At a Senate hearing on LGBTQ+ civil rights, former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines challenged Senator Dick Durbin's stance on the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports. Gaines, now an advocate for biological female athletes, expressed concern over the potential disadvantages faced by cisgender women when competing against transgender women. She questioned the message being sent to young girls when their opportunities and rights to privacy and safety are potentially compromised. Gaines's testimony followed Durbin's opening remarks where he cautioned against harmful rhetoric impacting transgender youth and cited a lack of evidence showing a competitive advantage for transgender women in sports.
Gaines directly addressed Durbin, asking what message is sent to female athletes when they lose opportunities. She emphasized the concerns felt by many female athletes about their privacy and safety in situations involving transgender athletes. Durbin responded by stating there's no evidence to support the claim that transgender women have a competitive edge, pointing out that no transgender woman has won an Olympic medal in women's sports, although the IOC has permitted their participation since 2004. He did acknowledge that a non-binary athlete, assigned female at birth, won a medal in women’s soccer in 2021.
Gaines's activism stems from her personal experience competing against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas during her time at the University of Kentucky. Her appearance at the Senate hearing aimed to highlight the ongoing debate surrounding transgender participation in sports and advocate for the protection of opportunities for biological female athletes.
