Women’s rights activist Riley Gaines hit back at a Democratic lawmaker who called her “transphobic” during a Tuesday hearing.
Democratic Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee accused Gaines of engaging in “transphobic bigotry” by advocating for biological males to be banned from women’s sports. Gaines responded by accusing Lee of misogyny.
“Unsafe, unfair and discriminatory practices towards women must stop. Inclusion cannot be prioritized over safety and fairness,” Gaines repsonded. “And Ranking Member Lee, if my testimony makes me transphobic, then I believe your opening monologue makes you a misogynist. Thank you.”
An offended Lee then interrupted the next opening statement to demand that Gaines’ words be stricken from the record, causing a delay in the proceedings.
“Can I just ask, how it’s fair to be called transphobic—” Gaines began before apparently being silenced by Lee. (RELATED: ‘How Big Is It?”: Bill Maher Asks Riley Gaines To ‘Describe’ Trans Swimmer’s Genitals)
After conferring with her staff, Lee withdrew the point of order.
Gaines tied with biological male swimmer Lia Thomas, a biological male who identifies as a woman, during the NCAA Women’s Championships in 2022, and has since become a prominent voice in advocating for fairness in women’s sports.
She delivered emotional testifimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in June, recounting the “traumatizing” experience of Thomas exposing his male genitalia in front of his female teammates. Gaines told Fox News in February that the girls did not consent to having a male expose himself in front of them, but that their concerns were not addressed.
Gaines has faced serious backlash for her activism. During a scheduled April speaking event at , In April, an angry liberal mob “ambushed and physically hit” Gaines after she delivered a speech at San Francisco State University, she said.