ss BREAKING NEWS: Riley Gaines on Lia Thomas: “If you’re male, you’re a he. If you’re female, you’re a she. If you claim to be anything else you’re not unique, you’re not special you’re simply mentally unstable.”

In the heated arena of women’s athletics, few voices cut through the noise like that of Riley Gaines. Once a standout swimmer for the University of Kentucky, Gaines has transformed a personal grievance into a national crusade.

Her journey began in 2022, tying for fifth place with Lia Thomas at the NCAA Championships. That moment, she later revealed, left her without a trophy—handed instead to Thomas, the first transgender athlete to claim an NCAA Division I title.

Today, on November 20, 2025, Gaines remains a lightning rod, her recent comments on Thomas reigniting debates over gender, identity, and equity in sports.

Gaines’ latest statement, shared amid ongoing policy shifts, underscores her no-compromise stance. “If you’re male, you’re a he. If you’re female, you’re a she. If you claim to be anything else, you’re not unique, you’re not special—you’re simply mentally unstable,” she declared.

This blunt assessment, posted on X in early November 2025, drew over 500,000 engagements within days. It echoes her evolution from a supportive competitor to a fierce advocate for biological sex-based categories. Critics label it transphobic; supporters hail it as unvarnished truth protecting women’s spaces.

The controversy traces back to March 2022, when Thomas, formerly William Thomas on the University of Pennsylvania men’s team, dominated the women’s 500-yard freestyle. Ranked 554th in men’s events the prior year, Thomas surged to first in women’s divisions post-transition.

Gaines, finishing tied in the 200-yard freestyle, described the podium humiliation vividly. “We posed with the sixth-place trophy because they only had one fifth-place award,” she recounted in a 2025 CNN interview. That snub, she argues, symbolized a broader erasure of female achievement under inclusive policies.

By 2023, Gaines had testified before Congress, suing the NCAA for sex discrimination. Her lawsuit, backed by the Independent Women’s Forum, claimed transgender inclusion violated Title IX protections. “I left Atlanta feeling robbed—not just of a trophy, but of fairness,” Gaines stated in her filing.

The case spotlighted how hormone therapy, while reducing some advantages, couldn’t fully level male-born physiological edges like lung capacity and bone density.

Studies from the time, including a 2021 British Journal of Sports Medicine review, supported her view: even after a year of testosterone suppression, trans women retained 9-12% strength gains over cisgender females.

Fast-forward to 2025, and Gaines’ activism has yielded tangible victories, reshaping the landscape. In February, President Donald Trump’s Executive Orders 14168 and 14201 barred transgender women from women’s sports at federal levels.

Signed on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, the orders mandated eligibility based on birth sex. Gaines stood beside Trump at the White House ceremony, calling it “vindication for every girl sidelined.” The NCAA swiftly complied, updating policies to exclude athletes assigned male at birth from female categories. “Penn will adhere to these new rules,” University of Pennsylvania President J. Larry Jameson announced in July.

This shift prompted UPenn to retroactively erase Thomas’ program records in June 2025. Thomas’ 2022 NCAA title in the 500-yard freestyle, however, lingers in national annals. 

Gaines fired back on Fox News: “The NCAA remains spineless—amend those records now.” She demanded a full purge, arguing tainted victories undermine legitimate competitors. In a viral X post, Gaines shared her 2022 podium photo, captioning: “I wish I could’ve told that girl what 2025 would bring.” The image, viewed millions of times, galvanized her 1.2 million followers.

Yet, triumphs haven’t silenced opposition. In October 2025, Lia Thomas accepted the Voice of Inspiration Award at the Violet Visionary Awards in Los Angeles. In her speech, Thomas declared, “Trans activism is my purpose—it’s about visibility and justice.” The event, sponsored by progressive brands, celebrated Thomas as a trailblazer for LGBTQIA+ rights.

Gaines condemned it as “an insult to women,” tweeting: “Awards like this dismiss rules and hard work of female athletes.” Conservative outlets amplified her words, framing the honor as “political correctness run amok.” Thomas’ acceptance sparked 200,000 social media mentions, splitting public opinion sharply.

The feud escalated further that month when Gaines critiqued a New York City rally for mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) fired back, mocking Gaines’ 2022 tie: “Fifth place isn’t a loss—it’s participation.

Focus on real wins.” Gaines challenged AOC to a debate on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle, pitting capitalism against socialism. “I defend fairness; she defends illusions,” Gaines quipped, drawing cheers from the audience.

The exchange exploded online, with #GainesVsAOC trending for 48 hours and amassing 10 million impressions. It highlighted how the Thomas saga now intersects politics, with Gaines aligning with Trump-era conservatives.

Gaines’ rhetoric has hardened over time, drawing accusations of bigotry from LGBTQ+ advocates. A February 2025 19th News profile portrayed her as a “far-right darling,” propped by groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom.

They noted her shift: In 2022, Gaines praised Thomas for “abiding by NCAA rules.” By 2025, she links gender ideology to broader societal ills, calling it “an attempt to normalize pedophilia” in an April X clip.

Defenders, including Jennifer Sey of XX-XY Athletics, praise her honesty: “Riley speaks biological truth—no snark intended.” Sey, in an August New York Times response, highlighted Thomas’ improbable leap: “From 554th in men’s to fifth in women’s? That’s not improvement; that’s inequity.”

Supporters rally around Gaines’ mission through her nonprofit, the Riley Gaines Center, launched in 2024. It funds lawsuits and awareness campaigns, partnering with brands like XX-XY for “protecting women’s sports.” A June 2025 ad featuring Gaines, shared by J.K. Rowling, raised $2 million in proceeds.

Gaines also clashed with Olympian Simone Biles over a Minnesota high school trans athlete case. Biles tweeted support for inclusion; Gaines replied, “Fairness isn’t optional—it’s foundational.” Their spat underscored generational divides: Biles, 28, champions empathy; Gaines, 25, demands boundaries.

As 2025 closes, the debate rages on, with global ripples. World Aquatics’ 2022 ban on trans women post-puberty inspired similar moves in 40 U.S. states. Yet, challenges persist: The Biden-era Title IX expansions, paused by courts, loom as a potential reversal. Thomas, now 26 and pursuing advocacy full-time, avoids competitive swimming but remains symbolic. In a rare 2025 interview, Thomas reflected: “My wins were earned through grit, not stolen.” Gaines counters: “Grit doesn’t erase biology—mental instability does.”

Gaines’ path from poolside to podium speaker embodies resilience amid backlash. Death threats and doxxing haven’t deterred her; instead, they’ve fueled resolve.

At a July UPenn rally, she addressed 5,000: “This isn’t hate—it’s protection for the next generation.” Her story resonates with female athletes worldwide, from soccer to track, fearing diluted opportunities. A 2025 Gallup poll showed 69% of Americans favor sex-based sports divisions, up from 62% in 2022.

Looking ahead, Gaines eyes 2026 Olympics, vowing to lobby for stricter international rules. “Equity isn’t inclusion at women’s expense,” she asserts in her upcoming memoir, Swimming Against the Tide. Set for spring release, it promises untold 2022 details and policy blueprints. Critics like AOC warn of division; allies see salvation for Title IX’s spirit.

Ultimately, Riley Gaines’ saga with Lia Thomas transcends swimming—it’s a referendum on identity’s role in achievement. Her words, raw and polarizing, challenge complacency in an era of fluid norms.

Whether labeled unstable or unbreakable, Gaines persists, trophy or not. In women’s sports, her fight ensures one truth: Fair play demands clear lines. As she told CNN in July, “2025 was just the start—victory swims deeper.”