The Transgender athletes Lia Thomas and Valentina Petrillo responded to Elon Musk after her explosive appeal to the global boycott of sporting events that allow biological men to compete in women’s categories. The comments of the technology magnate, which many define provocateurs, have triggered a violent reaction in the sports community and LGBTQ+.
In a very strong declaration, Lia Thomas, NCAA swimming champion whose participation in the female races made news at national level, accused Musk of “Fooding hatred under the aegis of equity”.
“Elon Musk is not a sports authority. He is a billionaire playing on cultural war from behind a screen,” said Thomas. “Trans women are not cheating. We are athletes who train, compete and feel at home.”
Even the Italian Paralympic athlete Valentina Petrillo, the first transgender woman to compete in women’s athletics races in Europe, condemned Musk’s statements, calling them “dangerous, dehumanizing and based on fear, not on the facts”.
“This type of rhetoric puts human lives at risk,” Petrillo warned. “Encourage discrimination and undermines all that sport represents: inclusion, perseverance and respect”.
The reaction follows Musk’s viral post on X (ex Twitter), in which he asked for the boycott of competitions “which allow biological men to eliminate women from the podium” and proposed severe penalties for what he called “gender fraud” in sport.
While some conservative commentators and supporters of women’s rights have applauded Musk’s position, critics claim that his comments ignore the complexity of the matter and further stigmatize an already vulnerable group.
Important LGBTQ+ rights defense groups urged sponsors and sports organizations publicly denouncing Musk’s statements. In the meantime, several transgender athletes have reported an increase in online harassment and abuse since Musk’s post became viral.
Despite the clamor, Musk doubled his efforts, tweeting late on Monday evening:
If this offends people, perhaps it should reconsider the importance of equity in sport. I will not apologize for telling the truth.
While the debate reaches new levels of hostility, sports federations around the world are now subjected to renewed pressures so that they take a position, in one way or another.
