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Gaines Fires Back at Female Athletes Backing Biological Males in Women’s Sport

April 12, 2023

“I can respect opinions that differ from my own and everyone is entitled to think/speak independently, but I can’t help but think Megan Rapinoe would genuinely shiv any male who tried to take her spot on the US Women’s National Team,” former NCAA swimming champion Riley Gaines quipped in a now-deleted tweet.

“It’s worth noting,” Gaines went on, “that 1) you’re done with your athletic career and 2) because you aren’t sexually attracted to men, it’s unlikely you will ever have a daughter to defend. To me, this looks like a classic case of virtue signaling because you have nothing to personally lose,” she vented.

Gaines’s shots at professional soccer player Megan Rapinoe were in response to a tweet from the OL Reign winger that condemned newly proposed legislation in the House protecting girls’ sports. Rapinoe recently signed an open letter opposing the proposed changes to Title IX. The letter comes from Athlete Ally, an organization devoted to “ending homophobia and transphobia in the athletic community.”

“Our deepest hope is that transgender and intersex kids will never have to feel the isolation, exclusion and othering that H.R. 734 is seeking to enshrine into law,” they write.

The bill in question, The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, or H.R. 734, as introduced by Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.), includes language that would restrict participants in female sports to biological females.

“To amend the Education Amendments of 1972 to provide that for purposes of determining compliance with title IX of such Act in athletics, sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.”

Similar bills have already seen momentum at the state level. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (R) signed two bills on April 11 that restrict transgender participation in female sports at the K-12 and college levels.

While Congress debates this bill, transgender participation in female sports continues to be a debated between athletes. Gaines, who is well known for her passion for protecting women’s sports, recently found herself in the crosshairs during an event sponsored by Turning Point USA at San Francisco State University. After her speech drew a crowd of less-than peaceful protestors, Gaines alleges that she was physically struck by a man wearing a dress before being escorted by police to a classroom.

“A man wearing women’s clothing intentionally hit me — twice. The first blow landed on my shoulder. The second one glanced off my shoulder and hit me in the face.”

Gaines was trapped in the classroom for approximately three hours while protestors chanted outside, demanding money in order for her release. It was not until nearly midnight that campus police declared the gathering an unlawful assembly, causing Gaines to miss her flight.

Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) called for further action against the aggressive participants. “San Francisco State University and law enforcement must take immediate action to hold those who assaulted @Riley_Gaines_ accountable. We will not allow the violent radical left mob to silence us,” She tweeted.

Conversely, student president of SFSU, Karina Zamora, condemned the swimmer’s speech as “hateful rhetoric” and laid the blame for the violence at the feet of “TPUSA and Riley Gaines as well as the confrontational behavior of the University Police Department at the behest of Campus Administration.”

Quick on the draw and in 21st century fashion, Gaines mocked the Student President’s assessment of the situation via Twitter.

“At least we can agree that SFSU needs to hold themselves accountable.”