Caitlyn Jenner has hit out at the swimming row involving Lia Thomas, saying it’s “bad publicity for the trans community”.
Thomas sparked outrage earlier this year after becoming the first transgender woman to win an NCAA swimming title in the US.
When asked during an interview about the legacy of testosterone following her victory, Thomas pointed out that cisgender (cis) people, someone whose gender identity corresponds to their sex assigned at birth, also have different levels of testosterone.
Thomas said: “There is a lot of variation among cis female athletes, there are cis women who are very tall and very muscular and have more testosterone, should that then also disqualify them?”
Dan Wootton and Caitlyn Jenner
GB News
Lia Thomas
Brett Davis
While when also asked whether the Olympics were still a goal, Thomas told ABC: "It's been a goal of mine to swing at Olympic trials for a very long time and I would love to see that through.”
And speaking about the row on GB News’ Dan Wootton Tonight, Jenner believes Thomas is making the trans community look "selfish and self-absorbed".
Jenner said: “It seems, listening to her talk, it’s all about her, it’s not about what’s fair in sport.
“She has a tremendous advantage over the girls, she’s taller, bigger hands, cardiovascular system is bigger, went through male puberty.
“She just has a tremendous advantage and It’s not fair.
“And to be honest with you, this is bad publicity for the trans community it really is.
“It makes the trans community selfish, self-absorbed.”
Jenner continued: “Lia Thomas even said ‘if you accept me as a woman that means you have to accept me as a woman athlete’ - no that is not the case, we do not have to accept that.
“And it’s just not good publicity for the community.
“Honestly I know so many trans people that are wonderful human beings just doing great things in life and I want them to be the example.
“This is a difficult issue, what about female to male athletes? There are a lot of issues out there right now but number one we have to keep it fair for women.”
