DeSantis slams NCAA and Lia Thomas, declares Florida swimmer 'rightful winner'

[Kemono]

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an official proclamation Tuesday declaring a Florida resident the "rightful winner" of an NCAA women's swimming championship race over transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.

Thomas — the University of Pennsylvania swimmer whose record-breaking season has sparked national debate over whether trans women should compete on female sports teams — became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA championship last week, placing first in the 500-yard freestyle race at the Division I finals in Atlanta on Thursday.

DeSantis said he would "reject these lies and recognize" University of Virginia swimmer and Florida resident Emma Weyant, who came in second place, as the winner.

DeSantis slams NCAA and Lia Thomas, declares Florida swimmer 'rightful winner'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the "NCAA is destroying opportunities for women" and "perpetuating a fraud" by letting transgender women compete in women's sports.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Arkanim94]

What a disgusting fuck he is.

 

[Atom Heart Mother]

good god what a fucking piece of shit. he has no swag, either.

 

[Psamtik]

Oh, now they like participation trophies.

He can eat shit.

 

[Cort]

SLAMS

 

[Gay Bowser]

it's like he can't miss any opportunities to be terrible

truly focusing on the important things

 

[Razmos]

This is absolutely disgusting

 

[LordRuyn]

I'd love to see the athlete he "chose" as the winner come out and just rip him a new one publicly.

What a piece of shit DeSantis is...

 

[Psittacus]

"<event> would have had <outcome> under Florida law. Therefore we consider that <outcome> occurred"

 

[Helix]

honestly, did we expect anything else from this fucking transphobe?

 

[SigSig]

did Weyant complain? I was only aware of that loser in 17th place (who should have been faster lol).
if she didn't complain about this, it's pretty vile to drag her into this.

 

[SSF1991]

I'm so fucking sick and tired of this asshole, and I don't even live in Florida.

 

[ZeoVGM]

I hope Weyant comes out against this and refuses the title of winner. If she's silent, that will be telling.

This idiot needs to be shamed and humiliated.

 

[BLEEN]

That's not how it works lol

Like declaring bankruptcy

 

[squeakywheel]

Of course this moron did. Lia played by the (harsh) rules set for her and won fair and square. STFU Deathsantis. I hope Emma responds and throws his accolades back in his punchable face.

 

[Trey]

I hope Weyant comes out against this and refuses the title of winner. If she's silent, that will be telling.

This idiot needs to be shamed and humiliated.

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some college athlete people only know of because she lost is probably not obligated to publicly rebuke a nationally known politician engaging in culture war theater just to keep his name in the news cycle. If she chooses to do so, good for her.

 

[Thorn]

Republicans are evil.

 

[JigglesBunny]

Bite a curb, you fuck.

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

I hope Weyant comes out against this and refuses the title of winner. If she's silent, that will be telling.

This idiot needs to be shamed and humiliated.

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She might be a little busy avoiding social media with it being flooded by the phobes.

 

[WinniethePimp]

Is this guy for real?

 

[hateradio]

What "lies" is he even talking about?

God-damn Florida is really a fucking sewer and should just return to wetlands as that would be better than to have this scum of the earth perpetuate so much vitriol and hate.

 

[Malleymal]

Really has nothing better to do than fight culture wars

 

[hateradio]

Also, it's fucking absurd that these transhobes, homophobes, and for lack of a better phrase conservative mysoginits have nothing better to do than to uphold the patriarchy in sports.

No one cares when trans people work at a store, when trans people go to college, when trans people ride a car . . . but if it's a sport, all hell breaks lose in the minds of these people.

The laughable part is that DeSantis or any other (straight) man outside of the core aficionados wouldn't even care about this sport. They only care about stomping on overacheivers.

Note that they barely even care when people dope, which is a true problem.

 

[hateradio]

Really has nothing better to do than fight culture wars

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Exactly. Let's add harming children who are trans to the list, because they have nothing better to do than perpetuate hate.

 

[Kyuuji]

The whiplash from watching Tangerine before bed last night and this being one of the first things I see this morning. DeSantis is a truly vile man.

 

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

WHEREAS DeSantis can go fuck himself

 

[phonicjoy]

The utter insanity of people voting for this guy. At the bare minimum you must believe that he has better things to do than this shit.

 

[LilWayneSuckz]

115,000 likes…for real?

 

[Zombegoast]

Jim Crow never left, it's just targeting transgender

 

[Addie]

It's like some people actually believe that there aren't NCAA rules on HRT and timelines involved here, and that a notional person could ping-pong between competitive divisions on a whim. Also, the same people never gave a fuck about college sports until this very moment.

 

[Trup1aya]

This guy is shameless.

Athlete follows all rules and emerges victorious… she won. Get over it.

 

[Snarfington]

DeSantis seems like such a baby, constantly

White man victim complex off the charts on everything

 

[Lkr]

i'm sure he's very interested in womens college swimming

 

[fixurheartordie]

Lia, you shouldn't have to be as brave as you are but I'm glad you are.

Fuck this asshole.

 

[Thordinson]

Fuck him and fuck transphobia.

Also, it's fucking absurd that these transhobes, homophobes, and for lack of a better phrase conservative mysoginits have nothing better to do than to uphold the patriarchy in sports.

No one cares when trans people work at a store, when trans people go to college, when trans people ride a car . . . but if it's a sport, all hell breaks lose in the minds of these people.

Click to shrink...

The same people getting mad over this do care about trans folks doing all those things. That's why they continue to target trans folks with laws making it harder and harder to be themselves. This is about far more than just sports.

115,000 likes…for real?

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Transphobia spans the political spectrum.

 

[FF Seraphim]

I hope when the midterms come the Republicans do not gain more seats. There needs to be drastic shift away from this hate.

 

[whytemyke]

Aside from being transphobic, it's also just dumb. Like he can declare the Miami Heat the 2020 NBA champions but everyone watched them lose sooo… have fun with that, I guess?

Just like these other Republican pieces of trash that think they can sit there and lie to you about exactly what you're seeing and have you believe it.

 

[TaySan]

What a salty piece of shit. What is he even talking about "lies"?

 

[Thordinson]

Aside from being transphobic, it's also just dumb. Like he can declare the Miami Heat the 2020 NBA champions but everyone watched them lose sooo… have fun with that, I guess?

Just like these other Republican pieces of trash that think they can sit there and lie to you about exactly what you're seeing and have you believe it.

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It's not the same because at least half the country agrees that she wasn't a "real" winner.

 

[Relix]

ladies and gentlemen, your 2024 US President.

I hate this fucker with a passion but he knows what he's doing. He's giving right wing assholes what they want. He knows his public. And sadly I know moderates and even leftists who will agree with him with this statement.

 

[Renna Hazel]

Republicans have really latched onto this being the new boogeyman and their voters are sadly on board. I really hate this guy and I hope he gets hit by a train.

 

[R0987]

 

[Mathieran]

So have these ghouls even asked the other competitors what they think?

 

[Drea]

Unfortunately a lot of people agree with him. My entire office went on a disgusting transphobic rant after this happened and they all claim to be liberals.

 

[Deleted member 19626]

This is the rights new target, people don't give a fuck about the sport, but going to arm chair expert how she's not the winner and how she wouldn't qualify if it was the mens division.

 

[Thorrgal]

Republicans have really latched onto this being the new boogeyman and their voters are sadly on board. I really hate this guy and I hope he gets hit by a train.

Click to shrink...

Not only republican voters, as someone said earlier transphobia spans the political spectrum...republican politicians want to push this hard to get votes from outside their traditional pool.

 

[Casa]

Culture war bullshit like this is why Florida is likely lost for good to the GOP. It plays extremely well amongst the very religious Hispanic population in addition to the traditional conservative base. Just like all the other outrageous shit DeSantis has said and done over the last couple of years.

 

[Thorn]

Not only republican voters, as someone said earlier transphobia spans the political spectrum...republican politicians want to push this hard to get votes from outside their traditional pool.

Click to shrink...

Yup. It'll probably work too. Transphobia is very popular.

 

[litebrite]

Unfortunately a lot of people agree with him. My entire office went on a disgusting transphobic rant after this happened and they all claim to be liberals.

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This.

Even people who believe Transgenders should be treated with respect and dignity, granted full rights, and be protected are not completely convinced on transwomen competing in women's sports.

 

[meowdi gras]

I hope Weyant comes out against this and refuses the title of winner. If she's silent, that will be telling.

This idiot needs to be shamed and humiliated.

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If Weyant does decide to publicly contradict DeathSantis in defense of Thomas and other trans athletes, watch for her to get death threats cuz of rabidly transphobic deplorables. I'm sure she's aware of this likelihood, as is DeathSantis and other politicians who relish in siccing their hateful base on innocent people to win political points.

I personally hope Weyant and other cis competitors speak out in defense of Lia. Let's just be fully aware of the sick game DeathSantis is playing here to steamroll dissent. If Weyant does opt to keep silent for her own safety's sake, I will be disappointed, but I won't judge her to be transphobic for not being as brave as Lia.

Jim Crow never left, it's just targeting transgender

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Can we not? IMO, the trans experience and the Black experience in America are both horrifying enough on their own. We don't need to draw dubious parallels like this. (On a question of scale alone, nothing compares with the Black experience, absolutely nothing.)