Male swimmer Lia Thomas will be stripped of his medals from the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) swimming titles.

Riley Gaines tied with Thomas in a female swimming event that catapulted the issue to national and international attention a few years ago.

The 6-foot-plus bulky male was not the best pin up boy for the trans in sport movement.

Other girls came out to report that he was getting naked in the female changerooms in front of little children. He claimed he was a woman with a penis and anyone who opposed him was a transphobic bigot.

As a result of the Trump administration executive orders and new laws protecting women’s sport, UPenn were left with little choice but to rectify their appalling decision to allow him to compete against females. They will also issue formal apologies to the girls who suffered because of their terrible policy.

The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) conducted an investigation and determined the university had violated female athletes rights.

The probe found UPenn violated Title IX by “allowing a male to compete in female athletic programs and occupy female-only intimate facilities.”

“Today’s resolution agreement with UPenn is yet another example of the Trump effect in action. Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, UPenn has agreed both to apologize for its past Title IX violations and to ensure that women’s sports are protected at the University for future generations of female athletes,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement.

The resolution agreement signed by the university will require it to undertake a host of additional actions, including adopting “biology-based definitions for ‘male’ and ‘female’ under Title IX” and issuing a public statement that it will no longer allow biological men to compete in female athletic programs or occupy women-only locker rooms.

The decision was cheered by athletes who were impacted by the inclusion of trans athletes in women’s sports in recent years.

“As a former UPenn swimmer who had to compete against and share a locker room with a male athlete, I am deeply grateful to the Trump Administration for refusing to back down on protecting women and girls and restoring our rightful accolades. I am also pleased that my alma mater has finally agreed to take not only the lawful path, but the honorable one,” said Paula Scanlan, a former University of Pennsylvania swimmer.

Riley Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer who has been outspoken on the issue, said, “It is my hope that today demonstrates to educational institutions that they will no longer be allowed to trample upon women’s civil rights, and renews hope in every female athlete that their country’s highest leadership will not relent until they have the dignity, safety, and fairness they deserve.”

It is mind boggling to think any person in authority ever believed it was a good idea to allow males to violate female sports. It is beyond comprehension that Australian sporting organisations not only refuse to engage in discussions, they threaten those who object to their harmful policies.

It is only a matter of time until the AIS, Football Australia, Netball Australia, Tennis Australia and many other organisations will have to eat their slice of humble pie and apologise for protecting and promoting males at the expense of female athletes for so long. Let’s hope there are several lawsuits to reinforce the point.

^{Image source: Foxnews, https://www.foxnews.com/sports/riley-gaines-wants-send-thank-you-note-lia-thomas-heres-why}