BREAKING: UPenn to APOLOGIZE to girls who lost titles, records to male swimmer Lia Thomas

The University of Pennsylvania will be apologizing to female athletes who were forced to compete against trans-identified male UPenn swimmer Lia Thomas as part of an agreement to resolve Title IX violations.

The deal will see UPenn restore the titles and records to female athletes defeated by Thomas, the school adopting definitions for male and female that are consistent with biological sex, and will issue personal apologies to each impacted female athlete.

US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement, "Today’s resolution agreement with UPenn is yet another example of the Trump effect in action. Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, UPenn has agreed both to apologize for its past Title IX violations and to ensure that women’s sports are protected at the University for future generations of female athletes," per Outkick.

"Today is a great victory for women and girls, not only at the University of Pennsylvania, but all across our nation. The Department commends UPenn for rectifying its past harms against women and girls, and we will continue to fight relentlessly to restore Title IX’s proper application and enforce it to the fullest extent of the law."

The Department of Education found in April that the school had violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 by allowing biological males to compete in women's sports and enter intimate women’s facilities. A resolution agreement was given to the school, which included restoring titles and other accolades, apologizing, and issuing a statement that the school would comply with Title IX.

Speaking with Outkick about the resolution signed by the school, McMahon said, "[We wanted] to make sure that it was emphasized that this was wrong and the university didn't take the right kind of action and to apologize to these women for putting them in situations where they could have been hurt or where they would have lost opportunity or where they might have had their dignity impugned because they had to change in private spaces in front of males… So I think an apology was absolutely warranted."

"One of the big things that is happening with this resolution is that the University of Pennsylvania is going to restore all the Division I women's records and titles or similar recognitions to the women who actually did win them, save for competing against a man, and I think that is a really big thing," she added. 

Paula Scanlan, a former teammate of Thomas, said in regards to the resolution, "I am deeply grateful to the Trump administration for standing firm in protecting women and girls and restoring our rightful accolades. It is because of their strong leadership that my alma mater now knows it has no choice but to begin the process of reforming its policies to uphold women’s rights. Today marks a momentous step toward repairing the past mistreatment of female athletes and forging a future where sex discrimination no longer limits girls’ potential."

Riley Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer who competed against Thomas at the NCAA championships in 2022 said, "From day one, President Trump and Secretary McMahon made it clear that protecting women and girls is a top priority—and today’s agreement with UPenn is proof of that commitment in action."

She added, "This Administration isn’t just talking about women’s equality, but instead actively defending it. I hope this sends a clear message to educational institutions: you can no longer disregard women’s civil rights. And to every female athlete, know this: your dignity, safety, and fairness matter, and our nation’s leaders will not stop fighting for them."

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