"Don't act like you care about women" - Riley Gaines reacts to President Joe Biden voicing for gender equality in sports

By Nandika Chand

Modified Apr 17, 2024 12:56 GMT

Riley Gaines, a former competitive swimmer turned vocal advocate for women's sports, has reacted to US President Joe Biden's concerns about women in sports not being paid their fair share.

Highlighting women's contributions in sports, the US President advocated for women to receive an equal share for their efforts and milestones in the sports field.

On the X (formerly Twitter) account, the US President wrote:

"But right now we're seeing that even if you're the best, women are not paid their full share. It's time that we give our daughters the same opportunities as our sons and ensure women are paid what they deserve."

Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer who competed against the transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in 2022, responded to the tweet. She wrote,

"Don't act like you care about women or our opportunities lol. We see through your identity politics, you misogynistic dunce."

This is not the first time that Gaines has criticized the US president. In an interview with Fox News Digital last year, talking about the statement released by the White House regarding the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, Gaines said that Biden was prioritizing a radical minority over women:

"The president has declared that science, truth and common sense no longer matter," Gaines said. "In opposing this bill, President Biden is catering to a radical minority at the expense of women."

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Last month, Gaines, 24, and over a dozen female athletes filed a lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for violating their rights under Title IX.

Speaking to American talk show host Steve Deace, the former University of Kentucky swimmer claimed that the NCAA is discriminating against women on the basis of their sex. She said, as quoted by theblaze.com:

"They're failing at their most basic duties of ensuring equal opportunity, ensuring saftey in our sports, and ensuring privacy in areas of undressing."

Gaines also added that they (women athletes) want the association to take accountability and responsibility, and uphold Title IX.

She has been vocal against the participation of transgenders in women's sports and launched a center in 2023 called the 'The Riley Gaines Center' at Leadership Institute.