Riley Gaines worries about further harm to women until trans sports issue is resolved.

EXCLUSIVE: Young Female Athletes Take a Stand Against Inclusion of Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports

Led by former NCAA champion swimmer Riley Gaines, a group of young female athletes made their voices heard on Capitol Hill this week. Their mission? To oppose federal efforts to include transgender athletes in women’s sports. This visit coincided with the anniversary of the passage of Title IX, the groundbreaking law that ensures equal athletic opportunities for women. Gaines also testified at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on LGBT civil rights.

This issue has been a source of intense debate, with both sides engaging in vitriolic sparring. However, Gaines believes that this should not be a partisan issue. Critics have labeled the athletes as transphobic, accusing them of wanting to exclude LGBT individuals from public spaces. But Gaines argues that her advocacy is about protecting women, highlighting the injuries sustained by female athletes competing against transgender athletes.

“Unfortunately, I think it’s going to take more girls getting injured like Payton McNabb for them to stand up, and they know it’s wrong,” Gaines said.

Gaines believes that the public quietly supports activists like her, but she laments that true bipartisan support may only come when more women are injured. She points out that organizations like ESPN and the NCAA, who cover sports and understand the differences between men and women, are choosing to ignore these differences in the name of inclusivity.

Gaines gained prominence when she tied with Lia Thomas, a transgender competitor, sparking a nationwide debate on fairness and inclusion in competitive sports. However, she has faced criticism from liberals, even as conservatives rally behind her cause.

A Call for Unity and Nuanced Conversation

During the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Gaines and conservatives were accused of promoting “hateful rhetoric” against transgender people. However, Gaines responded by highlighting the rights and safety of women and young girls, which she believes are being disregarded in the pursuit of protecting a small population.

Despite the charged nature of the issue, Gaines was pleasantly surprised by the civility she experienced in the Senate. She acknowledges that the media coverage has largely been from conservative outlets, while the legacy press has framed the issue around protecting LGBT rights.

Gaines argues that the national conversation on this issue lacks nuance and has become more about virtue signaling than true inclusivity. She emphasizes that allowing men to compete in women’s sports is not actually inclusive, as it takes away opportunities, scholarships, and titles from women.

“But it’s not actually inclusive to allow a man onto our podium taking our scholarships and our titles,” Gaines stated.

Gaines, along with fellow athlete Paula Scanlan, penned an op-ed calling for an end to the silencing of women on this issue due to fear and bullying. Gaines has put her plans for dental school on hold to focus on her advocacy work, serving as an adviser for Independent Women’s Voice. She is working at various levels to enact change, including supporting candidates who value women’s sports and lobbying for legislation that establishes gender-based rules for athletes.

Gaines hopes to unite a coalition of women who believe in the capabilities and strength of women while honoring the differences between genders. However, finding a bipartisan path forward on this issue seems unlikely, as it has become highly partisan.

“I just don’t see that happening,” said Rep. Nancy Mace. “I think it’s going to be very partisan, which is insane to me.”

The House of Representatives passed the Protecting Women and Girls in Sports Act without any Democratic support, further highlighting the deep divide on this issue.

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