Senator Hawley Questions Consent in Locker Room Sharing with Lia Thomas

<p>During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on fairness in women’s sports, Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo., inquired whether swimmers at Yale consented to sharing a locker room with Lia Thomas, a transgender athlete from the University of Pennsylvania. Thomas has been a prominent figure in discussions regarding sex divisions in athletics after competing against and defeating swimmer Riley Gaines and others.</p><p>Hawley referenced a previous testimony from Riley Gaines, who described her experience of sharing a locker room with a biological male without her consent, stating, "Three years ago, Riley Gaines sat right where you’re sitting at a hearing in front of this committee, and she described for the committee what it was like to be forced to have a biological man in her locker room without her consent, forced to undress in front of him, forced to watch him undress in front of her, forced to then go compete with her — against her — in a totally unfair situation."</p><p>Kim Jones, co-founder of the Independent Council on Women’s Sports, confirmed that her daughter swam against Thomas in multiple competitions during the 2021-2022 season. When asked if the girls on the team were consulted about their comfort level sharing a locker room with Thomas, Jones responded negatively.</p><p>Jones explained that swimmers were required to attend mandatory meetings where they were informed that decisions regarding intersex participation were made by their schools and league. She stated, "If they wanted to speak on [the subject], they had to get their words cleared by their coaches and athletic directors. They were told to control their families. The threats were gigantic. The pressure was enormous, and it came down on a regular, regular basis."</p><p>Hawley described the situation as "incredible," noting that it was believable based on the experiences shared.</p>