{"id":2253234,"date":"2024-05-26T10:13:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-26T14:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/there-was-a-lot-of-fear-ben-shapiro-asks-riley-gaines-about-competing-against-a-trans-identifying-man\/"},"modified":"2024-05-26T10:48:46","modified_gmt":"2024-05-26T14:48:46","slug":"there-was-a-lot-of-fear-ben-shapiro-asks-riley-gaines-about-competing-against-a-trans-identifying-man","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/there-was-a-lot-of-fear-ben-shapiro-asks-riley-gaines-about-competing-against-a-trans-identifying-man\/","title":{"rendered":"Ben Shapiro questions Riley Gaines on competing against a transgender athlete amidst fear"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthere-was-a-lot-of-fear-ben-shapiro-asks-riley-gaines-about-competing-against-a-trans-identifying-man%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2253234&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In a recent &#8220;Sunday \u2064Special&#8221; interview, Ben Shapiro spoke with Riley Gaines about her experience \u2064competing against a transgender athlete, including challenging moments and controversial decisions during competitions. Gaines shares insights from her book, &#8220;Swimming Against the Current,&#8221; highlighting her\u200d stance\u200b on gender equality in sports and the obstacles faced in advocating for women&#8217;s rights. \u200cIn \u2064a recent\u2062 &#8220;Sunday Special&#8221; interview, Ben Shapiro discussed \u200bRiley \u200dGaines&#8217; challenges competing\u2063 against a \u2062transgender athlete, her book &#8220;Swimming Against the Current,&#8221; and \u200cher advocacy for gender equality and women&#8217;s rights in sports.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p>In a new \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/episode\/defending-the-integrity-of-women-s-sports-riley-gaines-member-exclusive\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sunday Special<\/a>\u201d interview, Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro spoke to Riley Gaines about her experience competing against a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-type-of-misogyny-trans-women-fetishizing-periods-is-a-slippery-slope\/\" title=\"\u2018New Type Of Misogyny\u2019: Trans Women Fetishizing Periods Is A Slippery Slope\">trans-identifying man<\/a> and asked her about the current state of women\u2019s sports.<\/p>\n<p>Shapiro noted that Gaines has a new book out, \u201c<span id=\"productTitle\" class=\"a-size-extra-large celwidget\" data-csa-c-id=\"uw54d7-nbboed-e2d7ra-pd873h\" data-cel-widget=\"productTitle\">Swimming Against the Current: Fighting for Common Sense in a World That\u2019s Lost its Mind,\u201d <\/span>which hit bookstore shelves on Tuesday. In her book, Gaines discusses her experience and addresses hot button questions about women and sports in America.<\/p>\n<p>During their hour-long discussion, Gaines recalled what it felt like to swim against \u2014 and tie with \u2014 trans-identifying biological male Lia Thomas during the 2022 NCAA championship.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow exactly did you go about dealing with that?\u201d Shapiro asked Gaines.<\/p>\n<p>Gaines explained that her school, the University of Kentucky, made it clear to the women\u2019s swim team that, \u201cwe have already taken your stance for you,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo there was a lot of fear, really. I mean, the threats and the intimidation that they had instilled at the time, that to me seemed real, which now I realize what a bunch of mumbo jumbo, all that stuff was. That was not based in reality at all,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut nonetheless, upon getting to the meet those feelings of intriguement and curiosity and feeling like we were in this circus shifted immediately to feelings of heartbreak, really. I mean, I think that\u2019s the best way to put it. I\u2019ll never forget that first day,\u201d Gaines said.<\/p>\n<p>Gaines recounted how when she tied with Thomas in one race, an official told her that they only had one trophy and it had to go to Thomas.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe NCAA official looks at both Thomas and myself, Thomas towering over me, and the official says, \u2018Great job you two, but you tied and we only have one trophy. So we\u2019re going to give the trophy to Lia. Sorry, Riley, you don\u2019t get one,&#8217;\u201d Gaines remembered.<\/p>\n<p>When she asked why, the official told her they had been advised that it was crucial Thomas was holding the trophy when photos were taken.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s what the unfair competition looked like,\u201d Gaines said.<\/p>\n<p>The trophy incident was the moment she decided she had to do something, Gaines said. Since then, the former University of Kentucky swimmer\u00a0has been an outspoken advocate for girls\u2019 sports.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSince then I\u2019ve only been reassured that the stand that I have taken unapologetically and firmly is in fact the right stand,\u201d Gaines told Shapiro. \u201cI never questioned this, but the vitriol that I face, the anger, the violence in many instances that I face for merely saying that there are two sexes and that you can\u2019t change your sex and that each sex is deserving of equal opportunity, privacy and safety.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gaines also described how uncomfortable it was to have a \u201cfully naked, fully intact man\u201d changing in the locker room with them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s awkward. It\u2019s embarrassing. It\u2019s uncomfortable. I think the best words to describe the locker room atmosphere was I mean, it felt like betrayal. It was an utter violation, and it was traumatic,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Gaines also criticized President Biden\u2019s administration for its \u201cillegal administrative rewrite of Title IX,\u201d the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-sues-biden-admin-over-new-transgender-title-ix-rules\/\" title=\"Texas files lawsuit against Biden Administration over new Title IX rules for transgender individuals\">1972 federal civil rights law prohibiting sex-based discrimination<\/a> at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/florida-passes-anti-groomer-law-mischaracterized-as-dont-say-gay-bill-by-liberal-liars\/\" title=\"Florida Passes Anti-Groomer Law Mischaracterized as \u201cDon\u2019t Say Gay\u201d Bill by Liberal Liars\">schools receiving federal funding<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Last month, the Education Department <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/riley-gaines-says-biden-has-abolished-title-ix-breaks-down-what-this-means-for-women\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">unveiled<\/a> new Title IX regulations to prohibit schools from enforcing blanket bans on trans-identifying males in girls\u2019 sports set to take effect in August.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt doesn\u2019t make sense, but that\u2019s their goal, is to blur the lines of objective truth, of biological reality,\u201d Gaines said.<\/p>\n<p>However, Gaines said she also sees reasons to be hopeful.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI certainly believe that the tide is turning,\u201d she said. \u201cI mean, truth and sanity, they always prevail. It\u2019s kind of just a matter of how long do we have to endure this, how many girls have to lose out, how many girls have to be injured, how many girls have to be exploited in locker rooms before people find it necessary and worthwhile and urgent, quite frankly, to take action.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Shapiro asked the former college swimmer, \u201cWhat is your message to female athletes who are rising right now and facing these challenges on a real time basis?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, first and foremost, I encourage every single person to play sports,\u201d Gaines responded. \u201cBut my message to those young girls who are, who might face this or who fear facing this is to be bold, be brave, be courageous, don\u2019t be scared to talk about it. I was. But when I finally got the courage to not really walk on eggshells anymore, to have the conversation with people around me, my teammates, what have you, I realized they all agreed with me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a recent &#8220;Sunday Special&#8221; interview, Ben Shapiro, Daily Wire Editor Emeritus, discussed with Riley Gaines her challenges competing against a transgender athlete and the status of women&#8217;s sports. Shapiro highlighted Gaines&#8217; new book, &#8220;Swimming Against the Current,&#8221; addressing common sense in today&#8217;s world<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107,"featured_media":2253241,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/05\/Ben-ShapiroRiley-Gaines-e1716657470157.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2253234","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/05\/Ben-ShapiroRiley-Gaines-e1716657470157.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2253234","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/107"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2253234"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2253234\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2253241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2253234"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2253234"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2253234"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}