

In January 2022, during a race against Yale, Lia Thomas finished in sixth place in the 100m freestyle race, losing to four cisgender women and Iszac Henig, a transgender man.

January 2022: University of Pennsylvania and Ivy League Issue Statements

In January 2022, the University of Pennsylvania, organizations affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and the Ivy League issued statements supporting Lia Thomas.

February 2022: Levinson Describes Thomas

In February 2022, CNN's Levinson described Lia Thomas as "the face of the debate on transgender women in sports".

February 2022: Campaign Advertisement Featuring Thomas

In February 2022, Vicky Hartzler, a Republican Senate candidate in Missouri, featured Lia Thomas in a campaign advertisement. The advertisement was described as transphobic.

February 2022: Letter of Support for Thomas

In February 2022, more than 300 current and former collegiate swimmers signed a letter organized by Schuyler Bailar, stating their support for Lia Thomas and all transgender college athletes.

February 2022: Anonymous Letter from UPenn Swimmers

In February 2022, sixteen anonymous members of the University of Pennsylvania women's swimming team sent a letter to university and Ivy League officials asking them not to take legal action against a proposed NCAA transgender athlete policy. A separate group of swimmers supported Lia.

March 2022: Wins NCAA Division I National Championship

In March 2022, Lia Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship in any sport, winning the women's 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:33.24. She also participated in the 200 and 100 freestyle events.

March 2022: Sports Illustrated Denotes Thomas

In March 2022, Sports Illustrated denoted Lia Thomas as "the most controversial athlete in America".

March 2022: Last College Swimming Event

The March 2022 NCAA championship was Lia Thomas's last college swimming event. By the conclusion of Thomas's swimming career at UPenn in 2022, her ranking had significantly improved.

May 2022: Interview on Good Morning America

In May 2022, during an interview with Good Morning America, Lia Thomas defended herself from criticism and expressed her intention to continue swimming and pursue her goal of competing at the Olympic trials. She also mentioned in an ESPN interview that being authentic and true to herself was incredibly rewarding and meaningful.

June 2022: States Prohibit Transgender Girls in Sports

As of June 2022, several states including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia have laws prohibiting public schools from allowing the participation of transgender girls in school sports for girls.

June 2022: FINA Votes to Bar Transgender Athletes

In June 2022, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) voted to bar transgender athletes from competing in professional women's swimming under certain conditions, preventing Lia Thomas from competing in the 2024 United States Olympic trials. In response to the decision, Thomas expressed her disappointment, calling the new FINA release discriminatory.

2022: Drop in Distance Swimming Times

During the 2021–2022 season, Lia Thomas experienced a drop in times for distance swimming.

2022: Swims on Women's Team

In 2021–2022 Lia Thomas swam on the women's team after taking a year off school to maintain her eligibility to compete while competitive swimming was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2022: Wins NCAA Championship

In 2022, Lia Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship, winning the women's 500-yard freestyle event. Later in 2022, she was barred from competing in women's events by World Aquatics.

2022: Graduates from University of Pennsylvania

In 2022, Lia Thomas graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with plans to attend law school.

2022: Introduction of World Aquatics Gender Inclusion Policy

In 2022, World Aquatics introduced its gender inclusion policy, stipulating that trans women can compete in the women's category if any male puberty was halted by age 12 or Tanner Stage 2.

2022: Women's Team Ranking

In the 2021–2022 season, while competing on the women's team, Lia Thomas's ranking improved to fifth in the 200 freestyle, first in the 500 freestyle, and eighth in the 1,650 freestyle.

January 2024: Legal Challenge to World Aquatics Gender Inclusion Policy

In January 2024, Lia Thomas initiated a legal challenge against the World Aquatics gender inclusion policy, arguing that the policy is discriminatory towards transgender women.

June 2024: Court of Arbitration Ruling

In June 2024, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Lia Thomas lacked the standing to challenge the World Aquatics gender inclusion policy, thus maintaining her ineligibility to compete under the existing rules.