Riley Gaines has not taken kindly to Daniel Radcliffe’s comments on transgenders.
Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines has not taken kindly to Hollywood actor Daniel Radcliffe’s comments on transgenders.
Radcliffe rose to fame because of his role in the Harry Potter movie series, which was based on books written by JK Rowling. Besides her work as an author, the Brit also made news because of her comments on transgenders.
Rowling took to social media in June 2020 and in a series of posts argued that discussing gender identity negates biological sex.
“If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives,” she said.
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In reply to her comments, Radcliffe published an open letter in which he opposed her views and defended transgender women.
“Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I,” he wrote in his open letter.
Radcliffe’s comments resurfaced on social media and caught Gaines’ eyes, who questioned why a man was questioning a woman’s views on the subject.
“Of all the things to trust women being experts at, being a woman is at the top of the list. ***so correction…you have no expertise, but JK Rowling does. The mansplaining from weak men is getting old,” she said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“A step in the right direction” – Riley Gaines on policy change regarding transgender athletes in female powerlifting
Riley Gaines has always been vocal about her disapproval of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. She has spoken about the matter in several places and it is a regular topic on her social media as well.
A fierce advocate for women’s rights, Gaines also makes sure to praise any and every effort made by people or organizations toward keeping transgenders out of women’s disciplines.
On those lines, she celebrated the new policy implemented by the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) regarding the participation of transgender athletes in women’s competitions.
IPF announced earlier this year that it has revised its transgender inclusion policy to align with the International Olympic Committee guidelines, which expects transgender women to lower their testosterone levels below 10 nanomoles per liter for at least 12 months before competing.
Gaines took to social media and expressed her delight. She also praised Lea Christina, a close friend of hers who has been at the forefront of the movement to change the policy.
“Great news! Couldn’t be more proud and thankful for my friend and teammate in this fight, .@Lea_Christina4, for being resilient and unapologetic in her efforts to get this done. 💪🏼 You (and others like .@coachblade) are to thank Nicely done. @IPF_tweet for prioritizing fairness,” she said.
“It’s not a fantastic policy, but certainly a step in the right direction. Fairness is prioritized over inclusion. But a reminder that women are more than a testosterone level. We have to appreciate small victories to win the bigger war on women,” she added.
