NCAA All-American swimmer Riley Gaines testified before the House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Health and Financial Services, expressing stark concerns about the Biden administration’s proposed changes to Title IX regarding women’s sports and the inclusion of men identifying in women in those sports.
Gaines criticized Rep. Summer Lee’s accusation of “transphobic bigotry” in her testimony, and would even turn the tables on Lee by calling her a misogynist.
Gaines recounted her experience of competing against Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer, at the NCAA competition. She highlighted the extreme discomfort female athletes faced, having to change in the same dressing room as Thomas without prior warning or consent.
Riley Gaines to Rep. Summer Lee: “If my testimony makes me transphobic then I believe your opening monologue makes you a misogynist.”
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) December 5, 2023
She emphasized the inherent physical differences between males and females in sports, citing studies showing a 10 to 12 percent athletic advantage for males. Gaines argued that hormone therapy cannot completely eliminate this advantage, and introducing males into women’s sports puts female athletes at a disadvantage.
Gaines provided examples of injuries suffered by female athletes when competing against transgender players, underscoring the potential risks and severity of such incidents. She mentioned the case of a North Carolina student partially paralyzed after being injured by a transgender player and another incident in Massachusetts causing significant facial and dental injuries.
Addressing the proposed changes by the Department of Education, Gaines criticized the new rule that allows anyone who identifies as a woman to participate in women’s sports. She argued that such changes prioritize inclusion over the safety and fairness of female athletes, violating Title IX.
Gaines urged the committee to take action against the Biden administration’s proposed changes to Title IX, emphasizing the need to prioritize the safety and fairness of female athletes.
She called for an end to discriminatory practices that deny female students athletic opportunities.
