University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas nominated for NCAA’s woman of the year award

The University of Pennsylvania have nominated transgender swimmer Lia Thomas for the NCAA’s women of the year award.

According to the NCAA website, the purpose of the award is to honor “academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership of graduating female college athletes from all three divisions.”

Thomas previously swam for the University of Pennsylvania’s men’s team, but since transitioning, she now swims for the women’s team. Thomas was the first transgender athlete to win a NCAA Division 1 title.

Some on social media reacted angrily to the news. Abigail Shrier, who is the author of “Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters,” hit out at the decision on Twitter. “It isn’t ‘inclusion’ that leads the Ivy League to pull stunts like this. It’s misogyny – and utter contempt for the truth,” she said.

Daily Wire host Ben Shapiro also gave his thoughts on the nomination, saying: “The patriarchy is so brilliant that biological men are now winning Women of the Year awards.”

Former tennis player Martina Navratilova took a particularly angry tone and questioned why a biological woman wasn’t given the nomination. “Not enough fabulous biological women athletes, NCAA?!? What is wrong with you?!!!!!!!?” Navratilova Tweeted Saturday in response to Thomas’ nomination.

In February, Thomas’s teammates sent a letter to Ivy League Officials stating that Thomas had an “unfair advantage.”

Thomas later spoke out in May during an interview with ABC about the controversy surrounding her. She spoke of previous depression and also said she took a year out of college to undergo hormone therapy and fully complied with NCAA requirements.

“I knew there would be scrutiny against me if I competed as a woman. I was prepared for that,” Thomas said during the interview. “But I also don’t need anybody’s permission to be myself and to do the sport that I love.” Thomas concluded the interview by saying that transgender women are “not a threat to women’s sports.”