Local swimming association adopts policy impacting transgender athletes

One of the largest recreational swim leagues in the state and the United States is making changes to transgender athletes being able to swim and compete with the gender they identify with.

According to a statement from the Tarheel Swimming Association, the league will now make transgender athletes swim with the sex they were assigned at birth rather than the gender they feel comfortable swimming with.

Shawn Gage, president of the club, said the league had discussed the decision for more than 18 months and created a task force to consider possible paths forward.

“We spoke with families of transgender swimmers, health care professionals, people with gender dysphoria, and we researched policies of competitive and recreational swim leagues, as well as state laws and academic research on the topic, being sure to cover both sides,” Gage said.

The league presented two options, one that allowed transgender athletes to swim with the gender group they identified with or with the sex they were assigned at birth.

Gage said 43 swim teams in the league voted in favor of having parents register their children with the sex they were assigned at birth, while 25 groups voted for parents to be given the option to register their child to swim in the preferred gender category.

Transgender athletes have become a controversial issue around the United States. Trans swimmers came to the forefront in 2022 after Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer for the University of Pennsylvania, competed in the 2022 NCAA Championships, winning a national title in the 500-yard freestyle. 

Thomas’ participation in the sport drew controversy from several conservatives, including fellow NCAA competitor turned political activist Riley Gaines, who tied for fifth with Thomas in the 200-yard freestyle, which was Gaines' final competitive meet of her career.

In the wake of Thomas’ national title, several states banned transgender athletes from competing with the gender they identify with.

Gage said of the more than 13,000 swimmers in the league, the decision will only impact “a small handful of swimmers” based on reports from the teams.

Gage also reiterated that while he is president of the association, everyone will be welcome in the league “regardless of race, religion or gender identity.”

“For clarity, transgender children are welcome in this league,” Gage said. “But for competition, the league has decided that they are to compete as their sex as identified at birth.”