Riley Gaines, a former NCAA athlete and outspoken advocate for women’s rights in sports, voiced her strong criticism towards Democrats after only two voted in favor of a bill aimed at banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.
The bill, called the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, was passed by the US House of Representatives on January 14, 2025, in a 218-206 vote.
While all Republicans supported the bill, only two Democrats—Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez—joined them.
Gaines didn’t hold back in expressing her discontent with the 206 Democrats who opposed the legislation.
Gaines Delivers Scathing Critique of Democratic Opposition
Gaines, who has been leading a lawsuit against the NCAA for allowing transgender athletes to compete as women, wasted no time in condemning the Democrats who voted against the bill.
In a fiery message, she blasted the opponents as “shameful,” referencing extreme fearmongering claims about genital inspections and predator-like enforcers as part of the debate.
“We heard things like genital exams, we heard that girls would be asked to show what’s in their underwear,” Gaines remarked.
She accused Democrats of focusing on these sensationalized arguments rather than addressing the core issue of protecting women’s sports.
The Controversial Nature of the Bill and the Reactions
Gaines also took aim at those dismissing the bill as a “waste of time,” which she found personally offensive.
“When I heard that this bill is a waste of time, it told me that I am a waste of time,” she said, emphasizing that young girls and women around the country are seen as less important by the Democratic party, except for the two who voted in favor.
The legislation is set to ensure that only individuals assigned female at birth can compete in women’s sports, a ruling that has sparked strong emotions on both sides of the debate.
Supporters of the Bill Defend Their Stance on Women’s Sports
House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed Gaines’ frustration, lamenting that more Democrats didn’t support the bill.
“It’s shameful,” he said, emphasizing that the bill was about common sense and the protection of women.
He pointed out that voters in November clearly expressed a desire for more common-sense policies, but many Democrats seem to be disregarding that call. Representative Greg Steube, who had been part of the effort to reintroduce the bill after a failed attempt in 2023, also voiced his disbelief.
“It’s absurd that we actually have to pass a bill that says only women can be in women’s sports,” he said.
The Bill and Its Potential Impact on Transgender Athletes
The bill represents a significant shift from President Biden’s executive order in 2021, which included provisions to protect transgender individuals from discrimination in areas like sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms.
However, this new legislation, if passed, will restrict transgender women’s ability to compete in women’s sports, limiting them to teams that align with their assigned sex at birth based on reproductive biology and genetics.
The bill’s passage highlights the deep division on the issue, with some viewing it as a crucial step toward preserving the integrity of women’s sports, while others see it as an infringement on the rights of transgender individuals.
The debate is far from over, and the conversation will likely continue to shape the landscape of American sports for years to come.
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