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This month marks the three-year milestone of Riley Gaines’ notable tie with Lia Thomas during the 2022 NCAA women’s swimming championships.
At that time, Thomas, who had been known as Will Thomas, was celebrated by progressive circles as a transformative figure in sports, with appearances on major media platforms such as ESPN and NBC News.
Gaines, a dedicated swimmer with aspirations of becoming a dentist, waited to receive her trophy while Thomas engaged in a series of media interviews.
Fast forward to 2025, and the dynamics have shifted significantly.
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After her attempt to qualify for the Paris Olympics fell short, Thomas now faces lawsuits targeting the NCAA, the Ivy League, and the University of Pennsylvania. Gaines, along with other female swimmers affected by Thomas’ participation, is leading these legal challenges. Additionally, the Department of Education has launched an investigation into Penn for possible breaches of Title IX regulations.
Gaines has emerged as a conservative symbol for sports rights, with a legislative proposal named in her honor advancing through the Georgia legislature, the very state where she tied with Thomas in 2022.
Various states are actively enacting measures to restrict transgender participation in women’s sports. President Donald Trump has also taken steps at the national level with an executive order prohibiting such participation. Recent surveys indicate a growing opposition among the American populace regarding the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s and girls’ sports, with this issue influencing voter sentiment in the upcoming 2024 elections.
“I genuinely think we owe a thank-you to figures like Will Thomas. They inadvertently assisted in shaping the electoral landscape,” Gaines shared with Fox News Digital.
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“The challenges presented by Joe Biden and his administration extend beyond sports. However, this scenario served as a poignant visual representation of broader concerns that many have felt for some time.” she added, alluding to the cultural depiction reminiscent of a South Park episode.
A recent national exit poll by the Concerned Women for America legislative action committee revealed that 70% of moderate voters consider the issue of “Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men competing in girls’ and women’s sports and bathrooms” to be significant. Furthermore, 6% ranked it as their top concern, while 44% deemed it “very important.”
Interestingly, Trump achieved better results among female voters, particularly younger demographics.
During public appearances, Riley Gaines has been vocal about her feelings towards Thomas, expressing a mix of gratitude and sympathy. She has previously reached out to Thomas in an attempt to communicate her standpoint.
“Initially, I felt compelled to apologize for my views, as if my feelings were misguided, due to societal norms suggesting that expressing them was unkind,” Gaines explained.
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“I made those attempts hoping to have a conversation to clarify my perspective and express sorrow for my feelings. It’s a difficult admission to make,” she noted.
Despite her previous outreach, Thomas has not responded to Fox News Digital’s inquiries.
If given another opportunity for dialogue with Thomas, Gaines suggests her approach may have altered. “I would still welcome a conversation but no longer in an apologetic manner. It would be constructive and aimed at encouraging an understanding of common sense,” she remarked. “I won’t apologize for my convictions.”
Since Thomas’ rise in 2022, other transgender athletes have stirred similar political discourse, including former San Jose State University volleyball player Blaire Fleming and track athlete Sadie Schreiner.
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Gaines perceives these athletes not merely as participants in a contentious debate but as casualties of a broader movement promoting transgender inclusion in women’s sports.
“They’re victims of the ideology traversing through society. Unfortunately, they’ve embraced the misconception that they don’t belong in their unique form. Such an ideology is distressing,” Gaines expressed.
Fleming gained notoriety after several opponents forfeited matches citing her transgender status. This incident caught national attention and prompted Trump to comment while on the campaign trail.
The University of Pennsylvania, paralleling Thomas’ situation, is now facing scrutiny from the Department of Education regarding its treatment of Fleming.
In contrast to Thomas, Fleming’s gender identity was allegedly not disclosed prior to competing in women’s sports, as she has no documented history of playing at the men’s level.
Schreiner recently became one of the first to feel the direct impact of Trump’s executive order when her college, the Rochester Institute of Technology, announced changes that would prevent her from participating in upcoming competitions.
Gaines articulated her perspectives on the behavior of these athletes, suggesting elements of entitlement and disregard towards others but reiterating that they too share in the fallout of the gender ideology movement.
“The destructive nature of the gender ideology movement affects everyone, except those capitalizing on it. It stands as one of the most significant medical controversies of our time,” Gaines concluded.
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