CNN Opinion: Anti-Trans Republicans Don't Give a Damn About Women's Sports

[Ms. Toad]

17. Lia Thomas IS a woman, so women (plural) are not being sacrificed.

A specific woman (Lia Thomas) is.

Here is where her time would have placed her in each of the last 10 NCAA 500 Freestyle Championships:

2022- 1st
2021 - 2nd
2019 - 3rd
2018 - 2nd
2017 - 3rd
2016 - 3rd
2015 - 2nd
2014 - 3rd
2013 - 1st
2012 - 1st

The second place winner (which others, who think like you, believe was robbed) would not have placed 1st, ever, in the last 10 meets, would have placed 2nd in only 3 of them (including the meet against Lia Thomas), would have placed 3rd in two others, and would not have been in the top 3 in the remaning 4 races.

2022- 2nd
2021 - 2nd
2019 - 3rd
2018 - 3rd
2017 - 3rd
2016 - Not top 3
2015 - Not top 3
2014 - Not top 3
2013 - Not top 3
2012 - 2nd

So where is this magical advantage, which robbed Emma Weant of her top place finish? Did Paige Madden, Brooke Forde, Katie Ledecky, Lea Smith, Brittany MacLean, and Haley Anderson also have this magic?

You're being played by right wing forces will be using this issue to drive conservative voters to the polls to vote for ballot issues drummed up to cement discrimination against trans individuals. These same forces know the left is not united on this issue, so they know that our politicians will be unable to effectively counter the transhostility being spewed by the right (and echoed by far too many on the left) - just as they did in 2004 when my marriage was used by the right to elect George Bush.

If we don't learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. And don't think our trans friends aren't learning exactly what those on the left really think of them. To paraphrase my high school sweetheart: The unthinking transphobia and reflexive contempt from those who claim to be our friends stingmore than any cruelty the right has devised.