Former star collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines spoke out on Monday against those advocating for greater inclusivity in women’s sports, as she continues striving to maintain fairness and equality in the field.
During her appearance on “The Michele Tafoya Podcast,” Gaines discussed the female athletes who support biological men identifying as women participating in women’s sports. As a former NCAA swimmer at Kentucky and a vocal advocate on the topic, she has been particularly vocal since trans-female and biological male Lia Thomas emerged as a champion during the 2021-22 season.
Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner recently joined a growing list of star athletes supporting transgender participation in sports, stating that it is “a crime honestly to separate someone for any reason.” Soccer star Megan Rapinoe was among the current and former athletes who signed a letter opposing the Protection of Girls and Women in Sports Act.
“It just blows my mind you have people like Brittney Griner, you have someone like Megan Rapinoe and those 37 other athletes that signed on, you have someone like Billie Jean King who was once a crusader for women’s sports. We really have Billie Jean King to credit for Title IX. And these women are now coming out, and, of course, they’re either done playing or at the end of their career. And of course, none of these three ladies I mentioned, they don’t have daughters to defend,” Gaines told Tafoya.
“So, hearing them advocate for male inclusion in women’s sports in women’s spaces, like locker rooms, it’s just disingenuous. It’s, to me, again knowing these women are done playing for on the verge or on the verge of being done playing, they have nothing to lose,” Gaines continued.
“They would rather be kind, and inclusive and virtue signal but in reality it’s not inclusive to allow men into our sports. It’s exclusive. It’s exclusive to the very female athletes who Title IX was passed to protect,” she added.
Gaines clarified any misconceptions regarding the bills she supported at both the federal and state levels. These bills would prohibit transgender athletes from competing in sports categories that align with their gender identity, Fox News reported.
“And I want to touch on the misconception you mentioned about, you know, something that I’ve seen time and time again traveling state to state like I’m doing right now – both at the federal and state level,” she said. “We saw at the federal level last week when the U.S. House of Representatives voted on this and not one Democrat voted in favor of protecting women and girls.
“What they constantly say is this is a hate bill, it bans trans athletes from playing. Just like you mentioned, this does not ban anyone. I do not believe anyone, regardless of your age, your race, your sex, your gender identity, your sports you’re playing – no one should be banned from playing sports,” Gaines continued.
“That’s the silliest assumption ever. Everyone is entitled to fair and safe play and that’s exactly what these state bills, that’s exactly what Title IX was passed to protect and these federal bills that are going through. That’s what this argument is about. It’s fairness,” she said.
