Riley Gaines Exposed

From Collegiate Swimmer to Grifter

Last year I wrote an article about a Youtube video created by Blaire White, a conservative trans Youtuber. In this article I discuss many of the inaccuracies Blaire White made regarding UPenn swimmer Lia Thomas. After I published this article I wanted to reach out to one of the swimmers Lia competed against in the NCAA Championships, Riley Gaines. In case you may be unfamiliar, Riley Gaines and Lia Thomas tied for 5th Place in the 200 Yard Freestyle event. After this event, Lia Thomas was given a 5th place trophy while Gaines was told hers would be mailed to her. This is what eventually prompted Riley Gaines to begin speaking out against trans women in sports, and defaming Lia Thomas in the process.

Prior to reaching out to Gaines, there had been some comments regarding Lia exposing herself in the locker rooms. There was even a written letter by Women’s Declaration International to Philadelphia authorities claiming that the other swimmers had to “accept this harassment and indecent exposure”. I wanted to hear firsthand what another swimmer had to say about this situation, so I reached out to Gaines via Instagram and asked if I could ask her a few questions regarding the event. Our email correspondence and her responses are below.

I want to examine each of her responses and discuss how her narrative has changed since this interview.

I never felt uncomfortable around Lia or because of Lia.

It wasn’t because of Lia specifically.

In our interview, Gaines says that she never felt uncomfortable around or because of Lia, and that it didn’t have anything to do with Lia specifically. Since this interview Gaines has spoken with numerous Conservative publications, primarily Fox News, about feeling “traumatized” and having experienced “extreme discomfort” with sharing a locker room with Lia. Gaines has also gone on to make the same claims that Lia “exposed his male genitalia” to the swimmers, insinuating that this was a form of sexual harassment. Why would Gaines initially start out answering these questions saying she never felt uncomfortable because of Lia? She even reiterates this later in our interview.

I understand it being a situation that is new to them, and because of that I am sure there will be some questions raised. However, as Gaines points out later, because this was an all women’s meet there were only women’s locker rooms available. So what exactly did she want Lia to do? I then asked Gaines if she knew about the written letter by Women’s Declaration International regarding the harassment claims.

I don’t think Lia would specifically put herself in a position where she was trying to make others feel uncomfortable or disturbed. Granted I don’t know her very well personally, I just don’t think she would purposefully bring light to the already controversial situation.

It was an all women’s meet so there were only women’s locker rooms available for use.

I’m not sure if the NCAA asked Lia or gave her the option of a separate changing room option.

Gaines admits to me that she doesn’t think Lia would intentionally put herself in a position that would make others uncomfortable, yet now she claims Lia sexually harassed her and the other swimmers by “dropping his pants” and “exposing male genitalia”.

In what initially seemed to be a nuanced approach on the subject has turned into personal attacks against Lia. As Gaines mentions, there were no other locker rooms for use, and she is even unaware if Lia was given another option. Lia, like Gaines, was possibly in a similar situation of not quite knowing what the NCAA had planned, especially when it came to the photo-op of giving Lia the trophy and mailing Gaines hers. Gaines instead focuses her advocacy now on defaming Lia rather than speaking solely about the NCAA. Gaines also mentions to me that this was an all women’s meet, however in this (0:10) interview she is claiming that it opened the opportunity for other males to walk into the locker room. How exactly, when this was an all women’s meet?

I then asked Gaines if she had experience sharing a locker room or bathroom with someone who was transgender prior to this.

Until NCAAs, I have never shared a locker room with a transgender athlete or person. I have used a family locker room before because that was the only option, but I changed in the stall because I would feel uncomfortable if I was changing and a father or young boy or biological male of any kinds walked in and saw me naked.

I want to reiterate that this is not a problem with Lia or her transition or her swimming career.

Gaines mentions that she has changed in a family locker room because that was the only option, much like how Lia changed in the women’s locker room for the same exact reason. Locker rooms typically have showers with curtains or areas where you can go to so that you’re not right on top of one another. I know for me personally I have gone to concealed areas where I have changed. Did none of the swimmers ever mention how they felt to Lia directly, or ask her if she could possibly change in an area that was more closed off like a stall or shower? After all, Gaines admits that she doesn’t think Lia would intentionally make others uncomfortable which leads me to believe maybe she tried to conceal as much of herself as she could. So which is it?

Gaines reiterates to me that this isn’t a problem with Lia’s transition or her swimming career, but this recent interview and even pinned tweet tells a completely different story.

Gaines has made it her sole purpose to speak out against Lia competing at the NCAA and for trans women to complete in women’s sports. She even now claims Lia “stole the title”. How can she possibly say that this isn’t an issue with Lia’s transition or swimming career? Gaines has continued to refer to Lia as a “biological male” (19:30) and has even started to misgender her in several interviews and tweets like the one above. The last question I asked Gaines was about what she thinks could be done in the future regarding locker rooms and other shared spaces.

On one side, you have the option of a special locker room for transgenders, but I can understand where this can be seen as discrimination or segregative [sic] which is not seen as equality, which is ultimately what everyone wants.

We all want fairness, transgender or not.

Gaines understands that not allowing trans women in the restrooms and locker rooms can be seen as a form of segregation and discrimination. From this interview I felt that Gaines was more frustrated by the situation and how NCAA handled things, which I can also understand. I understand what another person may feel if they were not told beforehand about sharing a locker room with a trans person or about the trophy situation. If the NCAA truly did give the trophy to Lia for a photo-op I would understand being a bit disgruntled by that, but my issue would be with the NCAA and not Lia. However, Gaines has now called for segregated spaces for trans women.

Lia has become a target for Gaines to attack at every possible opportunity when speaking out against trans women in sports. Gaines has made Lia, in the eyes of Conservatives, a sexual predator who wants to take away women’s opportunities in sports. Gaines did not have nearly as much air time, if any, when I sent her these interview questions. This leads me to believe that Gaines has been platformed, and most likely paid, to speak out against Lia while also damaging her reputation.

I would like to reiterate that I would understand the frustration if Gaines’ issues were solely with the NCAA. I would also feel a bit taken back if her comments regarding the NCAA giving Lia the trophy for a photo-op are true. It would make me have similar questions. My issue with Gaines is how she has spiraled and changed her narrative about Lia specifically. She has made Lia out to be a narcissist who didn’t care about the other swimmer’s feelings. Riley Gaines did not once come across to me in our interview that she had a problem with Lia, and I hope this shows just how much her story has changed in the past year. Gaines is damaging a trans woman’s reputation while simultaneously advocating for our rights to be taken away.