Transgender athletes Lia Thomas and Valentina Petrillo have responded to Elon Musk’s explosive outcry against the global boycott of sporting events that allow biological males to compete in women’s categories. The tech group’s comments, which have been widely viewed, have sparked a backlash in the sports and LGBTQ+ communities.
In a pointed explanation, NCAA swimming master Lia Thomas, whose participation in national races at the national level has made messages to hate the summits under the quality of equity.
“Elon Musk is not a sports authority. He’s a billionaire waging a culture war behind a screen,” Thomas said. “Trans people don’t reveal themselves. We’re athletes who train, compete, and feel at home.”
Even Italian Paralympian Valentina Petrillo, the first trans woman to compete in athletics in Europe, condemned Musk’s statements, calling them “dangerous, dehumanizing, and based on fear, not facts.”
“This type of rhetoric puts human life at risk,” Petrillo warned. “It fosters discrimination and undermines everything that sport stands for: inclusion, resilience, and respect.”
According to the boycott of the competitions, the negative reaction reaches the X (ex Twitter), “which allows biological men to play women on the podium” and has suggested serious sanctions for what it describes as “gender fraud” in sport.
While some conservative commentators and supporters of Almiscar’s position have received criticism, critics say their comments ignore the complexity of the issue and continue to stigmatize an already vulnerable group.
Prominent LGBTQ+ rights groups have called on sponsors and sports organizations to make meaningful public statements. Meanwhile, several transgender athletes have reported an increase in online discomfort and abuse since the high pole went viral.
Despite the protests, Musk doubled down on his efforts and tweeted Monday night:
If this offends anyone, you might want to rethink the importance of fairness in sports. I won’t apologize for telling the truth.
As the debate reaches a new level of hostility, sports associations around the world are now under further pressure to take a position one way or another.
