After the deletion of her team profile and amid new national bans on trans athletes, questions remain about Lia Smith’s time at Middlebury — and about how the college supports its trans students
I too graduated from Middlebury back in **gasp!** 1969. I went to my 50th reunion, the first I'd ever even considered attending, only because I'd been invited to be one of several people to talk about what significant in our lives since graduation. That, on the basis that in information for a reunion classbook, with which I'd explained my gender that had been buried so deeply within me, that I had no true realization until finally at age 67 I could say "I'm trans."
I was impressed by the reception I had at the reunion. And from what I saw around campus, I thought there was a truly welcoming atmosphere on the campus. Of course things have changed so drastically all over the country since inauguration day.
The news of Lia's death really hit home, but now with the information in this post, I'm angry and upset that she and so many other young trans men and women are faced with such ugliness that they would feel suicide to be an option. And for Lia's death not so distant from the previous suicide at Midd! With Transgender Day of Remembrance coming up I've been looking over the list of those trans people meeting a violent end to their lives since this time last year and saddened by the number of reported suicides. That Lia's name should now appear on that list is so very tragic. The list is long enough as it is, but we know well that especially with suicides are not at all publicized and often go unnoticed.
I’m glad that reunion went so well for you! I haven’t been back in a while, but a bunch of my friends were there this past weekend and I’m kind of relieved I wasn’t on campus when they finally found her. That would have been too much to bear.
Thank you for telling her story--it's important and heartbreaking work. Her death is a tragedy that never needed to happen. I'm bewildered by how many people are embracing hate instead of seeking to understand and, short of understanding, landing at least on compassion.
Hi Ari, I am a current student at Middlebury and all I want to say is thank you for writing this. I have been thinking about writing something similar just to help myself understand the circumstances that lead up to this, but I am just too beyond sad and upset to actually be able to do it. Lia will forever live in our hearts and I will always remember her smiles. We have come so far as to people celebrating her death online. This hate is out of control and non of us are immune to it.
I am so sorry, Rick. I can’t imagine losing somebody that way in such a small community. I hope you’re able to take the time and space to let yourself grieve, and let her memory be a blessing.
I don't ask this to refute anything, but I'm just hoping for clarification. Was she kicked off the team or did she step back of her own accord due to harassment? I see the latter as more or less as being bullied off the team regardless, but in terms of what party made the decision, I'd appreciate verification. I like to know every detail when sharing!
Rest in peace, dear Lia. You deserved so much better
I wrote this piece because I wanted to lay out the evidence as clearly as possible, and what I found is 1) the President of the college identifying her as a member of the team 2) an anti trans researcher saying that she had returned for the 2024-2025 season 3) an article identifying her as a former member of the team after the Trump executive order in February 2025. There are a bunch of unanswered questions in this tragic case.
Also Ev, the other trans woman you referenced, died in 2023. Two trans woman students have died on campus in TWO years. The No More Dead Midd Kids campaign can be found on Instagram and was created after her death. Ev was one of 3 students to die that fall.
people who caused this harm are those that tell vulnerable people that opposite gender identificafion helps. theres no evidence of that. some are severely harmed by it. it was progressives who made this person a front line participant in a battle they never signed up for. belonging, dignity, and fairness was available to this person on the male team. instead activists tricked them into robbing the safety of women by joining the womens team. it didnt have to be this way.
And yet the calls for violence and the actual acts of violence continue to emanate predominantly from the left, the extreme left. They project their shadow side onto the right and deny their own rabid out of control tactics. They accuse anyone who is even remotely conservative as being fascist, terrorist extremists. Keep up the good work and keep losing elections, keep hiding your faces while showing your true colors.
Trans athletes are not banned from sports. They can play in the category they belong in, which is their biological sex. Trans women, who are men, have a physical advantage over women.
He was a man wanting to force women to compete against him. Trans women are breaking women's sports records, stealing their trophies and scholarships and forcing girls and women to undress in front of them. Shame on you for supporting this.
You have no idea how big of an impact this has to everyone, including the entire Middlebury swim and dive team who are all destroyed by the lost of their teammate. And for you to be on here suggesting that Lia, a woman herself, forced anyone to undress in-front of her or stole anyone’s record is delusional. We don’t have athletic scholarship at Middlebury, Lia never broke any records, and shame on you for even suggesting these bs rhetoric on here. We lost Lia, you don’t even know her. We have lost two trans friends in the two years I have been here, one killed herself in my dorm hall. So have some fucking humanity and I hope you really think through your priorities in life.
Ugh this breaks my heart. Legislation and people’s words have serious consequences. Thank you for sharing
This is heartbreaking. Thank your sharing her story.
I too graduated from Middlebury back in **gasp!** 1969. I went to my 50th reunion, the first I'd ever even considered attending, only because I'd been invited to be one of several people to talk about what significant in our lives since graduation. That, on the basis that in information for a reunion classbook, with which I'd explained my gender that had been buried so deeply within me, that I had no true realization until finally at age 67 I could say "I'm trans."
I was impressed by the reception I had at the reunion. And from what I saw around campus, I thought there was a truly welcoming atmosphere on the campus. Of course things have changed so drastically all over the country since inauguration day.
The news of Lia's death really hit home, but now with the information in this post, I'm angry and upset that she and so many other young trans men and women are faced with such ugliness that they would feel suicide to be an option. And for Lia's death not so distant from the previous suicide at Midd! With Transgender Day of Remembrance coming up I've been looking over the list of those trans people meeting a violent end to their lives since this time last year and saddened by the number of reported suicides. That Lia's name should now appear on that list is so very tragic. The list is long enough as it is, but we know well that especially with suicides are not at all publicized and often go unnoticed.
Thank you so much for sharing this. Paula
I’m glad that reunion went so well for you! I haven’t been back in a while, but a bunch of my friends were there this past weekend and I’m kind of relieved I wasn’t on campus when they finally found her. That would have been too much to bear.
Thank you for telling her story--it's important and heartbreaking work. Her death is a tragedy that never needed to happen. I'm bewildered by how many people are embracing hate instead of seeking to understand and, short of understanding, landing at least on compassion.
Hi Ari, I am a current student at Middlebury and all I want to say is thank you for writing this. I have been thinking about writing something similar just to help myself understand the circumstances that lead up to this, but I am just too beyond sad and upset to actually be able to do it. Lia will forever live in our hearts and I will always remember her smiles. We have come so far as to people celebrating her death online. This hate is out of control and non of us are immune to it.
I am so sorry, Rick. I can’t imagine losing somebody that way in such a small community. I hope you’re able to take the time and space to let yourself grieve, and let her memory be a blessing.
I don't ask this to refute anything, but I'm just hoping for clarification. Was she kicked off the team or did she step back of her own accord due to harassment? I see the latter as more or less as being bullied off the team regardless, but in terms of what party made the decision, I'd appreciate verification. I like to know every detail when sharing!
Rest in peace, dear Lia. You deserved so much better
I wrote this piece because I wanted to lay out the evidence as clearly as possible, and what I found is 1) the President of the college identifying her as a member of the team 2) an anti trans researcher saying that she had returned for the 2024-2025 season 3) an article identifying her as a former member of the team after the Trump executive order in February 2025. There are a bunch of unanswered questions in this tragic case.
Appreciate your transparency!
Lia was originally recruited to Middlebury Swimming and Diving as a trans woman athlete. Her team supported her, the country didn’t.
*I am one of her college friends
Middlebury College 100% fails its queer and trans students. The team, however, supported her
Also Ev, the other trans woman you referenced, died in 2023. Two trans woman students have died on campus in TWO years. The No More Dead Midd Kids campaign can be found on Instagram and was created after her death. Ev was one of 3 students to die that fall.
people who caused this harm are those that tell vulnerable people that opposite gender identificafion helps. theres no evidence of that. some are severely harmed by it. it was progressives who made this person a front line participant in a battle they never signed up for. belonging, dignity, and fairness was available to this person on the male team. instead activists tricked them into robbing the safety of women by joining the womens team. it didnt have to be this way.
And yet the calls for violence and the actual acts of violence continue to emanate predominantly from the left, the extreme left. They project their shadow side onto the right and deny their own rabid out of control tactics. They accuse anyone who is even remotely conservative as being fascist, terrorist extremists. Keep up the good work and keep losing elections, keep hiding your faces while showing your true colors.
Trans athletes are not banned from sports. They can play in the category they belong in, which is their biological sex. Trans women, who are men, have a physical advantage over women.
Tell that to Lia's dead body.
Tell what to him?
He was a man wanting to force women to compete against him. Trans women are breaking women's sports records, stealing their trophies and scholarships and forcing girls and women to undress in front of them. Shame on you for supporting this.
You are a piece of shit.
You have no idea how big of an impact this has to everyone, including the entire Middlebury swim and dive team who are all destroyed by the lost of their teammate. And for you to be on here suggesting that Lia, a woman herself, forced anyone to undress in-front of her or stole anyone’s record is delusional. We don’t have athletic scholarship at Middlebury, Lia never broke any records, and shame on you for even suggesting these bs rhetoric on here. We lost Lia, you don’t even know her. We have lost two trans friends in the two years I have been here, one killed herself in my dorm hall. So have some fucking humanity and I hope you really think through your priorities in life.
You are evil
It's heartbreaking 💔
My condolences to her family and friends. The world is a little dimmer for having lost a light that shined so bright. 😔
Rest in peace, Lia. I am in shock