"I faced a lot of harassment" - Lia Thomas speaks out about challenges as trans swimmer while being honored with 'Voice of Inspiration Award'

Lia Thomas reflected on the challenges of being a transgender swimmer after receiving the 'Voice of Inspiration Award' at the 2025 Violet Visionary Awards. Thomas became the first openly transgender swimmer to compete at the Division I Championships.

Thomas was initially a part of Penn men’s swimming and diving team. During this time, Thomas became the finalist in the 500-yard, 1000, and 1650 freestyle events at the 2018 Ivy League. The swimmer then went into hormone replacement therapy, which beagn in 2019. In 2021, Thomas returned to the sport and started competing for the Penn women’s team.

Thomas rose to fame after the 2022 NCAA Championships after tying with Riley Gaines, who protested against the former. After receiving the award on Thursday, Thomas reflected on the swimming journey while highlighting the challenges and harassment a transgender individual has to go through. During the speech, Thomas also shed light on being a transgender and not receiving proper support.

"It makes me very emotional because I remember all too well not that long ago being 18 and just realizing that I'm trans and feeling so excited at the prospect of being able to be who I am, but feeling so terrified to take those steps because I didn't know any other trans people. I didn't — I barely knew what being trans meant."

"If I had had an organization like that as a kid to give me the knowledge and language to describe my transness, how important that would have been. Because I faced a lot of harassment. I got a lot of messages of violence against me in my Instagram comments and DMs." (via foxnews.com)

Along with winning a title at the 2022 NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships, Thomas also received the nomination for NCAA Woman of the Year.

Riley Gaines criticizes Lia Thomas winning the Voice of Inspiration Award

Lia Thomas at the NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championshipon in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Getty Images)

Lia Thomas was awarded with the 'Voice of Inspiration Award,' which was sponsored by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Following the event, Riley Gaines took a swipe at the MLB team, stating:

"Last night Will Thomas was awarded the “Voice of Inspiration” award at a Dodgers-sponsored event. The only people he’s inspired are other opportunistic men who realized they can violate & steal from women and be celebrated for it."

When Lia Thomas and Gaines tied at the NCAA Championships, only the transgender athlete was awarded with the trophy, which did not sit well with the latter.