The National Organization for Women (NOW) now views those who oppose the inclusion of trans athletes in women’s sports as supporters of “white supremacist patriarchy.”
Several prominent female athletes are suing the NCAA for violating their Title IX rights by allowing transgender swimmer Leah Thomas to compete and use the locker room during the 2022 NCAA Swimming Championships. posted by NOW in a social media post specifically targeting the group. A statement to X accused female athletes of “weaponizing their femininity” to raise awareness about “white supremacist patriarchy.”
Please repeat after us. It is white supremacist patriarchy at work that weaponizes women’s rights against other women. It is the white supremacist patriarchy that makes people believe there is not enough room for trans women in sports. https://t.co/SacFuIgpPd
— National NOW (@NationalNOW) March 31, 2024
Riley Gaines, one of the leaders of the group suing the NCAA and whose photo appears in NOW’s and attacked activist groups.
This is the first time that so many buzzwords related to oppression have been expressed in one sentence. Apparently, advocating for fair sports makes me a white supremacist. I wonder if my lawyer would agree?
(For those who are wondering, NOW stands for National Organization of Women (lol)) https://t.co/f1O15daf9F
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) March 31, 2024
Gaines wasn’t the only one to ask NOW to provide a written statement. Shortly after posting, Community Notes reminded activists that trans athletes are not prohibited from participating in sports. They are simply prohibited from competing in sports categories that do not match their gender.
“Trans women can still compete in their birth gender category or in the open category and are not excluded from the sport. ,” the memo reads.
X users had fun mocking NOW’s post.
You are truly a complete embarrassment.
— Kara Dansky (@KDansky) March 31, 2024
Kashira @Riley_Gaines_ you should contact her lawyer about @NationalNOW They call her a white supremacist. She seems pretty derogatory to me. 🏻♀️
— Danny (@DanniBrener) March 31, 2024
Betraying women and being racist? Pathetic. You stopped being a feminist a long time ago.
Men are faster and stronger than women. That’s why all speed and strength records in history have been held by men, not women.
Women deserve to play their sport. pic.twitter.com/1HMM06JiOV
— ♀️Jennifer Gingrich ✡️ (@fem_mb) March 31, 2024
I can’t believe I worked here during college. I’m ashamed of you.
Patriarchy tells women to sit back, shut up, and accept whatever injustices and invasions of privacy are thrown at them.
— Jennifer Sey (@JenniferSey) April 1, 2024
Since 2020, nearly 20 U.S. states have banned or severely restricted men’s participation in women’s and women’s sports.
