Riley Gaines has suggested former USWNT player Megan Rapinoe ‘would genuinely shiv any male who tried to take her spot’ on the roster, before labeling her a ‘faux feminist’ after Rapinoe recently opposed the Protection of Girls and Women in Sports Act.
The bill first proposed by Republican congressman for Florida, Greg Steube, seeks to ensure genetic men compete against one another, and not against women – as has been the case with transgender woman Lia Thomas, among others.
Unsurprisingly, Rapinoe lies in opposition to the proposed amendment to Title IX which presently states: ‘No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.’
Gaines, who has been a frontline proponent of women’s sports, replied via quote tweet Tuesday morning to Rapinoe’s March 8 post which suggested the proposed bill was disingenuously ‘claiming to ‘protect women’s sports’ by pushing a trans & intersex ban.’
The former University of Kentucky swimmer, who was attacked by trans activists last week, implied Rapinoe was a hypocrite in supporting trans women, otherwise known as biological men, partaking in women’s sports — and wouldn’t allow a man to usurp her spot on the national team, if she were still playing.
Ex-University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines (R) has strongly criticized Megan Rapinoe (L)
Former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines implied Megan Rapinoe was a hypocrite
‘It’s worth noting that 1) you are done playing sports competitively and 2) because you aren’t sexually attracted to men, you will never have a daughter to defend. To me, this simply looks like virtue signaling because you have nothing to personally lose,’ Gaines wrote on Twitter.
‘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.’
Rapinoe, alongside several other female athletes, co-signed a letter sent to House of Representatives lawmakers Monday, according to SI.
‘We believe that gender equity in sport is critical, which is why we urge policymakers to turn their attention and effort to the causes women athletes have been fighting for decades, including equal pay, an end to abuse and mistreatment, uneven implementation of Title IX, and a lack of access and equity for girls of color and girls with disabilities, to name only a few,’ the letter read.
‘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.’
H.R. 734, otherwise known as the Protection of Girls and Women in Sports Act would prohibit biological men from participating in girls or women’s sports.
Rapinoe’s position on the matter is particularly intriguing given the rise of trans women such as Thomas illustrating a superior physical ability to that of biological women. The former University of Pennsylvania men’s swimmer became the first transgender person to win an NCAA swimming title.
In 2015, Rapinoe was part of the then-world champion USA Women’s National Team who lost 5-2 to U15 MLS academy team, FC Dallas.
Rapinoe, who is a lesbian woman, has long stood in support of equality for women’s sports
Rapinoe, who still plays professionally for WSL side OL Reign, has long been a supporter of women’s sports and has brazenly spoken about the need for equality. She was one of the figureheads who pushed for the USWNT to earn the same pay as its men’s equivalent.
‘What we know is how successful women’s sports have been in the face of discrimination, in the face of lack of investment in every level in comparison to men,’ Rapinoe said back in 2021.
‘Men have run the world for all these years, maybe they should just take a few hundred years off and we can just take it for a few hundred years and we’ll see where we are,’ she told The Guardian in 2019.
President Joe Biden caused controversy last week after his administration proposed a ruling which would forbid schools and colleges across the U.S. from banning transgender athletes from sports which align with their identities as opposed to their biological gender.
At least 20 states, according to AP, have so far implemented bans on transgender students participating in sports consistent with their gender identity — such measures would ultimately contravene the latest Department of Education proposal, if approved.
If finalized, the proposal would become enshrined as a provision of Title IX. Though, it is certain to face a wave of challenges.
The storied former USWNT, who plays for OL Reign, has also been vocal regarding trans rights
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