Female Athletes Reject Call to ‘Lose Gracefully’ To Trans Rivals

(ConservativeInsider.org) – At a congressional hearing about Title IX, the CEO of the National Women’s Law Center, Fatima Goss Graves, suggested that female athletes who lose to trans athletes should “learn to lose gracefully.” Many female competitive athletes took issue with her comment.

Graves suggested that trans athletes, specifically biological males who “identify” as women, should be welcomed in women’s sports, just as biological females are. She explained that sports are good activities for young people to learn about leadership, discipline, and persistence, as well as her comments about losing gracefully.

Riley Gaines, a former swimmer for the University of Kentucky, bristled at the comment, suggesting that she has lost gracefully to other women repeatedly throughout her swimming career. British Olympian Mara Yamauchi, a former marathon runner, shared her thoughts on social media, saying that it is “unforgiveable” when women try to eliminate “safe and fair sports” for their fellow women.

Martina Navratilova, one of the greatest female tennis players of all time, also called it unforgiveable, suggesting that there’s “nothing to be graceful about” when women lose to males who have invaded their sports. Another Olympian, swimmer Sharron Davies, said the clip of Graves suggesting women should “lose gracefully” to biological males should make all female athletes “furious” enough to stand up and say no to allowing males in women’s sports, or women will no longer have sports to participate in.

Democrats were not thrilled with Riley Gaines and the other women who spoke out. Representative Summer Lee (D-PA), called Gaines and other women “transphobic” and suggested what they had to say about protecting women’s sports was nothing more than “bigotry.”

This was not the first time Gaines has spoken out about the importance of protecting women’s sports and will surely not be the last. Gaines called Kristin Chalmers, a female cyclist who lost to two male competitors a “traitor to women” after Chalmers signed a letter of support for the two males who participated in her race.