Encouraging transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports infuriates those who care about competitive fairness and biological reality.
But it’s even more frustrating for the women who have no choice but to compete at a severe disadvantage.
Now one of them is talking about it.
Riley Gaines has had an incredibly successful career in women’s collegiate swimming, but in recent months has been forced to compete against Lia Thomas, the natural male who only switched a year ago and often dominates natural females.
Gaines met with Tomi Lahren Wednesday to discuss how the NCAA has promoted Thomas and the absurdity of nominating a transgender athlete for the Woman of the Year award.
She pointed out that one particular incident informed her that Thomas would not only be allowed to compete, but would be prioritized over others.
In March 2022, Gaines and Thomas placed 5th in the women’s 200 meter freestyle event at the NCAA Championships. While the event understandably had only created a 5th place trophy, it’s not surprising who was chosen to hold it on the podium:
Tomi:
“I want to come back to another controversy that specifically concerned you and Lia Thomas. They both finished fifth. So you should both get a trophy. In the end, Lia Thomas got the trophy and then yours should just be sent in the mail. Did you ever get it?”
Riley Gaines:
“I got it a few weeks ago. But basically what happened after we tied is they go behind the prize podium and they hand out the prizes. And so we went back there and then a plainclothes officer said, ‘Great race, you guys have a tie. So we’re going to have Thomas hold the fifth place trophy, which you can pose with the sixth place trophy, and it’ll come in the mail.'”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 18: Lia Thomas looks on from the podium after performing during the 2022 NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships at McAuley Aquatic Center on March 18 at McAuley Aquatic Center on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology Finished fifth in the 200-yard freestyle on the Georgia Institute of Technology campus, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Comer/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Gaines explained that she initially had more sympathy for the incident because she realized there was only one trophy for fifth place.
But when she asked why she was instructed to hold the 6th place prize, the official response suggested that the intent was simply to reward Thomas:
“But I asked the officer, ‘I was like, okay. May I ask why you insist that Thomas hold the trophy over me?’ And he just looked at me and said, ‘Well, we’re just doing this in chronological order. And it was at that point that I realized exactly what was happening. And so I asked him, I said, ‘What are we on chronologically?’ Because one thing, we have a tie, and if we base that on the alphabet or whatever, what’s alphabetically based on G comes before T, so I’m just not following. And he looked at me and said Thomas is holding the trophy for photo purposes.”
There was no justification, alphabetical or not, for Thomas getting the advantage over Gaines. Quite simply, the event administrators wanted to set priorities.
Gaines also explained that as a result, despite her highly successful college career, she has no interest in the NCAA Woman of the Year trophy:
“Same with NCAA Woman of the Year, I don’t even want that trophy,” Gaines said. “I’m a 12-time All-American, so I have a lot of those at home.”
Promoting Thomas at the expense of biological women has evidently delegitimized the entire awards process, placing politics and bright ideology above fairness and common sense.
Gaines went further, expressing disappointment that the NCAA was putting female competitors “on the back burner for men”:
“It’s an organization that I know I’ve dedicated my entire life to, and so many other female athletes work so hard to get there and not just be forced to compete against men, but to be on the back burner for men walk. It was extremely eye-opening and extremely discouraging.”
As her response to Clay Travis also explains, the NCAA, the University of Pennsylvania, and many others did everything they could to encourage Lia Thomas at the expense of lifelong women:
This award combines athletic achievement with science, service and character. What character has Thomas displayed apart from sheer selfishness and pretension? The disrespect and disregard for the other female athletes in Thomas’ interviews is eye-opening.
— Riley Gaines (@RileyGaines) July 16, 2022
This is another example of how introducing progressive politics into real-world situations has significant and immediate negative consequences.
Riley Gaines did everything right and through no fault of his own was placed behind someone who used an unfair advantage to dominate competitions. Instead of criticizing this behavior, the NCAA and many member institutions support Thomas’ actions.
Until these types of inexcusable acts are stopped, there will be many more frustrated and discouraged female athletes losing to biological males.
Here’s everything Gaines and Tomi discussed about Tomi Lahren is fearless: