Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines says Title IX “literally means nothing” after a New Jersey transgender swimmer who competed on the men’s team for three years broke a college record for the second time in three months. None,” he said.
Gaines, a vocal critic of the school’s transgender athletes, is the latest victory for Megan Cortez-Fields, a senior at Ramapo College in New Jersey who finished the 200-meter individual medley in an incredible time of 2:08:20 on Friday. vehemently criticized. Previous New Jersey State Athletic Conference record.
“Ramapo College’s male swimmers set a new school record in the women’s event. So, once again, let’s take a look at how far women have come as society celebrates the men who pushed us off the podium. please.” Gaines wrote about X Following Cortez-Fields’ victory.
“Title IX literally means nothing at this point,” she added.
Title IX refers to the rules set forth in the Education Amendments of 1972 that protect people from discrimination based on sex in educational programs and activities that receive federal assistance.
Gaines has previously argued that allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports is an affront to the protections for female students provided under Title IX, but opponents argue that trans students are also covered under federal law. It is claimed that
Last November, Cortez Fields set a new record and took first place in the 100-yard butterfly event at the Pennsylvania state championships, sparking controversy from anti-trans activists.
The fall season was Cortez-Fields’ first season playing on the women’s team after converting, but it drew backlash and her initial post celebrating the win at Penn was deleted from the university’s Instagram page.
Gaines was one of the first to fuel anger against the New Jersey swimmer, using similar criticism against former rival and former UPenn swimmer Leah Thomas, whom Cortez-Fields cited as a source of inspiration. I was alone.
Gaines said Cortez-Fields’ rise to success was unfair, claiming she went from “a mediocre male swimmer to a record-breaker competing against women.”
Gaines also mocked Cortez-Fields’ tattoo (a drawing of “The Birth of Venus” but depicting male genitalia) and called trans athletes who play on women’s teams a “fetishized, sexualized movement.” called.
Ramapo College defended Cortez-Fields’ participation on the women’s swim team, noting that she followed regulations set by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
“We have done everything the NCAA requires us to do regarding trans athletes competing on our teams,” the school said in a statement. “All steps have been taken and documentation has been provided to authorize Meghan’s participation.”
The school claimed in November that Cortez-Fields had received death threats following backlash from critics.
New Jersey Sen. Michael Testa (R-Atlantic) also criticized Cortez Fields’ participation in the women’s team, which continues to push for the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, which is based only on school-sanctioned sports in the state. About biological sex at birth.
The bill will be proposed in 2022, but no vote or public hearing has yet been scheduled in the state Legislature.
