UPenn Bans Trans Women, Revokes Lia Thomas’ Titles

The University of Pennsylvania has agreed to ban transgender women from competing on its women's sports teams and will revoke records and titles previously held by Lia Thomas, the first openly transgender NCAA Division I national swimming champion, after a Department of Education investigation. Under the agreement, Penn will restore swimming records and awards to the original female athletes, issue formal apologies to those affected, and adopt 'biology-based' definitions for male and female categories in keeping with Title IX as interpreted by the Trump administration. Education Secretary Linda McMahon celebrated the move as a 'victory for women and girls.' The agreement responds directly to executive orders from President Trump mandating the separation of sports, facilities, and records by birth sex. Penn acknowledged its earlier policies aligned with NCAA rules at the time but will update them to match new federal requirements. The NCAA has not yet stated whether Thomas’s national championship will be rescinded at the intercollegiate level, and the case is expected to set a precedent for other universities.