Riley Gaines, a former All-American swimmer from the University of Kentucky, confronted transgender-identifying swimmer Lia Thomas in a recent appearance on “Piers Morgan Uncensored,” asserting that female athletes are losing opportunities due to unfair competition from transgender individuals.
Gaines referenced a quote by Thomas, who transitioned from the University of Pennsylvania men’s swim team to the women’s team, in which she expressed her heartbreak at seeing “trans kids lose out on opportunities.” Gaines pointed out the hypocrisy, asking if Thomas felt the same way about women losing opportunities to athletes like herself.
“Lia Thomas [was] quoted saying, you know, ‘It breaks my heart to see trans kids lose out on opportunities,” Gaines told Morgan. “Replace that with word ‘woman.’ Does it still break Thomas’s heart to see women lose out on opportunities? Because that’s what’s happening.”
In the 2021 NCAA finals, Thomas and Gaines tied for fifth place in the women’s 200-meter race, but Thomas was awarded the medal. Gaines believes this decision was an NCAA attempt to promote Thomas. Gaines recounted witnessing female athletes lose opportunities, such as missing All-American status, due to being displaced by male competitors. This, she argued, goes against Title IX, a federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities.
Title IX states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
The Biden administration’s efforts to rewrite Title IX have been met with resistance by Gaines and others who argue that the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports undermines the purpose of the law.
“From my experience competing against Lia Thomas at the national championships, I watched first-hand women lose out on opportunities,” Gaines said. “I watched women not become All-Americans, missing that eighth and 16th place by one place because they were displaced by a male. This, of course, goes against everything that Title IX was created to protect and now we have the Biden administration, the people in the White House, who are actively working to rewrite Title IX.”
Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) criticized Gaines, suggesting that her outspoken opinions on the matter were meant to garner attention. Gaines fired back, stating that she is speaking on behalf of all female athletes and that her advocacy is not about personal gain. Gaines emphasized that she is fighting for the future of female athletes, including potential daughters and younger family members.
“I’m speaking for every female athlete, not just myself,” Gaines said. “I’m done competing. This isn’t about me. But I know what’s at stake if someone doesn’t use their voice. I have a younger sister. I just got married. I can only hope one day that I have a daughter and I can’t imagine being in this position and not fighting for them.”
During a visit to San Francisco State University to advocate for female athletes’ rights, Gaines was mobbed by transgender activists and forced to shelter in a locked room for hours. Social media footage showed Gaines being escorted to safety by police officers as protesters shouted “Trans rights are human rights!”
Despite the backlash, Gaines has continued to champion the cause. She recently criticized U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe for opposing H.R. 734, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which aims to protect women’s sports from the inclusion of transgender athletes. Rapinoe argued that women’s sports need protection from issues like unequal pay, sexual abuse, and lack of resources, rather than from transgender individuals.
Gaines accused Rapinoe of “virtue signaling” and questioned whether she would genuinely welcome a male competitor on her team. The tweets were later deleted.
Gaines also took issue with ESPN for celebrating Lia Thomas during Women’s History Month, when the network highlighted Thomas as the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I Championship. Gaines called Thomas an “arrogant, cheat” who stole the title from a deserving woman, and criticized ESPN for its support.
Gaines is fearlessly defending the protection of women in women’s sports from becoming dominated by female transgenders who are championed by the NCAA and the White House. She should be applauded.