Hawley zeroes in on Lia Thomas locker room controversy: ‘Did they consent?’
Senator Josh Hawley questioned whether Yale swimmers consented to sharing a locker room with Lia Thomas, a transgender woman who competed for the University of Pennsylvania. The exchange took place during a Senate hearing on fairness in women’s sport and focused on concerns about privacy, consent and competitive fairness.
Kim Jones, whose daughter swam for Yale, said she competed against Thomas several times during the 2021–22 season and that team members were not asked whether they were comfortable sharing a locker room with Thomas. Jones also claimed swimmers were told to obtain approval before discussing the issue publicly and faced significant pressure from coaches and athletic administrators.
- Hawley questioned consent over shared locker rooms.
- A Yale swimmer’s mother said athletes were not consulted.
- Jones described pressure to avoid public criticism.