(Cupventi.com) – In a swirl of social media discourse, former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines targeted Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) for what some online observers noted as a quiet removal of her pronouns (“she/her”) from her bio on X, formerly known as Twitter. Gaines, a vocal advocate against transgender inclusion in women’s sports, used the development to amplify her ongoing criticism of Ocasio-Cortez’s policies and public statements.
Social media users discovered that Ocasio-Cortez’s bio no longer included her pronouns, sparking discussions about the significance of this change. Gaines joined the conversation, posting a series of critiques aimed at the congresswoman.
“They’ll pretend they never embraced (or even celebrated) the insanity. Don’t forget who the compliant, virtue-signaling sheep were,” Gaines wrote, responding to a post claiming that Ocasio-Cortez had removed the pronouns earlier this year.
Gaines also commented on a resurfaced video where Ocasio-Cortez apologized in the past for initially not including pronouns in her bio. The former swimmer juxtaposed the video with the current absence of pronouns, adding: “We’re winning, and it’s glorious.”
Later, Gaines mocked the situation in a separate post, asking, “How will we know what to call AOC now that her pronouns in her bio are gone?!?!?!”
This is not the first time Gaines has clashed with Ocasio-Cortez. The congresswoman, a vocal advocate for transgender rights and inclusion, has consistently championed policies supporting transgender athletes in women’s sports.
In a recent instance, Ocasio-Cortez criticized Green Party vice-presidential candidate Butch Ware for opposing trans athletes’ participation in women’s sports, labeling the position “predatory.” In response, Gaines accused Ocasio-Cortez of hypocrisy, stating, “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.”
The debate over transgender inclusion in sports has intensified following the Biden administration’s reforms to Title IX earlier this year. These changes expanded protections for gender identity and sexual orientation in educational settings but allowed schools some discretion to restrict transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports.
Ocasio-Cortez criticized the Biden administration’s policy, asserting that it didn’t go far enough. “Absolutely no reason for the Biden admin to do this. It is indefensible and embarrassing… It’s a disgrace,” she wrote in April.
Her advocacy extends to co-sponsoring the Equality Act and supporting a proposed Transgender Bill of Rights, which includes provisions ensuring transgender athletes’ rights to participate in sports aligning with their gender identity.
Gaines has been at the forefront of opposition to transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. Her activism gained national attention after tying with Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer, during the NCAA Championships in 2022. Gaines has shared her discomfort with the experience, particularly regarding locker room arrangements.
Speaking at a Trump campaign rally, she recalled being “forced to undress, inches away from a 6-foot-4 man who watched us strip down to nothing while he did the same.” Gaines and other female athletes have since filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, alleging that its policies on gender identity violate Title IX protections.
While Democrats like Ocasio-Cortez continue to advocate for transgender inclusion, others in the party, such as Representatives Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) and Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), have expressed reservations. In a New York Times article, Moulton’s comments opposing trans inclusion in women’s sports drew backlash from progressive allies.
The divide highlights the broader political challenges surrounding this issue as lawmakers and advocates grapple with the balance between gender identity rights and the preservation of opportunities for cisgender women in sports.