Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

DeSantis Ripped After Declaring Florida Native 'Rightful Winner' In Race She Lost To Trans Swimmer

DeSantis Ripped After Declaring Florida Native 'Rightful Winner' In Race She Lost To Trans Swimmer
Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images; Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images; Michael Reaves/Getty Images

University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas made history last week when she won the NCAA 500-yard women's freestyle swimming championship event, besting native Floridian Emma Weyant of the University of Virginia.

But Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis—one of the most rabidly anti-LGBTQ politicians in the country—issued a statewide decree declaring Weyant as the "rightful winner" because Thomas is trans.


The cartoonishly childish and transphobic move—which amounts to little more than a temper tantrum affixed with the state seal because DeSantis has no power over the NCAA—has drawn widespread criticism.

See DeSantis' announcement below.

DeSantis tweeted:

"By allowing men to compete in women's sports, the NCAA is destroying opportunities for women, making a mockery of its championships, and perpetuating a fraud."
"In Florida, we reject these lies and recognize Sarasota's Emma Weyant as the best women's swimmer in the 500y freestyle."

The decree he issued on behalf of the state of Florida read in part:

"Florida rejects the NCAA's efforts to destroy women's athletics, disapproves of the NCAA elevating ideology over biology, and takes offense at the NCAA trying to make others complicit in a lie..."
"...[S]ince she is a native Floridian from Sarasota, I, Ron DeSantis, Governor of the State of Florida, do hereby declare in Florida that Emma Weyant is the rightful winner of the 2022 NCAA Division I Women's 500-yard Freestyle."

Thomas' win—the first trans athlete in any sport to win a NCAA Division I event—reignited an ongoing debate about whether transgender girls and women should be allowed to compete in sporting events based on their gender identity.

Oddly, the conservative backlash against transgender people once again ignores the existence of trans men and nonbinary people while targeting trans girls and women. Trans women, especially women of color, face the highest rates of transphobic violence and murder.

Science on the issue is as yet inconclusive due to a dearth of solid studies on the matter. But the data gathered so far shows trans women's physiological advantage over cisgender women dramatically declines and for some athletic pursuits disappears entirely after just two years of hormone therapy.

Nevertheless, Republican politicians across the country have launched an all-out assault on transgender female athletes, with several states passing laws banning them from sports teams that align with their gender identity. This includes DeSantis, who signed such a law last January.

On Twitter, DeSantis' tantrum left many people disgusted and mystified over his hubris.








DeSantis' absurd proclamation also comes as Florida's Republican sponsored so-called "Don't Say Gay bill"—which makes discussion of sexuality and gender in elementary schools illegal—awaits DeSantis' signature.

He has vowed to sign it into law.

More from Trending

Teachers Share The Questions Students Asked In Class That Broke Their Hearts

Being a teacher is a calling.

It is not for the meek or weak of heart.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Emily Compagno
Fox News

Fox Host Slams Dem For Dropping An F-Bomb After Praising Trump For The Same Thing Just Minutes Earlier

Fox News host Emily Compagno was criticized after she praised Donald Trump's use of the "f-bomb" earlier this week before condemning Texas Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett's use of the same word—on the same episode of her show, no less.

Trump made headlines this week after admonishing Israel and Iran for violating a ceasefire agreement he'd announced on Truth Social. Although he claimed the ceasefire had been "agreed upon," Iran fired at least six missile barrages at Israel after it was supposed to take effect.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ken Jennings; Emily Croke
@Jeopardy/Instagram

Champ's Wild Final Jeopardy Connection

In a dramatic conclusion on last Monday’s Jeopardy!, a contestant revealed a surprising relationship to the final clue's answer. Hailing from Denver, Emily Croke made it to the final write-in portion of the game show with $12,200 in earnings.

In the category of “Collections,” host Ken Jennings read the clue:

Keep ReadingShow less
State Department logo illustration
Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

State Department Slammed After Requiring Visa Applicants To Make All Social Media Posts Public For Vetting

The State Department is facing harsh criticism after it announced that anyone applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa will need to disclose all social media profiles from the last five years, requiring that all applicants set their posts to public so they can be properly vetted by its agents.

The agency said the new rules are part of a new screening process aimed at identifying individuals who may pose a threat to U.S. national security. According to the department, failure to comply could result in a denial, and consular officers have been instructed to flag signs of “hostility” toward the U.S.—though the criteria for such determinations remain vague.

Keep ReadingShow less
The Tiny Chef Show being canceled
@thetinychefshow/TikTok

Heartbreaking Animated Video Announcing Emmy-Winning Show's Cancellation Has The Internet Sobbing

Whether or not you've heard of the show, Nickelodeon's The Tiny Chef Show has been turning heads. Not only is it a show that children love, but it's an Emmy Award winner.

Despite all of this adorable, pea-sized chef's success, and a Minion-like voice to boot, the show appears to be canceled.

Keep ReadingShow less