Caitlyn Jenner Calls Trans Swimmer Lia Thomas 'Not Fair'
Olympic gold medalist and reality star Caitlyn Jenner said "everyone needs to calm down" when it comes to J.K. Rowling's anti-trans stances — while criticizing trans swimmer Lia Thomas in the same breath.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Jenner says it is "not fair" for Thomas to compete in women's sports and offers her own transition as an example.
"I play golf and, seven years after my transition, I still have a big advantage over women players," said Jenner, who transitioned at 65 in 2015. "I'm 6ft 1in. I have longer arms than the ladies and I can outdrive them by a hundred yards. Even being off testosterone and on oestrogen for seven years now, what I've got left over is still more than they've ever had. So, it wouldn't be fair."
She added, "I don't think biological boys should compete in women's sports — we have to protect women's sports. That's the bottom line."
About her competitive rise in women's swimming, 22-year-old Thomas told Sports Illustrated that her logic was simple.
"The very simple answer is that I am not a man," she said. "I'm a woman — so I belong on the women's team."
According to Jenner, the whole debate over Thomas' place in sports was never supposed to get to this point in the first place.
"The world's gone mad," says Jenner, referring to an increasingly volatile war of words between transgender women and cisgender women.
"I respect [Lia's] right to transition, and I hope she has a wonderful, wonderful life. But she grew up as a biological boy and I don't think it's fair that she's competing in women's sports," said Caitlyn. "Her cardiovascular system is bigger, her heart is bigger, she's got longer arms and legs."
For her opinion, Jenner said she shouldn't be canceled. According to Jenner, neither should J.K. Rowling, who was branded a TERF (trans exclusionary radical feminist) for her history of anti-trans comments. After comedian Dave Chapelle came out in support of Rowling last year during one of his Netflix specials, Jenner came out in support of Chapelle.
She tweeted: "This isn't about the LGBT movement. It's about woke cancel culture run amok, trying to silence free speech."
And yet, Jenner keeps talking.