NCAA All-American swimmer Riley Gaines took aim at ‘squad’ member Summer Lee, who called her “transphobic” in her opening statement.
Speaking before the House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Health and Financial Services, Gaines said.
“Ranking Member Lee, if my testimony makes me transphobic, then I believe your opening monologue makes you a misogynist.”
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Riley Gaines to Rep. Summer Lee: “If my testimony makes me transphobic then I believe your opening monologue makes you a misogynist.”
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“In March of 2022, female swimmers from around the country and I were forced to compete at NCAAs against Lia, formerly Will, Thomas.”
“We watched as this male swam to a women’s national title, beating out the most impressive and accomplished female swimmers in the nation, including Olympians and American record holders,” Gaines began.
The swimmer noted that despite tying with Thomas in the 200 freestyle, she was “denied the trophy because the NCAA claimed it was necessary for Thomas to hold the trophy when photos were being taken.”
“It was clear to me, my teammates, and my competitors that they had reduced everything we had worked our entire lives for down to a photo op to validate the feelings and the identity of a male.”
Gaines highlighted how female athletes were forced to change in the same dressing room in front of a “six-foot, fully intact naked male.”
“And as I’ve testified previously, we were not forewarned of this arrangement.,” she said.
“We were not asked for our consent and we did not give our consent to this exposure and to be exploited.”
“Unfortunately, Thomas was not a one-off across the country, and in various sports, males are entering women’s athletic competitions, being given spots on women’s teams, and being granted entry to our locker rooms,” Gaines said.
Gaines argued it was “not fair to women,” adding that “science, of course supports that instinct” that Americans “know intuitively.”
“In fact, studies consistently show males have about a 10 to 12 percent athletic advantage over females.”
“This gap is evident in almost every sport and at every level of competition. Yes, hormone therapy can narrow this gap, but it cannot close it,” she said.
“And studies consistently demonstrate that surgery and testosterone suppression do not reduce mal athletic performance to normal female levels.”
Referring to Thomas, Gaines said the athlete was “mediocre against the men at best” and then “dominating all of the women in the entire country, by body lengths might I add, in a matter of a year.”
“Not only do women have to worry about losing opportunities and being exploited in locker rooms, allowing men into women’s sports also puts girls at greater risk of injury.”
Gaines also referenced the student from North Carolina who was a transgender player injured during a high school volleyball game in 2022
Payton McNabb “experienced excessive trauma to her head and neck and long-term concussion symptoms.”
“Still to this day, a year and three-ish months later, she is still partially paralyzed on her right side. Her vision is impaired, her memory is impaired, and she isn’t playing college sports like she had dreamed of for herself.”
Gaines also noted the case of a male player who injured a female player after shooting for a goal, causing “significant facial and dental injuries.”
“Injuries, of course, can and do happen when females are playing against other females. But allowing men to play women’s sports increases the likelihood and severity of such injuries,” Gaines said.
“That’s one of the reasons why for 50 years federal Title IX regulations have allowed schools to offer separate teams for women and men when the sports or contact sports are involved competitive skill.”
“The new rule mandates that every school in the country must demonstrate the unfairness of male participation on each specific women’s team that they offer and develop rules that minimize harm to trans-identified athletes,” Gaines said.
“But what about the harm to us? Who was working to minimize the harm done to female athletes?”
She also added that “denying a female student athletic opportunity. And that is sex-based discrimination, and it violates Title IX regardless of what the new regulations might say.”
“It is my sincere hope that members of this committee will take action to stop the Biden administration’s illegal and administrative rewrite of Title IX.”
“Of course, there is a place for everyone, regardless of gender identity, regardless of sexual orientation, regardless of race or what sports you play, there’s a place for everyone to play sports in this country. But unsafe, unfair, and discriminatory practices towards women must stop. Inclusion cannot be prioritized over safety and fairness.”
READ: San Francisco Offers Counseling to Violent Transgender Activists Who Attacked Riley Gaines
