Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
Thomas touts ‘let trans kids play’ message while finishing eighth in final swim
Lia Thomas ended her collegiate sports career Saturday with an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Division I women's swimming championships while sending a message in support of transgender athletes. Published March 19, 2022
Lia Thomas fades at NCAA women’s swimming championships, ties for fifth
Lia Thomas came up short in her second race at the NCAA Division I women's championships, tying for fifth place in a race won by Stanford's Taylor Ruck, a four-time Olympic medalist. Published March 18, 2022
Fans hail Olympic medalist Emma Weyant ‘real winner’ after loss to trans swimmer Lia Thomas
She came up short against male-born swimmer Lia Thomas, but Olympic silver medalist Emma Weyant is being cheered as a winner after placing second at the NCAA Division I women's swimming championships. Published March 18, 2022
Lia Thomas makes history as first male-born swimmer to win Division 1 NCAA women’s championship
Transgender athlete Lia Thomas made history Thursday at the NCAA women's swimming championships, cruising to victory amid tepid applause as frustrated protesters outside warned that the Ivy League athlete's success comes at incalculable cost to women's sports. Published March 17, 2022
Concerned Women for America files civil rights complaint over UPenn transgender swimmer Lia Thomas
Concerned Women for America filed Thursday a federal civil rights complaint against the University of Pennsylvania over Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer who has smashed women's records after transitioning to female. Published March 17, 2022
USA Today slammed for naming male-born Rachel Levine one of its Women of the Year
USA Today came under fire Tuesday for recognizing Biden administration official Rachel Levine, who was born male, as one of its 12 Women of the Year. Published March 15, 2022
Ivy League swimmer’s mom: Female athletes ‘frightened’ of speaking out against Lia Thomas
The mother of a female Ivy League swimmer said there's a reason no such athlete has gone public to raise concerns about Lia Thomas: They're frightened. Published March 15, 2022
Bill to limit disclosure on trans inmates spurs fears about female safety in Washington state
An explosive report alleging that male-born inmates were lining up to transfer to women's prisons has been followed by Washington state legislators taking action -- by seeking to squelch access to information about transgender prisoners. Published March 14, 2022
Colorado House Democrats pass sweeping abortion bill after GOP foes force all-nighter
Colorado House Democrats passed Saturday a sweeping pro-choice measure after about 24 hours as minority Republicans sought to stall the legislation in what was billed as one of the longest floor debates in state history. Published March 12, 2022
Democrats slammed over bill to hike taxes on major oil companies
Congressional Democrats like Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island want to bring down sky-high gas prices by raising taxes on major oil-and-gas companies, a proposal that dumbfounded critics said would trigger even higher prices at the pump. Published March 12, 2022
Biden’s oil-and-gas crackdown backfires as energy crunch tightens
President Biden adamantly denies discouraging domestic oil-and-gas production, but his well-documented crackdown on fossil fuels in the name of climate change suggests otherwise. Published March 10, 2022
NYT reporter rips ‘overreaction’ to Jan. 6 riots in Project Veritas sting
Perhaps no major publication has hyped the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot more than The New York Times, but one of its top reporters says the event has been blown out of proportion. Published March 9, 2022
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox vows to veto a ban on male-born athletes in female sports
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox pledged to veto a transgender-sports bill after Republicans passed a last-minute overhaul, replacing a state eligibility panel with an outright ban on male-born competitors in female athletics. Published March 7, 2022
TIME magazine honors transgender celebrity as one of its Women of the Year
TIME magazine selected 12 honorees for its inaugural 2022 Women of the Year issue, but only 11 of them were born female. Published March 5, 2022
Electric-car baron Elon Musk calls for increasing U.S. oil and gas to combat Russia
Tesla may be the world's leading seller of plug-in electric vehicles, but CEO Elon Musk wants the U.S. oil-and-gas industry to ramp up production. Published March 5, 2022
Lia Thomas insists ‘I’m a woman,’ eyes 2024 Olympics in Sports Illustrated profile
Lia Thomas is slated to graduate soon from the University of Pennsylvania, but that doesn't mean the transgender swimmer's athletic career is over. Published March 3, 2022
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signs bill into law barring male-born athletes from female sports
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Thursday signed a bill to prevent male-born athletes from competing in female scholastic sports, making her state the 11th to pass such legislation over the objections of the LGBTQ movement. Published March 3, 2022
Sen. John Kennedy urges Justice Dept. to crack down on anti-Catholic crime, vandalism
Sen. John Kennedy, Louisiana Republican, prodded the Justice Department on Wednesday to act against rising crime targeting Catholic churches and worshipers, saying he has received no response since raising the issue in 2020. Published March 2, 2022
Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas qualifies as top seed at NCAA women’s championships
Transgender athlete Lia Thomas is slated to compete in three races at the NCAA Division I women's swimming championships, placing the male-born swimmer in a position to make history and challenge records held by a trio of female Olympic greats. Published March 2, 2022
U.S. reliance on Russian oil hits record high; Biden pressed to ease clampdown on U.S. energy
President Biden moved Tuesday to check Russian President Vladimir Putin's energy leverage, releasing strategic oil reserves as U.S. petroleum imports from Russia hit a record high and frustration mounted over the administration's domestic fossil fuel crackdown. Published March 1, 2022
