Women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley faces backlash on X platform for comments about transgender athletes

During a Saturday press conference, Dawn Staley, head coach of the South Carolina women’s basketball team, said that male trans-identifying players should be allowed to compete against women so long as the athletes “consider” themselves to be women.

After the Gamecocks’ recent Final Four victory, Staley was asked by a reporter about trans participation in women’s sports. She initially stated that “if you’re a woman, you should play” and that “if you consider yourself a woman … you should be able to play.”

When asked for further clarification on if she meant trans-identifying males, Staley doubled down. “Yes. Yes,” she said, adding that she knew her answer would elicit a “barnstorm of people” on her timeline.

Following the presser, numerous people, including several prominent pundits and activists, took to X to remark on Staley’s comments. Among them was popular conservative podcast host Megyn Kelly.

“Great question. Horrific answer,” Kelly wrote on X. “And this coach makes her dereliction twd the fairness & safety of women all about HER. Oh boo hoo she’ll get criticized. Yeah, we get upset when girls/women are endangered by social justice warriors who are SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THEM.”

Great question. Horrific answer. And this coach makes her dereliction twd the fairness & safety of women all about HER. Oh boo hoo she’ll get criticized. Yeah, we get upset when girls/women are endangered by social justice warriors who are SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THEM. https://t.co/00VS9F0tnS

— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) April 6, 2024

Outkick’s Clay Travis also blasted Staley’s comments.

The number of women actively supporting the erasure of women’s athletics is staggering. But it’s a time for choosing, you either believe biology is real and men are bigger, stronger and faster than women or you believe in far left wing politics. There is no middle ground.

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) April 6, 2024

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Former collegiate swimmer-turned-women’s sports activist Riley Gaines also responded to Staley’s comments. Gaines, who has been outspoken about the dangers and inherent unfairness of biological males participating in females’ sports, posted the video of the interview and cited The Daily Wire-produced 2023 comedy film “Lady Ballers.”

Lady ballers assemble! https://t.co/EP0bxt4rv6

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) April 6, 2024

Gaines made a cameo appearance in the film, which lampoons men competing in women’s sports, specifically men competing against women in basketball, and features several Daily Wire personalities, including Crain & Co. co-host David Cone, who likewise replied to Staley’s remarks.

Cone simply said, “Failure.”

Failure #SaveWomensSports pic.twitter.com/mv3t1wNj1R

— David Cone (@davidadamcone) April 6, 2024

Congressional candidate Adam Morgan said that American tax dollars shouldn’t support “programs pushing these embarrassing ideologies.”

Our @UofSC Women’s Basketball Coach @dawnstaley says biological males should be allowed to play in women’s sports.

Our tax dollars shouldn’t fund people and programs pushing these embarrassing ideologies that contradict SC values. @Riley_Gaines_ and @ClayTravis 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/rO1yjgCR92

— Adam Morgan (@RepAdamMorgan) April 6, 2024

Political commentator Robby Starbuck said Staley “deserves every bit of criticism.”

South Carolina Women’s Basketball Coach Dawn Staley says she supports men playing against women if they identify as a woman. Willing to bet some of the girls on her team disagree. She deserves every bit of criticism she’s about to get for this lunacy.
pic.twitter.com/InQ0O0quUp

— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) April 6, 2024

As of publication, Staley’s comments were trending in the “sports” section of X.

Zach Jewell contributed to this report.

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