Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signs proclamation to declare Florida Swimmer Emma Weyant NCAA Champion over real winner Lia Thomas.
The Lia Thomas controversy continues. Florida Gov. DeSantis declares Sarasota swimmer Emma Weyant real winner over transgender athlete Lia Thomas. Are conservatives ok with sports participation trophies that they accuse the woke mob handing out to losers? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below or Join our Discord http://www.lonelybanter.com/discord to continue the Ron Desantis Lia Thomas Emma Weyant discussion.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday slammed the NCAA for allowing a transgender swimmer to compete for and win a women’s championship, continuing the Republican governor’s attack on corporations and organizations over their positions on LGBTQ policies.
In criticizing the organization over Lia Thomas swimming, Ron DeSantis has joined the cast of conservatives who have railed against the NCAA over its stance on transgender athletes. Transgender women have been allowed to compete in women’s categories in the Olympics since 2003 and the NCAA since 2010.
“The NCAA is basically taking efforts to destroy women’s athletics,” DeSantis said Tuesday at a bill signing event outside of Tampa. “They’re trying to undermine the integrity of the competition, and they’re crowning somebody else the women’s champion.”
Ron DeSantis and other GOP lawmakers have claimed that they are protecting the integrity of women’s sports, while supporters of Thomas and other transgender athletes say laws prohibiting them from competing are unnecessary and marginalize those athletes.
Florida’s Republican governor signed a proclamation honoring University of Virginia swimmer and Sarasota native Emma Weyant as the “best female” in the 500m freestyle race, taking a shot at Thomas, who beat Weyant by 1.75 seconds to win the NCAA title last week.
The comments from DeSantis came after he pledged to sign legislation to limit instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, the “Parental Rights in Education” bill that has been branded the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by opponents.
Ron DeSantis’ criticism of the NCAA comes as he has been openly sparring with the Walt Disney Co. for the company’s position against the “Don’t Say Gay” measure, which has received widespread condemnation from Democrats, President Joe Biden and celebrities. Republicans show no signs of backing away from the proposal, which prohibits teachers from leading classroom discussions on sexual orientation and gender issues for students in kindergarten through third grade.
Thomas, who previously swam three seasons on the University of Pennsylvania’s men’s team, placed first in multiple women’s events in recent months before competing in the Ivy League and NCAA championships. She followed all NCAA guidelines in place at the time of her transition and afterward to be eligible to swim. The swimmer has been at the center of controversy in recent months after the NCAA updated regulations for transgender students, triggering outcry from college athletes on both sides of the issue.
