Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez found herself trending online Thursday when users on X noticed that her pronouns, “she/her,” were no longer listed in her bio. The change did not escape Riley Gaines’ attention, and the former swimmer wasted no time sharing her thoughts.
“They’ll pretend they never embraced (or even celebrated) the insanity. Don’t forget who the compliant, virtue-signaling sheep were,” Gaines posted, responding to claims that Ocasio-Cortez removed the pronouns before May 2023.
Later, Gaines commented on a video contrasting Ocasio-Cortez’s past apology for not including pronouns in her bio with a current screenshot showing their absence. “We’re winning and it’s glorious,” Gaines declared.
Gaines sarcastically questioned, “How will we know what to call AOC now that her pronouns in her bio are gone?!?!?!”
Advocacy and Backlash: AOC’s Support for Transgender Athletes
Ocasio-Cortez has long championed transgender rights, frequently advocating for the inclusion of trans athletes in women’s sports. Her stance has been a focal point of controversy, with Gaines emerging as one of her most outspoken critics.
In response to Green Party vice presidential candidate Butch Ware’s opposition to trans athletes in women’s sports, Ocasio-Cortez called the position “predatory.” Gaines countered with a sharp critique: “AOC says it’s predatory behavior to not want men competing in women’s sports. To AOC, acknowledging biological reality is ‘predatory’ You know what’s actually predatory? Sexualizing children and normalizing pedophilia.”
Title IX Debate and the Biden Administration
Ocasio-Cortez’s advocacy aligns with broader Democratic efforts to expand transgender protections. In April, the Biden administration updated Title IX regulations to include protections based on gender identity, drawing mixed reactions. The changes clarified that the ban on sex discrimination extends to gender identity and related conditions, though the administration emphasized that it did not address athletic eligibility.
Ocasio-Cortez criticized the reforms for not fully supporting transgender athletes. “Absolutely no reason for the Biden admin to do this. It is indefensible and embarrassing. The admin can still walk this back, and they should. It’s a disgrace,” she wrote, opposing a provision allowing schools to exclude transgender athletes from some women’s sports.
The Locker Room Incident: Gaines Speaks Out
Gaines has consistently shared her experiences as a former NCAA swimmer competing against Lia Thomas, a transgender athlete. At a Trump campaign rally in October, she recounted the discomfort of being required to share a locker room with Thomas.
“I could share the grotesque details of what it was like being forced to undress, inches away from a 6-foot-4 man who watched us strip down to nothing, while he did the same, exposing his fully-intact naked male body,” Gaines said. “There are no words to describe the violation and the betrayal, the humiliation that we felt.”
Legal Action Against the NCAA
Gaines, alongside other female athletes, has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, accusing it of violating Title IX by permitting transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports. The lawsuit highlights the emotional and professional impact of these policies, including the controversial decision to award Thomas the fifth-place trophy over Gaines during the 200-yard final at the 2022 championships.
The legal action represents a broader pushback against transgender inclusion in women’s sports, with even some Democrats distancing themselves from the issue. Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and New York Rep. Tom Suozzi have both expressed opposition, facing backlash from party members for their stance.
