HomeBody SafetySafeguarding

Paula Scanlan on Why She Fights

Paula Scanlan is a former University of Pennsylvania collegiate swimmer who gained national attention for speaking out about her experiences shari

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Paula Scanlan is a former University of Pennsylvania collegiate swimmer who gained national attention for speaking out about her experiences sharing locker rooms and competing alongside Lia Thomas.  In 2023, Scanlan broke her silence, describing what it was like to feel unsafe and unseen when she was placed in proximity with Lia Thomas during practices and locker-room routines. Following her public comments, Scanlan became a spokesperson and advisor for the Independent Women’s Forum and Independent Women’s Voice, pushing for protection of women’s single-sex spaces and free speech in athletics.