"Around the Horn" leaves the airwaves later this month, which means some of the show's panelists are making their final appearances in the coming weeks.
That includes Kate Fagan, who appeared for the last time on the show Thursday. Fagan, a longtime writer and reporter, also played college basketball at Colorado.
Fagan has made appearances on the show since she was first hired by ESPN in 2012. She left the network in 2018 but has continued to appear on the program.
Fagan was determined to be the "winner" of Thursday's show against Jemele Hill, who made a return to the show since leaving the network in 2018. The winner of the episode typically delivers a short monologue, and Fagan said "being on this show has been a privilege and a platform."
With Thursday marking her final episode, she used that platform to make a plea for transgender athletes.
"I know it's my last time on it, and I want to say something worthy of that platform, and that's trans kids deserve to play sports," she said. "Think about what you remember from your time playing sports. Ninety-nine percent of it is finding that jersey for the first time, your favorite number, community, joy, those high-fives.
"It's that moment when you have a great play with a teammate. It's the feeling of belonging. And it does not know gender. Trans kids deserve the same as everyone else does.
"Sports is joy. Sports is humanity. And the more people who have that, the better."
There is no law or order that bans transgender children from participating in sports. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February that prohibits biological males identifying as girls or women from competing against biological females.
ESPN announced the show's cancellation in March, and shortly after, former panelist Jay Mariotti, who was a regular on the show until a domestic violence arrest in 2010, said in an interview the show is being canceled because it went "woke."
"I think what John Skipper wanted from some of the shows was he started to install people on the shows who became anti-Trump," Mariotti told Front Office Sports.
In a recent post on his own Substack, "Around the Horn ended a long time ago ¸— when I left the show," Mariotti reiterated that some of the panelists went "woke" while others were "on dope."
There are now just 11 episodes left of the show, which is over 20 years old.
Former president Joe Biden's administration attempted to give transgender athletes further protections in its revision of Title IX, but his reported true feelings were kept to himself.
The proposal would have redefined sex in Title IX as "gender identity," but the proposal was ultimately struck down by a federal judge in January, less than two weeks before President Donald Trump took office a second time.
However, a new report by the New York Times says that Biden himself did not agree with trans athletes participating in women's and girls sports.
"According to a number of former Biden-administration officials, there remained a simmering debate inside the administration about whether those Title IX protections should extend to sports," the Times reported, saying that "one side…maintained that there was no legal difference between letting trans students use bathrooms that align with their gender identity and letting trans student athletes play on sports teams that align with their gender identity."
However, Biden was "on the other side…who believed that the competitive, zero-sum nature of sports made them different from bathrooms — that some transgender athletes would enjoy unfair physical advantages over women.
"Most important, one of the officials holding this view was Biden himself," the Times wrote.
The Times received a quote from a former Biden administration official who said Biden was "particularly focused on the competition issue."
However, the administration was mostly silent until 2023, because they didn't want to "delve any deeper into the…debate ahead of the 2022 midterms."
Recent polling shows that roughly 80% of Americans side with Biden's reported feelings on the issue.
An agent for Biden did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Title IX, which was passed into law in 1972, prohibited sex-based discrimination in schools that receive federal funding. It stated, "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
President Trump has since signed an executive order that bars transgender athletes from competing against biological girls and sports, but several states have defied the order, most notably Maine, which resulted in a freeze of federal funding.
The ruling reads that the USDA "must immediately unfreeze and release to the state of Maine any federal funding that they have frozen or failed or refused to pay because of the state of Maine's alleged failure to comply with the requirements of Title IX."
The administration is also "barred from freezing, terminating, or otherwise interfering with the state of Maine's future federal funding for alleged violations of Title IX without complying with the legally required procedure."
The USDA announced the funding freeze and a review of federal funding to Maine earlier this month after the state refused to provide equal opportunities to women and girls in educational programs.
The state has refused to comply with President Donald Trump's February executive order to ban trans athletes from girls' and women's sports, prompting immense federal pressure. Trump initially vowed to cut federal funding to the state if it were to refuse to comply with the order during a Feb. 20 speech.
Maine officials filed a lawsuit against the USDA on Monday following the agency’s decision to freeze funding to the state.
The state accused the USDA of "withholding funding used to feed children in schools, childcare centers, and after-school programming as well as disabled adults in congregate settings," an argument the judge agreed with.
The judge noted that the freeze was due to Title IX violations, but it restricted the ability to "provid[e] meals to children and vulnerable adults."
Sen. Susan Collins, R-ME, recently called for the issues between the administration and her state to be "resolved," saying that she would continue to fight for federal funding for the state while also being against transgender athletes in biological female sports.
The Department of Education also launched an investigation into the state due to the issue.
The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) referred the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) to the Department of Justice on Friday for continuning to allow trans athletes to compete in girls sports.
It is the second DOJ referral the state's educational institutions have faced in the last month over the issue, after the Department of Health and Human Services referred MDOE, the Maine Principals' Association and Greely High School on March 28.
After Trump signed an executive order to ban trans athletes from women's and girls' sports on February 5, Maine was one of the many states that openly defied the order. The state's divide on trans inclusion was then brought to light when Maine state Rep. Laurel Libby identified in a social media post a trans athlete who had won a girls pole vault competition for Greely High School that month.
Libby was censured by Maine's Democratic majority and Speaker Ryan Fecteaufor the post, which has prevented her from carrying out other legislative actions to serve her constituents.
Fox News' Jackson Thompson and Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
The battle between the Trump administration and the state of Maine is approaching two months amid the Pine Tree State continuing to allow transgender athletes to compete against biological females.
Maine officials on Monday filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in response to the agency’s decision to freeze funding to the state for its refusal to reverse its transgender athlete participation policy in schools.
The state has been under federal pressure in recent months to protect female athletes from trans inclusion after several controversial incidents involving trans athletes and an ongoing feud between President Donald Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, though, understands both sides of the coin, and wants it all to end.
"The conflict between how the State of Maine and the Administration interpret Title IX needs to be resolved," Collins began in an X post on Friday. "I agree with the federal government’s position that biological males should not compete in girls and women’s athletics. Policies to the contrary violate the original intent behind Title IX.
"People who are transgender deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. But that does not change the fact that Title IX mandated equal access to athletic resources and facilities on the basis of sex – not on the basis of gender identity. Safe and fair athletic competition has been one of the keys to the success of Title IX. While I will continue to advocate strongly for federal funding for Maine, I disagree with the state’s position and instead support the original intent behind Title IX."
The Department of Education has also launched an investigation into the state due to the issue.
The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) referred the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday for continuing to allow trans athletes to compete in girls' sports.
It's the second DOJ referral the state's educational institutions have faced in the past month over the issue, after the Department of Health and Human Services referred MDOE, the Maine Principals' Association and Greely High School on March 28.
After Trump signed an executive order to ban trans athletes from women's and girls' sports on Feb. 5, Maine was one of the many states that openly defied the order.
The state's divide on trans inclusion was then brought to light when Maine state Rep. Laurel Libby identified a trans athlete in a social media post who won a girls' pole vault competition for Greely High School that month. Libby was subsequently censured by the state legislature.
Libby filed a lawsuit last month, which seeks to have her voting and speaking rights restored. She was originally told she would have her rights restored if she apologized for the post. Libby has said she will not apologize, but has said she is willing to drop the suit if her censure is dropped.
Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Each of Haynes' matchups were rather close, but Smith dominated in the early going of the bracket. Smith defeated Jane Mitchell 7 frames to 3 in the first round and then beat Vicki Lomax, 7-1.
Haynes led the championship match, 6-3, at a point, but Smith came back to cut the deficit to one. Haynes, though, held on to the victory.
According to Ultimate Pool Group, Smith won 85 of 113 matches and 62% of 848 frames dating back to 2021 before entering the final. Haynes owned a .750 winning percentage in 241 lifetime matches and won 61% of the frames before taking on Smith.
The two players wound up facing each other in the semifinals of the U.K. Mini Series pool championships in October. Haynes won that matchup but lost the championship to a biological woman.
The rules of both the English Pool Association and World Eightball Pool Federation (WEPF) state that trans-identified athletes are allowed to compete in the sport with absolutely no restrictions, according to their website. Those bylaws for the English Pool Association have been under review since December 2023.
In August 2023, the WEPF announced it was updating its guidelines to only allow those who were "born female" to play the sport.
"We understand that this decision may prompt questions and discussions within our sport. We want to emphasize that our commitment to upholding the values of sportsmanship, inclusivity, and adherence to regulatory standards remains unwavering," the WEPF said at the time. "Our ultimate goal is to ensure the continued growth and development of the sport we all love, while maintaining a harmonious balance between inclusivity and the integrity of competition. We recognize the importance of fostering an environment where everyone can participate and thrive, and we remain dedicated to upholding these principles to the best of our ability."
But in October that year, the WEPF reversed that protection. It allowed transgender competitors under the condition that they identified as female for a minimum of four years and submitted proof of lowered testosterone levels.
Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Dallas Mavericks minority owner and "Shark Tank" host Mark Cuban gave his take on transgender athletes in women's sports this week.
During an interview on "The Stephen A. Smith Show" Friday, Cuban suggested trans inclusion should not be "pushed down people's throats."
"To make it a national issue so that if you weren’t supporting the fewer than 10 trans athletes in the NCAA, then you weren’t a good person. People just aren’t ready for that yet. You've got to meet people where they are," Cuban said. "It takes time, you can’t just force it down people’s throats."
Cuban also suggested people affected by transgender inclusion policies in sports should not be used in political campaigns.
"Instead of trying to get where the people who are being disadvantaged and being discriminated against are helped, they wanted to make it a campaign issue," Cuban said. "Focus on helping the people, not using them to campaign."
A national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters saw the issue of "Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls' and women’s sports and of transgender boys and men using girls' and women’s bathrooms" as important to them.
Additionally, 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important."
Cuban also suggested he supports women athletes who choose not to compete against transgender competitors, saying the decision of whether to compete against trans athletes should be left up to the athletes themselves.
"My attitude is if there’s a trans athlete, no matter what side, you let the opponent — whether it’s an individual sport or a team sport — you let them decide if they want to compete against them or not," Cuban said.
Cuban, a staunch supporter of former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris and an impassioned critic of President Donald Trump, is one of the many prominent left-wing figures who have spoken out against the Democratic Party's stance on trans athlete inclusion.
Smith has repeatedly called out the Democratic Party for its stance on trans athletes, suggesting it played heavily into its defeat in the November election.
HBO host Bill Maher has also criticized Democratic support for trans inclusion in women's sports. Even Democratic lawmakers like Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass, and former Montana Sen. Jon Tester have spoken out against the party's current stance.
A New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don't think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports. Of the 2,128 people who participated, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women's sports.
Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% said that transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete against women.
A video of women's disc golfer Abigail Wilson refusing to face a transgender opponent went viral on Friday, prompting praise from women's sports rights activists.
The incident came just days after Fox News Digital reported that women's fencer Stephanie Turner had refused to face a transgender opponent at a competition in Maryland, prompting global awareness and criticism against USA Fencing.
Wilson's refusal to face the trans athlete came on Friday in Nashville, Tennessee, at the MVP Music City Open, which is an event that is officially sanctioned by the Disc Golf Pro Tour and the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA). When her name was called to step up to compete, she walked up to the tee box, wound up her toss, and flung her arm forward, but didn't let go of the disc. Then she turned around to explain why.
"Females must be protected in our division!" Wilson yelled to the crowd. "This is unfair. I refuse to play!"
Later on Friday, she shared the footage of her protest in an Instagram video.
"Today I refused to play at the Music City Open. Females deserve to have their gender protected division be protected. This is unfair. I have worked so hard to get to this point to play on the DGPT, but the sacrifice of my career and my hard work is worth it if it means I can make a difference for other women, daughters, nieces, and the future of our sport. If you feel how wrong it is to have biological males be competing in female protected divisions in sports, now is the time to speak up and stand your ground," she wrote in the caption.
"I took this stand today because I was having anxiety about playing with the openly trans player on tour because of the planned protests for this year and the threats of violence at the event last year. After speaking with a member of the DGPT staff yesterday they made it clear they would be unwilling to change me to an earlier tee time when regarding my fears of safety on the course.
"They assured me that there would be bag checks, police, and security at the event. Upon arriving this morning there was no security or police presence, I was also allowed entry even though I did not have my credentials. There were zero security precautions."
The DGPT has disputed Wilson's allegations about security.
Wilson also added that she believes the decision will end her disc golfing career.
"Today I most likely ended my career and that is okay because this is bigger than me."
The DGPT released a statement addressing Wilson's protest and her claims about security.
"The DGPT supports the right of all competitors to protest and have their voices heard, and no disciplinary action, official or otherwise, is being taken for yesterday’s protest. No rules or policies were violated," the statement read.
"Ahead of this protest, the Tour was asked to move Ms. Wilson to a different tee time because she did not want to compete with another player on her assigned card. One policy that applies to everyone is that the Tour does not accommodate change requests once tee times are published."
The DGPT's statement also insisted that all typical security measures were in place.
"Security resources were in place for all cards yesterday, including Ms. Wilson’s, and she was informed that playing groups would remain the same," the statement continued.
"Before the event, the DGPT also responded to Ms. Wilson to address concerns she may have had about security at the event and informed her of the security plan. In addition to private security personnel (off-duty police officers) providing security that morning, a number of additional security staff were assigned to Ms. Wilson’s tee time. This information was shared with Ms. Wilson before the event, and the Tour received no security concerns from her on Friday morning upon her arrival and during interactions with the DGPT’s Director of Safety and Security, Seth Munsey."
The Professional Disc Golf Association rules state that transgender players who were assigned male at birth are eligible to compete in the women's category after undergoing continuous hormone therapy for at least 24 months and maintaining a certain testosterone level, verified through multiple blood tests. Eligibility can also be achieved through gender-affirming surgery, with the same requirements for testosterone levels post-surgery.
The trans competitor who prompted Wilson's protest, Natalie Ryan, first garnered attention in September 2022 after winning the women's division at the Discraft Great Lakes Open, and achieving a rank as one of the world’s top five female-classified disc golfers.
Ryan identifies as openly transgender, according to the athlete's Instagram page.
The Music City Open marked Ryan's return to the sport after recovering from "very invasive surgery," the athlete revealed in a post on Thursday.
At the 2024 Music City Open, the event had to be paused after a terroristic threat, which was targeted at Ryan, the organization released in a statement.
"A call came into the event site stating there would be a threat of potential violence against a competitor at this weekend’s tournament," a tour statement read.
Women's fencer Stephanie Turner spoke out against USA Fencing during an interview on Fox News Channel's "American Reports" on Thursday after a video of her kneeling to protest a trans opponent went viral.
"There's really no option to go around this when there are extremists who take on positions at the authoritative positions at [USA Fencing], so I have very little option but being forced to fence," Turner said.
Turner's decision to kneel and refuse to face trans competitor Redmond Sullivan at the Cherry Blossom Open last weekend resulted in Turner being dealt a black card – the most severe penalty, leading to expulsion from the tournament or event for serious rule infractions or unsportsmanlike behavior.
USA Fencing chair Damien Lehfeldt has made multiple pro-trans statements, including a blog post in August 2023, where he argued on behalf of trans inclusion in fencing.
"There is a possibility that transgender women have a physical advantage over their cisgender opponents after transitioning," Lehfeldt wrote. "There is also a possibility they do not. In Fencing, there is no data to support either viewpoint. Giving athletes a sense of belonging and a will to live is more powerful than medals and competitive glory.
"Transgender women are women and gender is not sex," he insisted, adding, "Transgender fencers deserve the right to compete with the gender they identify with."
USA Fencing first enacted its current trans-inclusion policy in 2023. It allows transgender athletes to compete in the women's category at both the junior and senior level after completing one calendar year of testosterone suppression treatment.
But the organization also employs a policy that gives preference when selecting host cities for national tournaments to states without laws that "harm members of LGBTQ communities."
In November 2023, the organization released a list of states that it intended to "avoid where possible" and the states that it flat out would not allow hosting of major events.
This past December, a nonprofit fencing organization, the Fair Fencing Organization, penned an open letter to USA Fencing Board Members urging the re-evaluation of its stance on several issues, including transgender inclusion.
Just days later, however, board members voted against several motions to approve an all-female task force to re-evaluate and revise the current transgender policy, in an 8-3 vote. Now, after siding against women fencers seeking protection from trans inclusion, USA Fencing finds itself plunged into a global controversy after Turner's viral protest.
On Thursday, the organization defended its current trans-inclusion policies in a public statement.
"USA Fencing remains committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful community for everyone in our sport. We believe in the principle of creating safe communities where all athletes, and community members, have a place," the statement read.
"While we understand there are a range of perspectives, USA Fencing will continue to engage in respectful, research-based dialogue and review as policy evolves in the Olympic and Paralympic movement as well as domestic law, hate speech of any kind is not acceptable—online or in person. Let's keep the conversation respectful and the strip welcoming to all."
USA Fencing has come under fire after a viral video of women's fencer Stephanie Turner kneeling in protest of a transgender opponent.
Prominent figures, including J. K. Rowling and Martina Navratilova, have weighed in on social media, alongside thousands of women's sports rights activists.
USA Fencing addressed the controversy with a public statement on Thursday, defending its trans-inclusion policies.
"USA Fencing remains committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful community for everyone in our sport. We believe in the principle of creating a safe communities where all athletes, and community members, have a place," the statement read.
"While we understand there are a range of perspectives, USA Fencing will continue to engage in respectful, research-based dialogue and review as policy evolves in the Olympic and Paralympic movement as well as domestic law, hate speech of any kind is not acceptable—online or in person. Let's keep the conversation respectful and the strip welcoming to all."
The organization first enacted its current trans-inclusion policy in 2023. It allows transgender athletes to compete in the women's category at both the junior and senior level after completing one calendar year of testosterone suppression treatment. Proof of compliant hormone therapy must be provided prior to competition, but the organization has taken even further steps to prioritize its trans competitors.
In November 2022, it announced a policy to give preference when selecting host cities for national tournaments to states without laws that "harm members of LGBTQ communities" and states that do not "have laws undermining the reproductive health of women." That policy went into effect in the 2023 season, the same year it changed its gender policy.
"We’ve heard from a number of members, including members of the Board and members of our elite athlete community, asking whether continuing to place events in areas with either anti-LGBTQ laws or anti-abortion laws aligns with our core values as an organization," said USA Fencing CEO Phill Andrews in the policy page. "After a robust discussion with our Board and our staff team, USA Fencing has moved to give preference to those states without these laws."
In November 2023, the organization released a list of states that it intended to "avoid where possible" and the states that it flat out would not allow hosting major events. The states on the "do not allow" list were Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.
The states on its "avoid where possible" list include Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming, Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.
This combination of polices preceded an influx of biological male fencers competing in women's and girls' USA Fencing-sanctioned events over the last two years. Some of those competitors previously competed in the men's category. By September 2023, four biological male fencers, who previously competed in the men's category, achieved USA Fencing podium finishes in the women's category.
Turner told Fox News Digital the quantity of trans competitors is even higher than that.
"In fencing, personally, I see it quite often," Turner said. "I have witnessed transgender fencers in women's tournaments and girls tournaments in different age categories, specifically Y-14 (the youngest age group)."
The trans athlete Turner refused to compete against last weekend, Redmond Sullivan, competed in men's events up until June 2023, according to Sullivan's profile page on Fencing Tracker. The page shows no competitions for Sullivan from June 2023 until a return on Sept. 28, 2024 – the athlete's first competition in the women's category at an event in Newtown, Connecticut. Sullivan then went on to win two gold medals, one at the Connecticut Division Junior Olympic Qualifiers on Dec. 8 and one at the Connecticut Division Summer National Qualifiers on March 16.
This past December, a nonprofit fencing organization, the Fair Fencing Organization, penned an open letter to USA Fencing Board Members urging the re-evaluation of its stance on several issues, including transgender inclusion.
"Politics aside, it is a reasonable request to form a task force to do a deeper dive on this issue in fencing and create a safe space where the voices of all women are heard without ridicule and abuse," the letter said.
Just days later, however, board members voted against several motions to approve an all-female task force to re-evaluate and revise the current transgender policy, in an 8-3 vote. Now, after siding against women fencers seeking protection from trans inclusion, USA Fencing finds itself plunged into a global controversy after Turner's viral protest.
USA Fencing provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing the incident.
"USA Fencing enacted our current transgender and nonbinary athlete policy in 2023. The policy was designed to expand access to the sport of fencing and create inclusive, safe spaces. The policy is based on the principle that everyone should have the ability to participate in sports and was based upon the research available of the day," the statement said.
"We respect the viewpoints on all sides and encourage our members to continue sharing them with us as the matter evolves. It's important for the fencing community to engage in this dialogue, but we expect this conversation to be conducted respectfully, whether at our tournaments or in online spaces. The way to progress is by respectful discussion based in evidence."
A USA Fencing spokesperson also told Fox News Digital Turner was not penalized for her stance against trans inclusion, but simply for refusing to fence.
"In the case of Stephanie Turner, her disqualification was not related to any personal statement but was merely the direct result of her decision to decline to fence an eligible opponent, which the FIE rules clearly prohibit," the spokesperson said.
"According to the FIE (International Fencing Federation) Technical Rules, specifically Article t.113, a fencer is not permitted to refuse to fence another properly entered fencer for any reason. Under these rules, such a refusal results in disqualification and the corresponding sanctions. This policy exists to maintain fair competition standards and preserve the sport’s integrity."
Former University of Pennsylvania transgender swimmer Lia Thomas recently spoke up in support of the trans athlete community as most Americans have become opposed to trans inclusion in women's sports.
Thomas spoke up about the issue at the HiTOPS trans youth forum on Saturday.
"I am going to keep fighting as much as I am able to," Thomas said over Zoom.
"In order to fight the battles we need to fight, we have to stick together and support each other."
Thomas' recent comments come three years after the athlete was allowed to swim in the women's category for UPenn at the 2022 Ivy League championships and NCAA championships. Thomas previously competed for the university's men's swimming team under the name Will Thomas.
But the previous NCAA gender eligibility policy allowed trans athletes to compete with and share locker rooms with women, so Thomas took advantage and went on to break multiple women's records.
Thomas was even the focus of mostly-positive attention from the mainstream legacy media in 2022, doing sit-down interviews with ESPN, NBC News and "Good Morning America."
But three years later, President Donald Trump has ordered a national ban on trans athletes in women's sports, the NCAA has amended its policy to keep biological males from competing on women's teams, and data suggests the vast majority of Americans oppose trans inclusion in women's sports.
But Thomas believes the policies of trans athlete inclusion should be left up to the trans athletes themselves.
"It has to be the athletes deciding for themselves where they feel most affirmed and most comfortable," she said. "Having routes that are safe and non-discriminatory, that allow them access to that."
Thomas' inclusion on the women's swimming team at UPenn in the 2021-22 season has prompted multiple lawsuits and a pause in $175 million in federal funding to the university for Title IX violations.
Riley Gaines currently leads a lawsuit against the NCAA, alongside several other women who competed with Thomas in 2021-22, over its previous gender identity policy.
In February, three of Thomas' former teammates filed a lawsuit against the university, the Ivy League and the NCAA, seeking to have all of Thomas' records in the women's category revoked, while also alleging the university pushed pro-trans ideology on the team.
The three former women's swimmers, Grace Estabrook, Margot Kaczorowski and Ellen Holmquist, claim that by allowing Thomas to compete, the institutions "injured them and violated federal law."
"The UPenn administrators told the women that if anyone was struggling with accepting Thomas’s participation on the UPenn Women’s team, they should seek counseling and support from CAPS and the LBGTQ center," the lawsuit alleges.
"The administrators also invited the women to a talk titled, ‘Trans 101.’ Thus, the women were led to understand that UPenn’s position was that if a woman on the team had any problem with a trans-identifying male being on her team, that woman had a psychological problem and needed counseling."
Meanwhile, after the 2022 college season, Thomas made an attempt to compete in the Olympics as a woman, but was denied. World Aquatics amended its policy later that year to prohibit any trans athlete who went through male puberty from competing in the women's category.
Thomas lost a court challenge to that rule in 2024.
"I felt so devastated and [felt] grief over losing this access to my sport," Thomas said Saturday. "There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to fight this, that this is my sport too, and I'm not just gonna give it up."
A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don't think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports. Of the 2,128 people polled, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women's sports.
Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.
A national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters saw the issue of "Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls' and women’s sports and of transgender boys and men using girls' and women’s bathrooms" as important to them. Additionally, 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important."
Gaines, who infamously tied Thomas at the 2022 NCAA championships, has since become a prominent conservative political influencer and believes Thomas' inclusion in the women's category played heavily into the outcome of the 2024 election.
"I think we should send a thank-you note to people like Will Thomas, I really do, signed and sealed by me. I will sign the thank-you note, I will write it, because I believe he handed us the election," Gaines previously told Fox News Digital.
Maine Rep. Laurel Libby has been largely outspoken about the issue of transgender athletes competing against biological females, to the point where she was censured by the state House.
That move was harshly criticized by the Boston Globe's editorial board this week.
In a story by its editorial board headlined "Maine Democrats should stop making Laurel Libby a free speech martyr," the outlet said that the voters, "not the House leadership," should decide whether to "disqualify her."
Libby was censured earlier this month by Maine's Democratic majority and Speaker Ryan Fecteau for a social media post identifying an underage trans athlete. The censure has prevented her from carrying out other legislative actions to serve her constituents.
"There is no need to continue making a free speech martyr of Libby. A basic respect for democracy argues for letting the voters in her district, not the House leadership, be the ones to decide whether her actions disqualify her . . . ," the story reads.
"It was unnecessary for Libby to make that argument by singling out an individual - especially when that individual is a minor who had no role in making the rules that Libby opposes. But it was completely legitimate for her to express a view on what is inarguably a controversial political question . . . , " the piece continued. "A censure is one thing when it’s just a symbolic statement of disapproval. But preventing an elected representative from voting should be a last resort for very serious misbehavior, and no legislature should make that decision lightly."
Libby filed a lawsuit earlier this month, which seeks to have her voting and speaking rights restored. She was originally told she would have her rights restored if she apologized for the post. However, she has said she will not apologize but has said she is willing to drop it if her censure is dropped. She has said she is willing to drop her lawsuit if the censure is dropped.
Libby's state of Maine, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, agreed to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order to keep transgender athletes out of women's sports after much public back and forth.
The University of Maine System (USM), a network of eight public universities in Maine, was subject to a temporary pause in funding from the USDA last week during an ongoing battle between the state and the federal government over trans inclusion in women's and girls' sports. The funding was reinstated just days later.
The USDA now claims the UMS is in full compliance with Trump's executive order.
Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) paused funding to the University of Maine System (UMS), a network of eight public colleges in the state, according to UMS officials.
On Wednesday night, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins' office said the funding freeze had been reversed, according to local outlets. A reason was not disclosed.
A spokesperson for Collins said the reversal came after Collins' office spoke with both USDA and White House officials.
"We’re deeply grateful to [Collins] for this encouraging news and eager to put the whiplash and worry of recent weeks behind us and keep up our good work to move Maine forward," Chancellor Dannel Malloy of the university system and University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy said in a joint statement, via the Bangor Daily News.
In fiscal year 2024 alone, the USDA awarded $29.78 million in funding to UMS for research, the system said. The USDA claims it has provided over $100 million to the UMS in recent years in a letter addressed to the system.
The pause in funding came during reviews of potential Title IX and Title VI violations by the universities after the state's recent refusal to comply with Trump's executive order to keep transgender athletes out of women's sports.
Trump threatened to cut federal funding to Maine after a heated exchange with Gov. Janet Mills last month. That was followed up with a March Against Mills near the State House, where several female athletes took the microphone at the march to speak out against their Democrat governor.
A day later, eight activists protested outside Rep. Laurel Libby's home in opposition to her views. Libby helped ignite the contentious situation when, in early February, she identified a biological male on social media who competed in and won a girls state pole vault competition for Greely High School. Police protection was assigned to Greely High School during the controversy.
Trump reaffirmed his intent to punish states that continue to allow trans athletes to compete with girls during his March 4 address to a joint session of Congress.
Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
The Michigan House of Representatives voted on a resolution to urge the Michigan High School Athletic Association to follow President Donald Trump's executive order and ban transgender athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports.
"Allowing biological males to compete in women's sports in defiance of a federal executive order could put female athletes in Michigan at risk for injury, threatens the safety and fairness of competitions and undermines the intent of Title IX," the resolution read, via the Detroit Free Press.
Sixty-six people voted in favor of the resolution as opposed to 43 nays; eight of the yays were Democrats, who have been criticized by LGBTQ+ advocates.
"The shift in how Democrats are positioning themselves on issues concerning trans rights is troubling," said Equality Michigan executive director Erin Knott on Thursday. "It's time to act decisively to take a firm stand and to make it clear we will fight to protect the LGBTQ+ community no matter what, and unfortunately we're not seeing that same vigor that we did even just last year."
"We all want sports to be fair, and student athletes to be safe," Knott added. "That’s why the MHSAA already has rules about who can participate in different sports at different levels across a range of issues. They already have a process in place and are experts when it comes to sports in schools. They don’t need politicians in Lansing to override their expertise with a one-size-fits-all blanket ban."
Added Jerron Totten, who runs the party's LGBT & Allies Caucus, "There are so many other issues that are more pressing, more concerning, more alarming than trans kids playing sports. And I think we as voters are looking for legislators that will address those issues and not scapegoat marginalized communities."
"The Democratic Party chose a different way than what we normally would think they would," said Jeffrey Pienela, the president of Muskegon Pride, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization.
"It’s surprising. It’s almost like, who has your back when neither party does?"
One Democrat, Rep. Emily Dievendorf, spoke as to why she had voted for the resolution.
"I want you to think about what it means to be a kid. Figuring out who you are trying to find a place to belong. Learning confidence through the support of your peers and mentors. . . . Now imagine, instead being told by adults, by your own government that you are the problem. That playing sports, making friends and being yourself is wrong. That the community meant to support you, instead, is determined to erase you.
"I know what it is to be a queer kid, and it is lonely. I know what it is to be our nonbinary legislator, and it is isolating and dehumanizing. This resolution isn't about fairness. It isn't about protecting women's sports. This isn't about safety, because there is no threat. There is no threat."
However, Rep. Alabas Farhat, a Democrat who went against the majority of her party in the vote, offered an alternative.
"We want to make sure there's a fair environment . . . to compete in. And I'll just be honest, that's where it comes from for me. Folks in my district, definitely, I think, agree with that sentiment. . . ." Rep. Alabas Farhat said. "I would prefer us prioritizing conversations around affordability, around housing. I would prefer those conversations to be at the forefront instead of resolutions like this. But you know, again, for me, it's an issue of fairness and my district has very strong opinions on this stuff."
The Department of Education has launched Title IX investigations against three states - California, Minnesota, and Maine - for not adhering to the order. The USDA stopped federal funding to Maine as a result, which Trump threatened.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey hosted Riley Gaines Wednesday as he signed Riley Gaines Act into law, codifying definitions of "man" and "woman" into state law.
According to text of the measure, it "reaffirms longstanding meaning[s]" of sex, male and female in state law, preserves women’s restrooms, sleeping quarters, locker rooms and other private facilities for the sole use of women — to prevent "abuse, harassment, sexual assault and violence committed by men."
A law of a similar name has already been signed into law in Georgia focused specifically on sports, as Gaines has rapidly ascended as a conservative political icon in the three years since her infamous tie with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the 2022 NCAA women's swimming championships.
For Gaines, seeing state legislation, to help prevent similar incidents happening to other female athletes, named after her is "an honor."
"There's no bigger honor than having your name attached to something as foundational and significant as the defense of women's rights and biological reality," Gaines said in a statement. "The Riley Gaines Act merely defines sex-based terms like man and woman in state statute to prevent unelected bureaucrats from reinterpreting these words to mean what they want them to mean.The majority of American people know what a woman is and it's time our laws do too."
Gaines' movement of protecting women from trans athletes has grown into a nationwide movement with an entire merchandising industry and even became one of the biggest political wildcards in 2024. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to prevent trans athletes from competing in women's and girls sports on Feb. 5, at a White House ceremony Gaines attended.
But even with the executive order and a total of 27 states having their own laws to combat trans athlete inclusion, Gaines believes there is more work to do to combat the issue.
"Contrary to what some may think given President Trump is back in the White House, the war on woke has not been won yet. "There's more work to be done, but leaders like President Trump and Governor Morrisey have paved the way," Gaines said.
Several states, including California, Maine, Minnesota and Massachusetts, have continued to let trans athletes compete with females. The U.S. Senate recently failed to pass the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act after the Democratic minority blocked the bill via the filibuster.
Gaines has vowed to help unseat all 45 Democrat senators who voted against the bill, and has not ruled out a potential run for political office herself in the future.
"It's never what I saw myself doing," Gaines previously told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview.
"But now, of course, with this issue and more, I would say the whole America-first agenda. I am just so passionate, I care so deeply, and I love it, so we'll see. It's definitely not something I would rule out. I don't think I'm that crazy yet, because I do think you have to be a bit clinically insane to voluntarily do that. But I do believe that maybe eventually influencing policy in that way is something I see myself doing."
As at least one study has shown, nearly 80% of Americans believe biological males should not participate in girls' and women's sports, the current administration has begun to take action.
The Trump administration made due on its threat to Maine by cutting federal funding for continuing to allow transgender athletes to compete against biological females.
Legendary NFL quarterback Brett Favre is a part of the aforementioned reported 80%. He appeared on Fox News Channel with Will Cain on Tuesday where he was shown a clip of "The View" co-host Whoopi Goldberg asking why it was an issue.
"There's nothing I can say that's gonna change her mind - I can only shake my head at this," Favre said. "It's common sense at its best. Oh well, what can I say? Speechless."
As far as it being unfair for biological females, Favre added, "You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out."
Favre has spoken out against transgender athletes in female sports in the past.
"I appreciate President @realDonaldTrump signing an initiative to keep biological boys from competing against females," Favre said last month in a post on X of his executive order. "It’s sad that this had to happen in this day and age, but glad it was done."
Trump signed an executive order last month to keep transgender athletes out of girls' and women's sports, but that has not stopped at least three states from ignoring it.
Trump's Department of Education has launched Title IX investigations into California, Maine and Minnesota for allegedly continuing to allow biological males in female sports.
Earlier this month, not a single Democrat voted in favor of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which would keep biological males from competing in women’s and girls’ sports.
A national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters saw the issue of "Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls' and women’s sports and of transgender boys and men using girls' and women’s bathrooms" as important to them.
Additionally, 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important."
Meanwhile, a recent New York Times/Ipsos poll found that the vast majority of Americans, including 67% of Democrats, don't believe trans athletes should be able to compete in women's sports.
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos, Jackson Thompson and Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
Maine State Rep. Laurel Libby has filed a lawsuit against Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau after she was censured on Feb. 15 for her social media post about a trans high school athlete.
The lawsuit seeks to have Libby's voting and speaking rights restored. Maine House Clerk Robert Hunt is named as the other defendant in the lawsuit. Libby was originally told she would have her rights restored if she apologized for the post. However, she has said she will not apologize.
Libby's censure came in response to a social media post in which she pointed out a high school trans athlete who won a girls' pole vault competition. The post ignited a nationwide controversy and a spat between Democrat Maine Gov. Janet Mills and President Donald Trump, prompting federal agencies to launch Title IX investigations against the state and school district where the athlete was enrolled.
A massive protest against Mills followed in Maine's capital of Augusta.
The basis of the censure by Fecteau and Maine Democrats was Libby's post that identified a minor with a photograph and by name. However, Libby and her attorneys argue that the athlete had already been publicized in a positive light and was competing in the public forum of a state-sponsored athletic event.
"The championship was a public event, was streamed online, and the names, schools, and photographs of the winners were all posted publicly," states a copy of the lawsuit obtained by Fox News Digital.
Libby represents more than 9,000 constituents in Maine's House District 90, and six of them have signed onto the lawsuit as plaintiffs because the censure has impeded her ability to help carry out other legislative actions to serve those constituents.
"The speaker's actions did not just disenfranchise me but disenfranchised the thousands of constituents that I represent, and that's the bigger picture here; the fact that the speaker, in his eyes, retaliated against me because he doesn't like what I have to say," Libby said.
Libby recently proposed a bill to expand access to mental health resources for Maine residents, which she will now not be able to help push through. In the coming weeks, the Maine House will vote on the upcoming biannual budget, and Libby will not get to vote on that either.
For Libby, the lawsuit is not only meant to restore her rights to her and her constituents. She also says it's an important step to take in the national battle to combat trans inclusion in women's sports.
"Maine has, for whatever reason, become ground zero for this debate, and, of course, I want to have my voice back so I can speak to that; and as we address this issue within the legislature, I hope that all that has unfolded over the next few weeks can help change the course in the debate, so that not just Maine girls, but girls across the country, have a fair, safe and level playing field," Libby said.
Libby also encouraged Fecteau to simply restore her rights to avoid taking the case to court and costing Maine taxpayers the price of any potential litigation.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Fecteau's office for comment.
Meanwhile, Maine is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for potential Title IX violations over its refusal to comply with Trump's recent executive order to prevent trans athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports.
HHS served a notice of violation to the state of Maine on Feb. 25 and declared the state violated Title IX by allowing trans athletes to compete in girls' sports. HHS later expanded the scope of the investigation to include the Maine Principals Association and Greely High School.
Libby's revelation of the trans athlete prompted national media coverage of the state's policy on trans inclusion after Maine announced it would not comply with Trump's executive order. Trump then vowed to cut funding to the state for refusing to follow his order.
Mills' office responded with a statement threatening legal action against the Trump administration if it withheld federal funding from the state. Then Trump and Mills verbally sparred in a widely publicized argument at the White House during a bipartisan meeting of governors.
Just hours after that interaction, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would investigate the state for allowing trans athletes to compete in girls' sports and for potential Title IX violations.
The controversy even incited a protest against Mills called the "March Against Mills," which took place outside Maine's State House on Saturday morning. Several female athletes took the microphone at the march to speak out against their Democrat governor.
A day later, eight pro-trans activists protested outside Libby's home in opposition to her views. They held signs reading "Shame on you Laurel 4 exploiting a child 4 your political gain" and "Protect trans youth," according to the Maine Wire.
Oregon's governor has signed a proclamation that will make March 10 "Abortion Provider Appreciation Day," in an effort to reaffirm her administration's commitment to "maintaining access to abortion care across the state."
"Here in Oregon, we understand that abortion is healthcare, and providers are appreciated and can continue to provide care without interference and intimidation," Governor Tina Kotek said in a statement. "To our providers and to the patients who live in Oregon or have been forced to retreat to our state for care, know that I continue to have your back."
Immediately following the November election, officials said Kotek directed the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to partner with OHSU to replace the state's three-year supply of Mifepristone — a medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over 20 years ago for use in miscarriage management and to end a pregnancy.
The governor said she continues to work with providers and the OHA to monitor and identify ways to mitigate federal threats to reproductive care.
"Oregon leads the nation with the strongest protections to access reproductive health care, including abortion. In these uncertain times, I’ll safeguard our values," Kotek wrote in a post on X.
Oregon Senate Republicans shared their reaction to Kotek's declaration and slammed the governor for focusing on "abortion provider appreciation" over fixing other issues in the state.
"Fix crime? Fix schools? Fix affordability? Nah… Kotek declares ‘Abortion Provider Appreciation Day’ instead," the group wrote in post on X with a meme attached.
In 2023, Kotek signed the Access to Reproductive Health Care law, House Bill 2002. The bill protects access to reproductive healthcare and provides state funding to support the work of community organizations and clinical partners to ensure that people across the state have broader access to the reproductive healthcare they need.
The bill also allows minors to undergo sex reassignment surgery or obtain an abortion without their parent’s permission.
Justin Hwang, chairman of the Oregon Republican Party, previously said, "HB 2002 is what happens when progressive politicians and their far-left base put woke ideology ahead of common sense."
"This bill represents a new low for Oregon and an even bigger loss for children and parents," Hwang told Fox News Digital. "Imagine being a father or mother who finds out that their child has made a life-changing decision without any consent or notification."
According to the governor's office, reproductive health equity is a long-time priority of Kotek, both from her time as speaker of the Oregon House and during her tenure as governor.
The Pro-Life group "Oregon Right to Life" reacted to the governor's proclamation and said they would not be supporting the measure.
"You may have heard it's Abortion Provider Appreciation Day—but we're not celebrating abortion. We're honoring a brave former abortion worker who chose to walk away from the industry," the organization wrote in a post on X.
According to Oregon Health Authority data, of the 10,075 abortions provided in Oregon in 2023, 1,661 were patients who reside out-of-state, reflecting a nearly 60% increase from the prior year.
Fox News Digital's Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
Martina Navratilova has been outspoken about transgender athletes in women's sports for a long while, and earlier this week, she attacked a Democrat senator who voted against the bill.
In a statement, Cortez Mastro explained why she voted against the bill, despite "support[ing] fair play and… not support[ing] transgender athletes competing in girls' and women's sports."
"I believe local schools, student athletes, coaches, and parents are much better equipped to implement fair, strong politics on this issue than politicians in Congress," she said. "This blanket legislation would allow anyone to subject girls to invasive physical exams just because of the way they look. That is incredible government overreach and is putting young women at increased risk for abuse and harassment - something I've spent my career fighting against."
However, Navratilova called out the senator's notions of such checks for athletes.
"Existing bloodwork. A simple cheek swab like they do on tv is a sure fire way to find out the sex and it only needs to be down [sic] once," she wrote. "No genital checks ever!!! Stop spreading propaganda, Democrats!!!!"
Navratilova's X bio implores her followers to vote blue, but she has made it clear she is on the opposite end of the spectrum with this issue.
Her pinned post says she will "not vote for" Trump "now or ever," comparing his leadership to the "totalitarian authoritarian country" she grew up in. However, the one thing they agree on is "male bodies" in women's "spaces."
"I lived in a totalitarian authoritarian country growing up and I will not vote for that now or ever," the post reads. "trump is not pro women- rapist and assaulter- he is against all things trans. A big difference. I support trans people but not male bodies in women’s sex based spaces. Simple."
Trump's Department of Education has launched Title IX investigations into California, Maine and Minnesota for allegedly continuing to allow biological males in female sports.
This month will mark the three-year anniversary of Riley Gaines' infamous tie with Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA women's swimming championships.
At the time, Thomas, previously known as Will Thomas, was hailed by liberals as the next "civil rights icon" in sports, doing sit-down interviews with ESPN, NBC News and "Good Morning America."
Gaines was an aspiring dentist who had to wait to hoist her own trophy until Thomas was done with photo ops.
After a failed bid to qualify for the Paris Olympics, Thomas is the subject of multiple lawsuits against the NCAA, the Ivy League and the University of Pennsylvania, led by Gaines and other female swimmers who had to share areas with Thomas. Penn is also under investigation by the Department of Education for potential Title IX violations.
Gaines is now hailed as a sports civil rights icon by conservatives with a proposed bill named after her progressing through the legislature in Georgia, the site of her 2022 tie with Thomas.
Other states have taken their own steps to prevent transgender inclusion in women's sports, and President Donald Trump signed an executive order to ban it on a national level. Data shows the majority of Americans have become opposed to transgender inclusion in women's and girls sports and that the issue even influenced voters in the 2024 election.
"I think we should send a thank-you note to people like Will Thomas, I really do, signed and sealed by me. I will sign the thank-you note, I will write it, because I believe he handed us the election," Gaines told Fox News Digital.
"There was a lot that was wrong with Joe Biden, his administration and the Democratic Party as a whole outside of the sports stuff … but this was the perfect visual. It's like the South Park episode. … It painted the picture that many of us were concerned about for a while, but made it a reality."
A national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters saw the issue of "Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls' and women’s sports and of transgender boys and men using girls' and women’s bathrooms" as important to them. Additionally, 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important."
And Trump outperformed polling among women, especially young women.
As much as Gaines wants to thank Thomas for bringing attention to the issue, she also feels sympathy for the athlete and has even tried to express that sympathy to Thomas.
"I've reached out several times, especially at first. Honestly, I hate to say it, but I reached out apologetically, like feeling that I needed to explain myself and almost apologize for feeling the way that I did because we were so conditioned to believe it was hurtful, it was exclusive, it wasn't the kind thing to take the stance that I had," Gaines said.
"So, initially I reached out, hoping to have a conversation to explain myself more and express my apologies for feeling the way I did. And, like I said, it pains me to say that."
Thomas has not responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
If Gaines and Thomas reconnected today, Gaines might be less apologetic. But even then, she would still hope to offer Thomas some reprieve.
"I would still, of course, welcome conversation, but it would not be in a way that is apologizing for feeling the way that I do. It would be in a way that I could, of course, still be constructive and encourage Thomas to come to the side of common sense," she added. "But there won't be any shaking in my voice. I'm not apologizing for anything."
Since Thomas' ascent in 2022, other transgender athletes have attracted similar national controversy and political involvement, including former San Jose State University volleyball player Blaire Fleming and openly transgender track and field runner Sadie Schreiner.
And while Gaines is opposed to these athletes being allowed to participate in sports with biological females, she sees them as victims of a movement to enable transgender athletes in women's sports.
"I view them as victims too. I really do. They have fallen victim to the movement. They have unfortunately fallen for the lie that they weren't created uniquely and intentionally in God's perfect image. And that is a horrible message to send to anyone," Gaines said.
Fleming was thrust into the national spotlight in the fall after multiple opponents forfeited when lawsuits were filed alleging the school withheld Fleming's birth sex from teammates.
The situation prompted Trump to comment about Fleming while campaigning in October during a Fox News town hall event.
Like UPenn with Thomas, SJSU is also now under investigation by the Department of Education for its handling of Fleming.
Unlike Thomas, Fleming's gender identity was an alleged hidden secret because the volleyball player has no known history of competing in men's or boys sports. Thomas competed on UPenn's men's team two years before transitioning to women's.
Schreiner became one of the first-known casualties of Trump's recent executive order. After the NCAA changed it's gender eligibility policy to prevent biological males from competing in women's competition to comply with Trump's order, Schreiner's school, the Rochester Institute of Technology, told Fox News Digital the athlete wouldn't be competing in future competitions.
Then Schreiner defeated a handful of teenage female opponents at the USA Track and Field Open Masters Championships last weekend.
"I have my own thoughts about the behaviors of these men," Gaines said. "I certainly believe there is a level of narcissism. I believe there's a level of entitlement and total disregard for everyone else around these people. But, ultimately, I believe they're victims too, which is the sad reality of the gender ideology movement.
"The gender ideology movement is destructive to everyone, except the people profiting off of it. … It's the biggest medical scandal this world has ever seen."
Andy Cohen, the talk show host best known as the face of Bravo TV's "Watch What Happens Live," got into a social media debate over trans inclusion in women's sports with Meghan McCain and former volleyball player Payton McNabb, who suffered brain damage when she was injured by a transgender opponent years ago.
Cohen started the debate when he responded a McCain post. She praised the 19-year-old McNabb as "incredibly smart, strong and brave," as Cohen suggested the teen was "villifying" transgender people.
"Surprised you’re buying into the vilification of the trans community given the real problems happening in this country, your previous ally-ship of the lgbtq community, and the fact that this non issue affects about four people in this country," Cohen wrote in a post.
McNabb then responded to Cohen's attack on McCain, calling his comments "factually wrong."
TUNE IN: LIVE COVERAGE OF TRUMP'S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS TUESDAY NIGHT ON FOX NEWS
"Andy, calling the protection of women’s sports a ‘non-issue’ that affects ‘four people’ is not just dismissive—it’s factually wrong. Hundreds of female athletes have lost podium spots, scholarships, and opportunities. My own injury was life-changing. And even if it were just one girl, that’s one too many. This is about fairness and safety, not ‘vilification,'" McNabb wrote.
Cohen then responded to McNabb, admitting that his original response was based on just one piece of data that was provided by NCAA president Charlie Baker in December.
"The NCAA President testified under oath that of over 500,000 student athletes, he is aware of fewer than 10 trans members. that’s where I got my information," Cohen wrote, referencing Baker's statistic that was provided at a congressional hearing on Dec. 17.
Cohen did not account for the athletes impacted at the high school level, or in other levels of competition. Cohen has not responded since that last post at the time of publication.
His exchange with McCain and McNabb quickly went viral on Tuesday evening, as many lined up to harshly criticize the Bravo personality for his criticisms on a post that was meant to celebrate the 19-year-old.
McCain responded, inviting Cohen for a more in-depth conversation on the issue while giving the host more clarity about McNabb's situation.
"Surprised you’re okay with violence against female athletes. Peyton suffered serious brain damage - just one story. You have my cell, always happy to talk privately or publicly on either of our shows because these conversations are reductive to hash out on social media," McCain wrote.
McNabb suffered significant and long-term physical and mental injuries in 2022 when she was spiked in the face by a transgender athlete who was able to compete on a girls’ team because of a policy put in place by North Carolina's high school athletic association.
McNabb was then unable to compete in her final volleyball season, and claimed her performance in softball was significantly hampered by her injuries.
McNabb will attend President Donald Trump's joint address on Tuesday night, just one day after Senate Democrats blocked a bill that would have prohibited trans athletes from competing in women's and girls' sports nationwide.
