"A gun to my head wouldn't make me call Lia Thomas a 'she' now" - Riley Gaines reacts to NBC News claiming she misgendered the transgender swimmer

Riley Gaines, the former University of Kentucky swimmer, and political activist, is once again in the headlines. She criticized the NBC News for claiming that she misgendered transgender athlete Lia Thomas.

Gaines voiced her opinion against Thomas during the 2022 NCAA Championships, where both swimmers competed in the 200 freestyle heat, and at the end of their race, they tied for the fifth-place finish.

Following the conclusion of the heat, the organizers told Gaines about having only one fifth-place trophy, which was given to Lia for having her name ahead of Gaines on the results page. Tennessee-based Gaines was also asked to stand on the podium with the sixth-place trophy, which did not sit well with her, and she stood up for herself and many other female athletes in response.

From then on, Riley Gaines became a known figure for voicing female athletes' rights on various platforms, especially against transgender athletes competing in the same category as biological females.

In a recent turn of events, the 24-year athlete has once again come out publicly on her X handle (formerly Twitter) in response to a post by NBC News in which they have claimed that she has misgendered Lia Thomas.

Gaines reshared their coverage on X, writing:

"Actually, @NBCNews, it would be you who misgendered Thomas. When a naked man exposes his p*nis to me & a room full of na*ed, vulnerable girls non-consensually, a gun to my head wouldn't make me call him a "she" now."

She added:

"Thomas is a man, therefore his correct pronouns are he/him."

Furthermore, Riley Gaines also expressed her support for the Court of Arbitration of Sport's decision to reject Lia Thomas' arbitration request to participate in the same category as female athletes. Thomas was fighting a legal battle with World Aquatics' ban on transgender athletes participating alongside female swimmers.

Gaines backed the verdict on her X handle and wrote:

"Great news! Lia Thomas won't be able to compete in women's category at the Olympics or any other elite competition. He has just lost his legal battle in Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling. This is a victory for women and girls everywhere."

Riley Gaines' take on Sadie Schreiner, a trans athlete competing in NCAA track and field championships

House Oversight Committee Holds Hearing Examining Female Athletics And Title IX

Riley Gaines voiced her objection to Sadie Schreiner, a transgender runner competing in NCAA track and field championships. Schreiner is a household name in collegiate athletics, having won multiple titles like the 200m and 400m at the Liberty League Outdoor Championships.

She also holds multiple indoor and outdoor records in 200m, 300m, 400m, 4x100m relay, and 4x400m relay. However, Schreiner's participation in the aforementioned competition was scrutinized by Gaines, who took it to X and wrote:

"Sadie (Camden) Schreiner will compete for the women's NCAA title tonight in the 200m and 400m. Women's titles mean nothing if men can steal them. This is exactly why 15 other female athletes and I are suing the @NCAA"