I love your username. Thanks for reading!

I'm so sorry for your loss.

thank you Carol!

Hi Christina. Thanks for reading. It was a different Lia who died. www.middlebury.edu/announcement...

Thanks, Jody!

Thank you so much for listening, and for this thread, Duncan!

Thank you so much, Jessica!

Thank you to the University of Kentucky teammates and NCAA competitors who trusted me enough to speak to me on one of the most controversial topics there is in politics or on the internet today.

Read the story here: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

8/8

Two of Riley Gaines’ teammates say they’re frustrated she’s used her platform to vilify trans women as an existential threat to women’s sports—while barely mentioning the serious problems they say actually affected them.

“She’s very, ‘Protect women’s sports.’ But not when it comes to our team.” 7/

Gaines’ teammates also care about protecting women in sports. But their concerns are different. Their head coach is facing a rape lawsuit. Another was suspended for sexual harassment, per university records. And UK investigated other reports of abusive coaching, eating disorders, punishments. 6/

I waded through the sea of Riley Gaines content—her memoir, podcast, social media, press appearances—to track her rhetoric & goals as both grew more extreme. I followed the money (see article for more on that).

I also talked to some of her old teammates. 5/

And…it worked. Trans women have been banned from women’s competition by the NCAA and the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Trans girls are banned from girls’ school sports in 29 states (lawsuits pending). SCOTUS is hearing the issue this term.

And Gaines personally achieved huge influence. 4/

This GOP effort to turn trans athletes into a wedge issue didn’t start with Gaines tying trans swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAAs. But she and her allies used the story of the matchup as a powerful political weapon—under the banner of “protecting women’s sports.” 3/

This story was produced as a collaboration between @pablo.show and @motherjones.com. Watch the Pablo Torre Finds Out episode here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKUl... 2/

Kudos to @theresagaff.bsky.social and Annalisa Merelli at @statnews.com for banging out this detailed analysis today: www.statnews.com/2025/11/19/h...

Crisis support for LGBTQ youth: www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/