The Joe Rogan/Spotify Experience
joe rogan says transgender swimmer lia thomas competing in college athletics against cisgender women amounts to an “attack on women’s sports” and believes it could be “the straw that broke the camel’s back for society”.
If you’re not familiar with Thomas, he began the transition in 2019. Thomas, who is in his early 20s, underwent therapy to suppress testosterone. The NCAA declared Lia eligible to compete in women’s track and field at the University of Pennsylvania, where she later became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA title.
Rogan, during a ‘JRE’ pod with guest, comedian yannis pappastook aim at Thomas and his effect on women’s sports.
“What is now is not good. What is now is an assault on women’s sports. And the idea that someone would think it’s fair that someone who was number 4-6-2 as a man, 462 in the nation, be #1 as a woman a year later. And that’s fair,” Rogan asked on the show.
FYI, Thomas had some success competing against men before transitioning. LT finished second in the 500-yard, 1,000-yard, and 1,650-yard freestyle during the 2019 Ivy League Championships.
But, it’s not just Joe. Many believe that Thomas has a great advantage because his body developed as a man, before his transition.
“Women are so frustrated, or parents. If your daughter is competing and she’s competing against a trans woman, it’s just not fair. It’s just not fair. No matter what anyone says. There’s this nonsensical idea, like, well, there’s outliers, there are outliers, and then there are biological males. That goes beyond outliers,” Rogan argued.
Joe says he thinks the trans community is generally accepted… but we have to draw a line when it comes to sports.
“It’s interesting because in every other aspect of society it’s pretty much a given that a person can become trans and change their name, and we’re all pretty accepting of that,” Rogan told Yannis.
“Where people get the most pushback is in sports. Athletic competition. That’s where the real pushback is. Where people are like, ‘Hey, what the hell? This isn’t fair. This clearly isn’t fair.'” There’s a reason we have a distinction between men’s and women’s sports.”
Lia’s situation has become so polarizing… and Joe says he thinks it could serve as a turning point for the country.
“That could be the last straw that breaks the camel’s back of society.”
Last month, the governor of Florida rum desantis refused to recognize Thomas after she won the Division I women’s national championship in the 500-yard freestyle.
Instead, DeSantis declared the runner-up, a Florida native Emma Weyantthe “legitimate winner”.
Caitlyn Jennerwho publicly came out as trans in April 2015, also weighed in on Thomas, agreeing with Gov. DeSantis, saying… “Weyant clearly won the competition, and anyone who disagrees is not a fan, they’re just using their brains.” .