Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas has reportedly been photographed carrying an “Antifa Tremendous Soldier” shirt.
Thomas first started making nationwide headlines in 2021, attributable to being transgender and defeating rival school swimmers by massive margins. It ignited a debate about whether or not transgender swimmers, as in Thomas’ case, ought to be allowed to compete in opposition to cis rivals of the feminine gender.
The dialog has solely grow to be extra forceful since as swimmers competing in opposition to Thomas have voiced displeasure over squaring off in opposition to, as one Virginia Tech swimmer stated final 12 months, “somebody who went via puberty as a male and has the physique of a male.”
Andy Ngo, editor at The Publish Millennial, on Monday tweeted a photograph screenshot purportedly of Thomas carrying the Antifa-related apparel, a reference to the anti-fascism group composed of far-left-leaning militant teams which have prior to now routinely gotten into clashes with neo-Nazis, white supremacists and members of the Proud Boys at varied occasions.
The Instagram account that allegedly posted the picture is a personal account, and the connection between the people is unknown. Newsweek reached out to the consumer through direct message and to Thomas through e-mail and social media.
Justin Casterline/Getty
“Trans violent militancy is the present focus of #Antifa,” Ngo wrote within the tweet accompanying the picture. “They consider that critics of trans ideology ought to be silenced, maimed or murdered. Some name for sexual violence in opposition to females specifically, as revenge.”
#Trans swimmer Lia Thomas, previously William Thomas, has now embraced the #Trantifa branding in new pictures posted on social media.
Trans violent militancy is the present focus of #Antifa. They consider that critics of trans ideology ought to be silenced, maimed or murdered. Some… pic.twitter.com/qlU0jQXlbK
— Andy Ngô ?️? (@MrAndyNgo) July 17, 2023
Different controversies have stemmed from the talk about transgenderism, resulting in main financial fallout—particularly for Bud Gentle and Anheuser-Busch, which has taken an enormous hit following a partnership with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney months in the past that resulted in a whirlwind of social critiques and misplaced income.
Riley Gaines, a former College of Kentucky swimmer who competed in opposition to Thomas, has grow to be a rising voice in opposition to Thomas’ capacity to take part in the identical area as cis females—beforehand labeling Thomas’ newer accomplishments as “utter disregard and disrespect in direction of girls who’ve devoted their complete lives to their sport.”
Gaines opined on Thomas carrying the Antifa apparel, writing Monday in a tweet, “Does not this make a lot sense.”
“I have never particularly bashed Lia Thomas on something (aside from calling him an entitled narcissist which I stand by) as a result of in the end he was following the foundations in place,” Gaines wrote. “However that is disturbing.”
Does not this make a lot make sense….
I have never particularly bashed Lia Thomas on something (aside from calling him an entitled narcissist which I stand by) as a result of in the end he was following the foundations in place. However that is disturbing https://t.co/EHnqkBG1kJ
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) July 17, 2023
Different Twitter accounts, including Libs of TikTok, additionally shared the picture of Thomas whereas criticizing Antifa.
Gaines has supported a “Save Ladies’s Sports activities” motion that almost all People agree with primarily based on sure polling.
Whereas extra U.S. residents now know somebody who’s transgender in comparison with a few years in the past, extra of them additionally consider that transgender athletes ought to solely be allowed to compete on groups that conform with their delivery gender, in keeping with a Gallup survey from 2022.
