A champion collegiate swimmer revealed that she and her teammates were forced to hide in a closet to avoid trans athlete Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA championships.
Kylee Alons, one of the most decorated swimmers in North Carolina history, told she felt the organizers had “unnecessarily put women in an awkward position” by allowing Thomas into the women’s locker rooms.
“Not only did he have an advantage over us, he was stronger, bigger and stole titles from some of these women, but he created a very awkward atmosphere in the dressing room,” she said.
Alons said she was “really stressed” by the presence of Thomas, who made her feel the dressing room was “not a safe and private place”.
“I tried to cover up for the most part just in case he came in … I ended up changing in a closet that was behind our team’s stands,” she said, adding that she “wasn’t the The only one” who resorted to the hiding place.
Kylee Alons, one of the most decorated swimmers in North Carolina history, told that organizers at the 2022 NCAA championships “put women in an awkward position.”
Alons told that debates about including transgender athletes in women’s swimming were “frustrating” even before Thomas’s victory at the 2022 NCAAs.
Before bursting onto the scene as a transgender athlete competing against women, Lia Thomas ranked 500th among American male college swimmers.
But Alons said when Thomas made the move, the women’s division was suddenly rocked by rumors that “someone we’ve never heard of is setting very fast times”.
Thomas’ early success earned her a spot at the 2022 NCAA Championships, the nation’s most prestigious collegiate track and field competition.
In a move that sparked backlash, NCAA Championships organizers allowed Thomas to use the women’s locker rooms at the 2022 tournament. Thomas won the 500m freestyle race at the event.
Alons and her fellow contestants said it was a decision that suggested organizers had “determined to respect women and put them in an awkward position” months before the event.
She said the atmosphere at the meeting was “tense” and other attendees “tested that it was a very uncomfortable environment, it got quiet and stiff.”
When other swimmers saw Alon’s tactic of using the closet, which she said was “very difficult to get to,” she claimed several other teams in her area were also hiding from their transgender rival.
Her decision to hide in the closet was originally announced by Florida Congressman Greg Steube, and she said she’s speaking out now because “I know so many women who are swimmers as a freshman, even that happens on.” high schools.”
“I realized I have a story, I have a voice and I want to use it to help change that.”
Riley Gaines (right) is seen in Atlanta, Georgia in March 2022 after swimming against Lia Thomas (left) at the NCAA Championships
Alons criticized NCAA organizers for failing to make the women’s locker room a “safe and private place.”
With Thomas’ spectacular victory sparking outrage among those who say she has an unfair advantage, Alons said she mistook the “rules were about to change”.
“I thought things would be different in a few months — but it’s been over a year since the NCAA championships and there has been no apology for the hostile atmosphere they created,” she said.
“They haven’t revised their policies going forward.”
Alons said the “hostile environment” was created by organizers because they allowed a physical male to compete “without hearing the voices of the female athletes involved.”
Now, over a year after the event, Alons said she would describe the NCAA chiefs’ stance as “simple resistance.”
“They still haven’t apologized … It was total ignorance and silence from women who spoke out, such as Riley Gaines.”
Alons said several other swimmers were forced to hide from Thomas. She is pictured center right with her teammates (left to right) Katherine Berkoff, Sophie Sansson and Abby Arens
Alons was a star swimmer through high school and became an eight-time CHSAA champion. She is pictured at a swimming competition in Virginia on April 12, 2019
Lia Thomas (pictured) sparked controversy at the 2022 NCAA Championships by becoming the first-ever transgender winner
Alons became one of the most decorated collegiate swimmers in North Carolina history after winning numerous races over the years.
After graduating from high school, she was an eight-time CHSAA champion in the 50m freewheel, 100m freewheel, 200m medley relay and 400m freewheel relay.
She did not compete against Thomas at the 2022 NCAA Championships as they swam in different categories.
But she said she is now committed to saving the sport she loves because she feels transgender women have a physical advantage over biological women.
She was in Washington this week lobbying lawmakers for policy changes on the matter. She met with elected officials to bring about “real change.”
Florida Congressman Greg Steube tweeted praise for Alons after their meeting and acknowledged her bravery after clashing with Thomas.
“Today I met with Kylee, the most decorated swimmer in North Carolina state history,” he said.
“She told me how at the NCAA Finals she changed in a closet instead of experiencing the sexual harassment that comes with undressing in front of Will ‘Lia’ Thomas — a physical male who insisted on being in the dressing room for to be women.”
“Thank you @CWforA and @PYNance for working with me to pass the Women and Girls in Sports Protection Act in the House of Representatives,” Steube said in a follow-up tweet.
“The Senate must vote on this important bill to save women’s sports and protect athletes like Kylee from sexual harassment in the locker room.”
The law was also touted by Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, who said after meeting Gaines and Alons, “Any girl who dreams of becoming the next Riley or Kylee deserves our support.”
“It’s time for the Senate to vote on my bill to save Title IX and save women’s sports.”
Responding to the post about Alons’ ordeal, Gaines condemned Thomas’ presence in female dressing rooms, saying, “She and her teammates changed in a janitor’s closet because it felt safer than changing in a locker room that has an intact man would move out at the same time.” .
“I’ve looked up to Kylee for a long time given how fast she is, but now that she’s speaking up, that’s even more important.”
Lia Thomas (right) and teammate Hannah Kannan stand on the pool deck at the Ivy League Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at Harvard University on February 18, 2022
Cece Telfer became the first openly transgender woman to win an NCAA title when she placed first in the 400m hurdles at the 2019 Division II National Championships (pictured)
Laurel Hubbard of New Zealand became the first openly transgender woman to compete in the Olympics when she competed in weightlifting at the Tokyo Games in 2020
The gathering comes at a time when more and more transgender athletes are finding success in women’s sports.
The issue came under the spotlight when Cece Telfer became the first openly transgender woman to win an NCAA title in 2019 when she placed first in the 400m hurdles at the Division II national championships.
The following year, New Zealander Laurel Hubbard became the first openly transgender woman to compete in the Olympics when she competed in weightlifting at the Tokyo Games.
Veronica Ivy won the 2018 UCI Women’s Masters Track World Championship for women aged 35-44 as Rachel McKinnon, becoming the first transgender track cycling champion.
The problem also exists in amateur sports, where trans cyclist Tiffany Thomas also took first place in a bike race in New York City in March.
Tiffany Thomas (center) placed first at the Randall’s Island Crit cycle race in New York City in March
The 46-year-old has been criticized by people who argue that trans athletes have an unfair advantage in women’s sport
While some argue that sex reassignment procedures such as hormone therapy and surgery are enough to level the playing field, experts believe the physical advantage is irreversible.
Tommy Lundberg, a lecturer in physiology at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute and a leading researcher on the subject, told : “The important thing is whether or not you have benefited from male development and male puberty, and if you have , then you.” “will have benefits that you cannot undo later.”
Nancy Hogshead, a former professional swimmer who won three golds and one silver at the 1984 Olympics, told , “Trans women have an undeniable physical advantage.”
“Their bodies do what male bodies do when they go through puberty and that’s why we’re ubiquitously separating sports around the world…”
“Unless it’s just gaming, just recreational sports.” “All competitive sports are gender segregated.”