Erica Sullivan surprised many with her support for Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer

• Home
• swimming

Lia Thomas achieved what she wanted, winning the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships, and winning a gold medal. One of those who was right behind Leo Thomas is Erica Sullivan, who praised Thomas, and believes that everyone should have equal rights.

This reaction of hers surprised many “This year at the Tokyo Olympics, I saw my wildest dreams come true as I stood on the podium, an out gay silver medalist and one of the first women to swim the 1,500 meter event,” she wrote, as quoted by newsweek “I feel incredibly grateful that coming out as gay never kept me from being able to participate in the sport I love.

All athletes—including transgender athletes—deserve to be respected and included, exactly as we are”.
Sullivan believes that Lia has every right to compete, just like others, and that she doesn't always have a 'good' day.

“Like anyone else in this sport, Lia has trained diligently to get to where she is and has followed all of the rules and guidelines put before her,” she said. “Like anyone else in this sport, Lia doesn’t win every time”.

“And when she does, she deserves, like anyone else in this sport, to be celebrated for her hard-won success, not labeled a cheater simply because of her identity”.

Freedom

What she emphasizes is that discrimination comes to an end and everyone has complete freedom.

Lia Thomas has come under a lot of criticism, but Lia doesn’t seem to mind commenting on such comments “As a woman in sports, I can tell you that I know what the real threats to women’s sports are: sexual abuse and harassment, unequal pay and resources and a lack of women in leadership.

“Transgender girls and women are nowhere on this list. Women’s sports are stronger when all women—including trans women—are protected from discrimination, and free to be their true selves”.