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Swimming Against the Current: Fighting for Common Sense in a World That’s Lost its Mind
America’s most sought-after voice in the fight to save female sports from woke destruction shares her unbelievable story and inspires readers to embrace common sense and truth in discussions about women's rights. Riley Gaines has been called many Collegiate athlete. All-American. Olympic hopeful. But in 2022, everything changed. The narrative shifted. Now, critics smeared her Transphobic. Narrow-minded. Evil. What changed? Riley gave the truth a voice. She stood up, spoke out, and dared to ask questions -- not just for herself, but for all female athletes who refuse to accept an ideology where "inclusivity" for transgender athletes now means treating women unfairly. Riley Gaines is changing minds in the process, and this highly anticipated, fearless, pro-woman book takes on controversial, uncomfortable, but critical questions we must confront about women (and sports) in America. Can't we embrace policies that give everyone the chance to compete but still protect women and ensure they have a fair shot at success? In this book, Riley scrutinizes the perspectives of athletes on the opposing side of this debate, deconstructing their arguments with science, facts, and logic. She also asks what has happened to free speech and dissent in this country, where it now seems nearly impossible to have a well-reasoned debate. And in telling her story, Riley reveals what’s at stake if the truth-seekers remain silent about the injustices women face from radical agendas.
259 pages, Hardcover
First published May 21, 2024
190 people are currently reading
3479 people want to read
About the author
Riley Gaines
3 books39 followersRiley Gaines is a leader defending women’s single-sex spaces, advocating for equality and fairness, and standing up for women’s safety, privacy, and equal opportunities.
Gaines graduated from the University of Kentucky, where she was a 12x All-American swimmer.
Riley has made waves for speaking out after tying UPenn’s Lia Thomas, a male swimmer on the women’s team, at the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships.
After Riley directly experienced competing against a man in women’s sports, being forced without warning or consent to undress before the male, and subjected to discrimination by the NCAA, she became one of the most powerful voices to speak out against the injustice, challenging the rules of the NCAA, USA Swimming, International Olympic Committee (IOC), and other governing bodies.
Riley now works for the leading women’s organization making real and lasting change, legally defining ‘woman,’ protecting Title IX, and defending women’s rights to single-sex spaces and equal opportunities. She has traveled the country speaking and has testified before the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and countless state legislatures.
Gaines graduated from the University of Kentucky, where she was a 12x All-American swimmer.
Riley has made waves for speaking out after tying UPenn’s Lia Thomas, a male swimmer on the women’s team, at the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships.
After Riley directly experienced competing against a man in women’s sports, being forced without warning or consent to undress before the male, and subjected to discrimination by the NCAA, she became one of the most powerful voices to speak out against the injustice, challenging the rules of the NCAA, USA Swimming, International Olympic Committee (IOC), and other governing bodies.
Riley now works for the leading women’s organization making real and lasting change, legally defining ‘woman,’ protecting Title IX, and defending women’s rights to single-sex spaces and equal opportunities. She has traveled the country speaking and has testified before the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and countless state legislatures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
March 15, 2024
I’m a mother of a daughter who plays sports. This subject is a huge concern for me especially as she gets older. I’m glad Riley is advocating for women’s sports. I hope others start speaking out about how insane this world is becoming. Biological men participating in women’s sports is unfair and misogynistic.
March 9, 2024
Amazing strong young woman, is a true inspiration!!!
April 23, 2024
Riley Gaines is a true role model in today’s society. This book made me angry on her behalf as well as on the behalf of all the women athletes who have been or are being cheated out of scholarships, wins, awards, etc. The lack of common sense in today’s society is mind boggling and Gaines does an excellent job pointing this out in her book in a very professional way. Gaines uses excellent, reliable sources (and her own experiences) to highlight how men do not belong in women’s sports.
*Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
*Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
August 5, 2024
(updated august 1!)
imane khelif is a woman. cis woman. assigned female at birth. girl. gal. take your racism and keep crying. you and your loser friend. after your disgusting fake cries and accusations toward imane, you and your little book lose all credibility.
(original review — may 13, 2024)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.
She cooks a little bit, very little, then of course yapps a bunch of nonsense, racism, and of course all other sorts of bigotry! Talk about she's a feminist, but the only women that matter in her eyes, quite clearly from her book, are Christian white American women, everyone else, can be killed, bombed, starved, frankly it does not matter to this girlie!
And the writing was like a long rant in style, which I suppose is what this book is, that sometimes made my head hurt, and sometimes was entertaining.
Do not quote Dr. King pookie, he would not stand for what you do, xoxo
(edit — may 22, 2024)
While MLK was a devout Christian, as I was fully aware, someone who actually has read about his life and his values, would probably understand that he was not a bigot. Being practicing of a religion, does not give anyone the right to attack and spew hatred against others. You can disagree on your morals, but you don’t have to target and pretty much doxx those you deem immoral.
Additionally, I want to point out again, that the author of the book is a feminist strictly towards White Christian Women. Never did she mention any concern or care about women of other faiths, or colors. The demonization and dehumanization of WOC athletes by the media, etc. All things that would have added value to her argument.
Lastly, if you have several tweets as sources in your bibliography, please just make a blog post. Not too fitting for a book that claims to have scientific evidence as a big element.
I have more to say, but truly not worth giving this more time than I already have.
Much love! 😋
imane khelif is a woman. cis woman. assigned female at birth. girl. gal. take your racism and keep crying. you and your loser friend. after your disgusting fake cries and accusations toward imane, you and your little book lose all credibility.
(original review — may 13, 2024)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.
She cooks a little bit, very little, then of course yapps a bunch of nonsense, racism, and of course all other sorts of bigotry! Talk about she's a feminist, but the only women that matter in her eyes, quite clearly from her book, are Christian white American women, everyone else, can be killed, bombed, starved, frankly it does not matter to this girlie!
And the writing was like a long rant in style, which I suppose is what this book is, that sometimes made my head hurt, and sometimes was entertaining.
Do not quote Dr. King pookie, he would not stand for what you do, xoxo
(edit — may 22, 2024)
While MLK was a devout Christian, as I was fully aware, someone who actually has read about his life and his values, would probably understand that he was not a bigot. Being practicing of a religion, does not give anyone the right to attack and spew hatred against others. You can disagree on your morals, but you don’t have to target and pretty much doxx those you deem immoral.
Additionally, I want to point out again, that the author of the book is a feminist strictly towards White Christian Women. Never did she mention any concern or care about women of other faiths, or colors. The demonization and dehumanization of WOC athletes by the media, etc. All things that would have added value to her argument.
Lastly, if you have several tweets as sources in your bibliography, please just make a blog post. Not too fitting for a book that claims to have scientific evidence as a big element.
I have more to say, but truly not worth giving this more time than I already have.
Much love! 😋
April 2, 2024
Special thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. Bravo to you, Riley for standing up for what you believe in and being an empowering voice for women.
September 20, 2025
I knew of the author through her work with Turning Point USA, the labor of love created by the wonderful, legendary martyr Charlie Kirk. Her book was well-researched, logical without emotional bias, and eloquent beyond her years. She wasn’t simply whining “it isn’t fair”, she was explaining why and how the entire situation she endured didn’t add up. I hope her voice continues to carry and to help educate and bring awareness in the future of this chaotic country we live in.
April 17, 2024
This book is my favorite so far this year.
At the time it happened, I had heard something concerning the controversy about a transgender person participating in the women's swim team competition. I didn't know many of the details at that time. That is where this book comes in. Riley Gaines does a great job of, not only giving details of how she got started in swimming, but also gives a behind the scenes detail of the controversy itself.
She is very fair when engaging the subject. She uses science and logic to show how it is unfair for men to compete against women in women's sports. She makes a very good argument! She proves she is not against transgenderism itself, but only pushes for rules against a biological man competing with biological women. It makes no logical sense that many feminists would take a transitioning-man's side over other women. She is a true feminist who stands up to those who would harm women in anyway, both physically and mentally.
At one time in history, anyone with commonsense would agree with her assessment. In fact, 10 years ago everyone would have agreed with her. But in today's world commonsense is not very common. It is heartbreaking what she went through. She is a strong lady and deserves to be heard.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to others.
I was given the electrotonic version of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
At the time it happened, I had heard something concerning the controversy about a transgender person participating in the women's swim team competition. I didn't know many of the details at that time. That is where this book comes in. Riley Gaines does a great job of, not only giving details of how she got started in swimming, but also gives a behind the scenes detail of the controversy itself.
She is very fair when engaging the subject. She uses science and logic to show how it is unfair for men to compete against women in women's sports. She makes a very good argument! She proves she is not against transgenderism itself, but only pushes for rules against a biological man competing with biological women. It makes no logical sense that many feminists would take a transitioning-man's side over other women. She is a true feminist who stands up to those who would harm women in anyway, both physically and mentally.
At one time in history, anyone with commonsense would agree with her assessment. In fact, 10 years ago everyone would have agreed with her. But in today's world commonsense is not very common. It is heartbreaking what she went through. She is a strong lady and deserves to be heard.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to others.
I was given the electrotonic version of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2024
Riley Gaines is someone with whom I disagree about most everything. She’s religious, I’m not. She’s conservative, I’m not. She likes Trump, enough said on that. Riley isn’t someone I’d normally read or think much about however was very interested in hearing about her experiences swimming against Lia Thomas, who competed three years as a male NCAA D1 swimmer for Penn, before transitions to female.
Riley and her teammates were forced to share a locker room with Lia Thomas including full frontal nudity in which the penis was in full view with no attempt to cover up. One teammate changed in a supply closet during NCAA finals to avoid seeing Lia’s penis.
Riley speaks to efforts from the NCAA to squash opinions about XY and XX individuals competing in the same categories. Students were threatened with loss of scholarships and hard-earned places on their teams. Coaches and officials feared for their jobs for speaking their opinions.
I appreciated the respectful way in which she both showed empathy yet determination in her views on the biological, hormonal and physiological differences between men and women.
We have to be able to respectfully disagree with each other without death threats, physical violence and destroying character. People of good faith and character can legitimately disagree.
One of the most important parts of SWIMMING AGAINST THE CURRENT- FIGHTING FOR COMMON SENSE IN A WORLD THAT’S LOST IT’S MIND for me was the scientific detail in which Riley presents her point of view.
I think Riley Gaines is very brave for speaking out, knowing that a loud minority could be dangerous. At one point she was punched in the face by someone who disagrees with her.
I think Riley’s book is important for readers to view with an open mind, remembering that her beliefs are firmly held and based in science though there is other science that suggests a more complex understanding of gender on a social level.
Riley and her teammates were forced to share a locker room with Lia Thomas including full frontal nudity in which the penis was in full view with no attempt to cover up. One teammate changed in a supply closet during NCAA finals to avoid seeing Lia’s penis.
Riley speaks to efforts from the NCAA to squash opinions about XY and XX individuals competing in the same categories. Students were threatened with loss of scholarships and hard-earned places on their teams. Coaches and officials feared for their jobs for speaking their opinions.
I appreciated the respectful way in which she both showed empathy yet determination in her views on the biological, hormonal and physiological differences between men and women.
We have to be able to respectfully disagree with each other without death threats, physical violence and destroying character. People of good faith and character can legitimately disagree.
One of the most important parts of SWIMMING AGAINST THE CURRENT- FIGHTING FOR COMMON SENSE IN A WORLD THAT’S LOST IT’S MIND for me was the scientific detail in which Riley presents her point of view.
I think Riley Gaines is very brave for speaking out, knowing that a loud minority could be dangerous. At one point she was punched in the face by someone who disagrees with her.
I think Riley’s book is important for readers to view with an open mind, remembering that her beliefs are firmly held and based in science though there is other science that suggests a more complex understanding of gender on a social level.
June 3, 2024
A good first person account of what is happening in women's sports. Another professional edit is needed for this book.
April 18, 2024
I enjoy sports biography books, and when I saw a new swimming book by Riley Gaines, I was curious to read it.
Gaines had a successful career in DI swimming at the University of Kentucky. As an avid swimmer who always competed in other team sports while swimming (non-competitively) my entire life, I’ve always had great appreciation for competitive swimmers who had the dedication and drive for those early morning killer workouts.
Gaines’ story took on a modern twist when, following a spectacular junior year, she was eager to clinch NCAA victory in her sprint specialties in her senior year – only to find an entirely new entry to the competition. Lia Thomas was a mediocre longer distance swimmer on the men’s team at Penn, one who never qualified for NCAA championships in three years of competition. But when he switched to the women’s team, he quickly shot to the tippety-top of the NCAA charts, nationwide, in both distance and sprinting. Weird, right?
Here’s where the story gets interesting, as we get Gaines’ inside view on how the NCAA bullied and silenced women athletes who called out the humongous elephant in the room if these elite women athletes refused to go along with The Narrative.
This is a book where the badge of honor is how many one-star reviews it garners from people who proudly proclaim “I’d never read such a TerribleHorribleNoGoodVeryBad Book.” A very interesting book, with a fascinating insider’s perspective – and timely chronicles of a woman’s fight to protect women’s sports. Whichever side of the debate you're on, it's worth a read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.
Gaines had a successful career in DI swimming at the University of Kentucky. As an avid swimmer who always competed in other team sports while swimming (non-competitively) my entire life, I’ve always had great appreciation for competitive swimmers who had the dedication and drive for those early morning killer workouts.
Gaines’ story took on a modern twist when, following a spectacular junior year, she was eager to clinch NCAA victory in her sprint specialties in her senior year – only to find an entirely new entry to the competition. Lia Thomas was a mediocre longer distance swimmer on the men’s team at Penn, one who never qualified for NCAA championships in three years of competition. But when he switched to the women’s team, he quickly shot to the tippety-top of the NCAA charts, nationwide, in both distance and sprinting. Weird, right?
Here’s where the story gets interesting, as we get Gaines’ inside view on how the NCAA bullied and silenced women athletes who called out the humongous elephant in the room if these elite women athletes refused to go along with The Narrative.
This is a book where the badge of honor is how many one-star reviews it garners from people who proudly proclaim “I’d never read such a TerribleHorribleNoGoodVeryBad Book.” A very interesting book, with a fascinating insider’s perspective – and timely chronicles of a woman’s fight to protect women’s sports. Whichever side of the debate you're on, it's worth a read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.
May 11, 2024
4.5⭐️ *Thank you NetGalley for the ARC that comes out May 21*
I’ve followed Riley’s story from the beginning and fully stand by what she is fighting for: fairness and safety in women’s sports. It’s a touchy subject and I feel like no one wants to stand up (as she details in her book). Men have an advantage when it comes to power, strength and speed and when it comes to sports just a tiny difference can make such a huge difference on the podium.
This book was well researched and informative but also logical. I find her incredibly brave for standing up and fighting for women’s right in sports (even though she was attacked, harassed and bullied for speaking the truth). The only thing I skimmed through were the little bits of bible talk.
Growing up as a competitive athlete might make me a bit bias on this situation but I picture myself in Riley’s shoes and I would have the same feelings as her in that situation.
I believe everybody should be free to be themselves and the world would be a better place if there was no judgement or hate and everyone was accepted as they are. BUT scientifically, I think there has to be a better way to include everyone than having a born biological man competing against a born biological woman.
I’ve followed Riley’s story from the beginning and fully stand by what she is fighting for: fairness and safety in women’s sports. It’s a touchy subject and I feel like no one wants to stand up (as she details in her book). Men have an advantage when it comes to power, strength and speed and when it comes to sports just a tiny difference can make such a huge difference on the podium.
This book was well researched and informative but also logical. I find her incredibly brave for standing up and fighting for women’s right in sports (even though she was attacked, harassed and bullied for speaking the truth). The only thing I skimmed through were the little bits of bible talk.
Growing up as a competitive athlete might make me a bit bias on this situation but I picture myself in Riley’s shoes and I would have the same feelings as her in that situation.
I believe everybody should be free to be themselves and the world would be a better place if there was no judgement or hate and everyone was accepted as they are. BUT scientifically, I think there has to be a better way to include everyone than having a born biological man competing against a born biological woman.
May 28, 2024
I’m a bit of an expert on the athlete autobiography having written a slue of them over the last 30 years. The first thing I ask an athlete when we meet to discuss a book is, “What story do you have to tell that has nothing to do with sports?” The answer needs to be quick and compelling, otherwise the book will be little more than a recitation of career highlights.
Riley Gaines, one of the most accomplished swimmers in collegiate history, answers that question on the first page. This is a fast-paced, well-written account of a young woman thrust into the spotlight because of an issue that has become a lightning rod in sports and life. In the few days it took for me to read this book, a transgender won the girls high school track championships in Oregon, and another did the same in Washington, not by a little but by huge, embarrassing margins.
Riley’s story is heartbreaking and infuriating, and she tells it in a restrained and factual way. She’s also done her homework, citing history and scientific studies on the inherent biological differences between sexes when it comes to sports.
But the disturbing parts of her story run deeper than the NCAA Championship everyone knows about by now. Riley, through her experiences, details the collapse of all our institutions, not just colleges, although they are too far gone to save, but science, medicine, media, corporations, and, sadly, justice. This woman was kidnapped. Full stop. Yet, despite the kidnapping and kidnappers being on video, no arrests have been made, and the only apologies issued have been to the kidnappers for being made to feel vulnerable.
She doesn’t go into it because she’s young and perhaps doesn’t have the life experience to see it, but something far bigger than transgenderism psychosis is happening. This is spiritual and dark and vicious. Lies are being forced on you at gun point. If you don’t comply, severe punishment awaits. Students of history recognize this: Rome, the Ottomans, Imperial Japan, the Reich, and every communist despot of the last 100 years. The mass insanity seems sudden and overwhelming. If you believe in good and evil, it’s hard not to see this as a battle for our souls.
Riley doesn’t go that far, but she doesn’t have to. Her story speaks for itself. You should read it, today.
Riley Gaines, one of the most accomplished swimmers in collegiate history, answers that question on the first page. This is a fast-paced, well-written account of a young woman thrust into the spotlight because of an issue that has become a lightning rod in sports and life. In the few days it took for me to read this book, a transgender won the girls high school track championships in Oregon, and another did the same in Washington, not by a little but by huge, embarrassing margins.
Riley’s story is heartbreaking and infuriating, and she tells it in a restrained and factual way. She’s also done her homework, citing history and scientific studies on the inherent biological differences between sexes when it comes to sports.
But the disturbing parts of her story run deeper than the NCAA Championship everyone knows about by now. Riley, through her experiences, details the collapse of all our institutions, not just colleges, although they are too far gone to save, but science, medicine, media, corporations, and, sadly, justice. This woman was kidnapped. Full stop. Yet, despite the kidnapping and kidnappers being on video, no arrests have been made, and the only apologies issued have been to the kidnappers for being made to feel vulnerable.
She doesn’t go into it because she’s young and perhaps doesn’t have the life experience to see it, but something far bigger than transgenderism psychosis is happening. This is spiritual and dark and vicious. Lies are being forced on you at gun point. If you don’t comply, severe punishment awaits. Students of history recognize this: Rome, the Ottomans, Imperial Japan, the Reich, and every communist despot of the last 100 years. The mass insanity seems sudden and overwhelming. If you believe in good and evil, it’s hard not to see this as a battle for our souls.
Riley doesn’t go that far, but she doesn’t have to. Her story speaks for itself. You should read it, today.
June 5, 2024
Great book, with great deal of research, experience and points. I am a mom of 2 daughters, both of which play sports competitively. I also do not want my daughter’s opportunity taken away by someone who is not biologically a female. Biology matters, hormones matter, puberty matters. I applaud Riley for doing what she is doing. Let keep fight in the good fight and get back to the basics in sports, biological men and biological women competing in their respected sports, period.
May 23, 2024
A must read in today's day and age.
August 5, 2024
When I first started this book, I’ll be honest I only knew so much about the topic. Once I dived into this I was completely blown away by Riley’s courage and articulation. Feminism has become a skewed word depending on your political and social beliefs. Riley’s personal story shows how the only way things will change is if you stand up and fight for what is right. Even in the uncomfortable moments where she wasn’t given a platform to speak, she stood her ground and kept the fight on. That is how change comes about! I plan on having my daughter read this book when she’s old enough so she can learn from the positive and negative experiences that Riley faced that make her an ideal role model.
November 10, 2024
Yes yes yes 1000 times yes.
September 22, 2024
This book is a very well-reasoned, factual defense of basic fairness and safety in women's sports.
Men competing against women is ridiculously unfair, due to the natural and significant advantages men have over women in athletic contests. This is based on very longstanding, accepted, scientific, biological, and human physiological FACTS about the physical differences between men and women. If a biological male person identifies as a woman, it is totally irrational to claim this eliminates the proven advantage. And there are no serious, comprehensive, scientific studies which prove that transgender treatment removes significant portions of this real advantage of biological males over women. Forget removing all of the advantage.
Most activists pushing for men to dominate over women don't even try to reference any supposed scientific evidence in their favor, anyway. Because it doesn't exist. These pushers of unfairness in women's sports don't seem to even care how unjust it really is. Their minds are totally consumed by the runaway emotional feelings of outrage they have about transgender women being denied the so-called "right" to compete in women's sports.
But no man has any right to INVADE women's sports! It's just not right and it's definitely not fair.
And how many average people who are just going along with this emotional push, have actually stopped to really think about these scientific facts, and the gross unfairness of it?
Also, the safety issue I mentioned is due to the strength and physical stature of men compared to women. Women have already been injured in competition against these biological males, and how can that be anything but wrong?
I have a serious question for those who deny the unfairness in this. If it's right to allow men to force their way in to compete against women, then WHY do we need to care so much about women victims of rape, sexual assault and physical assault by criminal men? If women are physically powerful and strong enough to compete on even ground against male athletes, then women need to stand on their own against the strength and physical power of male predators! No need for extra concern over female victims of male criminals, right? Of course that's just CRAZY, and that's exactly my point. We DO need to have extra consideration for women as victims of more physically powerful male criminals. And that is direct proof of the horrible unfairness of allowing men into women's sports. (PLEASE, no one should think I'm saying women are not strong and powerful as human beings! There are different kinds of strength and power, am I right? But in the field of physical strength and athletic prowess, it cannot be denied that men are stronger and faster.) And therefore, women need protection against the physical strength of men, both against male criminals - AND against male athletes.
I dare anyone to step up and challenge these facts and logic I've presented - WITHOUT the raging, flaming emotions, and without the dishonest personal attacks, please!
Riley Gaines is to be strongly commended for her bravery in speaking out. She had to know how she would be wrongly attacked, lied about, and falsely accused of all kinds evil motives for making this stand.
I really admire her!
Men competing against women is ridiculously unfair, due to the natural and significant advantages men have over women in athletic contests. This is based on very longstanding, accepted, scientific, biological, and human physiological FACTS about the physical differences between men and women. If a biological male person identifies as a woman, it is totally irrational to claim this eliminates the proven advantage. And there are no serious, comprehensive, scientific studies which prove that transgender treatment removes significant portions of this real advantage of biological males over women. Forget removing all of the advantage.
Most activists pushing for men to dominate over women don't even try to reference any supposed scientific evidence in their favor, anyway. Because it doesn't exist. These pushers of unfairness in women's sports don't seem to even care how unjust it really is. Their minds are totally consumed by the runaway emotional feelings of outrage they have about transgender women being denied the so-called "right" to compete in women's sports.
But no man has any right to INVADE women's sports! It's just not right and it's definitely not fair.
And how many average people who are just going along with this emotional push, have actually stopped to really think about these scientific facts, and the gross unfairness of it?
Also, the safety issue I mentioned is due to the strength and physical stature of men compared to women. Women have already been injured in competition against these biological males, and how can that be anything but wrong?
I have a serious question for those who deny the unfairness in this. If it's right to allow men to force their way in to compete against women, then WHY do we need to care so much about women victims of rape, sexual assault and physical assault by criminal men? If women are physically powerful and strong enough to compete on even ground against male athletes, then women need to stand on their own against the strength and physical power of male predators! No need for extra concern over female victims of male criminals, right? Of course that's just CRAZY, and that's exactly my point. We DO need to have extra consideration for women as victims of more physically powerful male criminals. And that is direct proof of the horrible unfairness of allowing men into women's sports. (PLEASE, no one should think I'm saying women are not strong and powerful as human beings! There are different kinds of strength and power, am I right? But in the field of physical strength and athletic prowess, it cannot be denied that men are stronger and faster.) And therefore, women need protection against the physical strength of men, both against male criminals - AND against male athletes.
I dare anyone to step up and challenge these facts and logic I've presented - WITHOUT the raging, flaming emotions, and without the dishonest personal attacks, please!
Riley Gaines is to be strongly commended for her bravery in speaking out. She had to know how she would be wrongly attacked, lied about, and falsely accused of all kinds evil motives for making this stand.
I really admire her!
June 16, 2024
Riley Gaines speaks for all women and our safe spaces. As a competitive swimmer there is an understanding that when you "take your mark" you have to shut out everything around you and only worry about the race, but with trans athletes being allowed to race/compete with the gender they transition into we as women have to start worrying about not receiving that 3rd place spot, losing out on opportunities that were just for women at one point, and losing out on safe spaces such as dressing rooms, locker rooms, and houses for the domestically abused. Riley Gaines is fighting for the rights of women to have their own space again, fighting against title 9 being changed when it was originally created to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities. Women were able to participate in sports after title 9 was created and when men who transition into women compete in the women's category it no longer is a women's only category. We have to stand up and fight, but be smart in how we go about this
November 6, 2024
This book is really a must read for all feminists and those who care about women's rights.
From Kamala Harris' concession speech: "I will never give up the fight for a future where Americans can pursue their dreams, ambitions and aspirations, where the women of America have the freedom to make decisions about their own body and not have their government telling them what to do."
I think this fight includes not having the government and schools telling women that they must let biological men with male genitals into women's only spaces and compete against them in sports, particularly when it is a safety issue for women.
This book really opened my mind to the unfairness about what has been happening in the NCAA and how dissenters are silenced and vilified. I am hopeful that the tide will turn, but it was definitely an educating read.
From Kamala Harris' concession speech: "I will never give up the fight for a future where Americans can pursue their dreams, ambitions and aspirations, where the women of America have the freedom to make decisions about their own body and not have their government telling them what to do."
I think this fight includes not having the government and schools telling women that they must let biological men with male genitals into women's only spaces and compete against them in sports, particularly when it is a safety issue for women.
This book really opened my mind to the unfairness about what has been happening in the NCAA and how dissenters are silenced and vilified. I am hopeful that the tide will turn, but it was definitely an educating read.
July 7, 2024
Well written personal story about her life in sports and completion against transgenders. The main thesis of the book is not new or surprising to me personally but some of the facts, history and events she writes about to back up her position were new to me. Easy interesting read.
July 19, 2024
Phenomenal. Gaines could not make the stakes of this issue any clearer. Facts > feelings
November 3, 2024
Would love to have given this book negative stars. Rant review incoming.
I read this book to get a different perspective on this issue, but I disagree completely with this book and I have several reasons to break down why this author is not only wrong but why this book was written as a hate piece and my reasoning for such:
Riley Gaines could have chosen to write a memoir about her life, but instead chose to write little but personal stories. This book is nothing but a discriminatory manifesto that severely lacks quality or any of the common sense that she claims to have. I have several opinions and rebuttals, but I am saving them for later on in this review.
She had little to back up her claims aside from some legal jargon and statements about political bills that have come into play over the past fifty years. This could have been a great opportunity for Gaines to do more vast research and back up her points logically, but she consistently talks about things that hard hardly tangentially related at all and does not circle back to them. The only times she does offer solid or concrete research is in chapter eight and what she contributes is not very expansive. She offers up research from one study on distance cycling and a some research based on the Olympics newest compromises on hormone levels and participation of trans athletics post full transition. She does little more than call the approach on this research lazy and based on bear minimum results, but does not further expand upon it. (I go into further detail on bodily examinations mentioned in chapter 8 later on in my review)
Gaines could have taken the opportunity to conduct interviews with athletes from both sides of this issue, discussed this topic with well research journalists on the matter, even dug into some actual studies and discussed them in this book, but chose not to. (If you are concerned about the 1960 Olympic Games, I cover my reasoning on that later.)
Gaines repeats the same intention several times through this book about locker rooms and Lia Thomas and her time in college. Gaines says she wished Lia Thomas no ill will or hatred yet continuously refers to Lia Thomas as “a man,” goes out of her way to use Thomas as an example as often as she can, and compares Thomas to herself in the form of completion. Lia Thomas very much lives rent free in Riley Gaines’ mind and all she does in exist and live her life and try and complete in sports in the hopes that people won’t bother her simply for her gender identity. (Oh, no! Did I just refer to Lia Thomas by she/her pronouns? Yes, I did. Because Lia Thomas is a female)
Regarding the issue of locker rooms. This is a very touchy subject and I will not ever dare or venture to tell anyone how to feel on this matter, but I will say that the rhetoric of saying “men just want to go into women’s spaces” and “girls who are raped by one of *these people* will have to call their attacker she/her” is getting very old and tired. The very idea that a man would transition into a woman, to through hormonal changes, go through or attempt to go through physical and or surgical changes, and live their entire existence both in public and private as a woman just so they could use a female bathroom is absolutely absurd (the reverse is also true for those who transition from female to male.)
We already live in a reality where being a woman is so unsafe and horrify. Being a woman or a femme presenting person and fearing for your safety is a daily occurrence. For someone who was born male to give that up to live their life as a female would be an insane idea. Gender identity isn’t something you wake up one day and just decide, it is something that has been part of you your whole life and that you struggle with constantly and most people do not have a support systems when the make the transition. The transgender community knows what it is like to fear for their lives and live under discrimination and oppression as well. The last thing a trans person would want to do is come into a women’s space and make others feel uncomfortable because they know exactly what it is like to have to feel that way and live that way. This is me simply offering an additional perspective that most people do not think about. If someone is reading this and I can at least get them to consider and understand the perspective of another group of people, then that would make me happy. You still don’t have to agree about locker rooms or bathrooms, but I hope you can understand the discrimination and danger the transgender community faces. It’s not the transgender community against women, it’s women and the transgender community banning together against the patriarchy.
Throughout this entire book Riley Gaines pulls together unrelated points to paint a picture of what she wants her audience to take away from her writings. She talks about identity politics, gender ideology, and politics language, but that’s all her book is. That’s all anything political ever really is. Listen less to her words and what she is really saying, the meaning behind her words.
To discuss some of the instances she brings up in her book:
the doping of German Olympic athletes in the 1960s. This is a tragic and unfortunate circumstance than never should have happened and the Olympic record books do deserve to be changed, but this is at the cost of children who were not given freedom or choice or education to choose for themselves. (This also includes Andreas Krieger, who has identified as male since and has also openly stated he was question his gender even before the Olympic injection experiments began, which.) These are children who were forced into a situation that was unavoidable for them and in no way comparable to that of a modern transgender athlete.
Doping of a regular athlete is not comparable to a transgender athlete. It is only comparable to other athletes who dope or use steroids. For any proof of this, studies would need to be conducted and there is no evidence of this.
Gaines brings up some biological questions as to the sex of certain athletes such as Caster Semenya. Caster Semenya is a woman. She is also intersex. Intersex people exists and this is something the world just doesn’t like to acknowledge about people in general. She simply has a high testosterone level, as do some other Olympic athletes. She has been barred from competing because she refuses to lower her testosterone levels. She should not have to lower her testosterone levels because that would mess with the biology of her body in a way that she does not want and a way she does not intend to. Asking Caster Semenya to lower her testosterone levels and complaining about tensgender athletes competing and wanting to alter their hormones levels to reach what it takes to maintain their physicality and not letting trans athletes compete for the same reason is almost hypocritical and a double edged sword.
Caster Semenya is an intersex athlete. There are many other intersex athletes and this doesn’t exclude the fact that intersex individuals exist in all places and in different capacities. Gaines speaks frequently of college and grade school athletics. Intersex athletes exist in these capacities and places as well. Not once does Gaines delve into the science behind Sawyer Syndrome, Tuner Syndrome, Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, Klinefelter Syndrome, 5-alpha-reductase deficiency, androgen sensitivity, or the myriad of other conditions that are, by technicality, considered to make a person intersex. Gaines simply goes about calling Caster Semenya a man and doesn’t once bother to educate herself or the reader on real biology and science on what sex actually is. Intersex biological is vastly more common than society and social stigma leads people to believe. People like Caster Semenya are the real Trail Blazers, not Riley Gaines.
Caster Semenya’s situation also highlights another very important argument in regard to sports, competition, rules, and separation of athletes that people don’t often want to acknowledge or think about, and that is what fairness and standards really are. Not every athlete, regardless of sex or gender - male or female or some identity other than, will have grown up training all their life for that sport, will be the same height as everyone else on their team, will have the same diet, the same muscle mass, will have the same endurance levels, etc. No athlete, even if all of them are the same sex, will be the same in body or experience and this can absolutely and unequivocally be argued that that makes everyone just as unequal and just as unfairly stacked against other athletes they are competing against, even when the opposition is all the same sex as well.
Gaines discusses the Women’s Sport’s Foundation (WSF) founded by Billie Jean King in 1974. Gaines claims that Billie Jean King and her organization used to fight for women’s rights and for Title IX but are not going backwards with their support of transgender and intersex athletes. The WSF has long supported intersex and transgender athletes and what Gaines fails to mention is Billie Jean King’s person history. King was one of the first public figures in sports or otherwise to publicly come out as gay. To expect King to be anything less than progressive and supportive of the LGBTQIA+ movement, especially in athletics, especially considering that she, herself, is part of that community, would be anything other than impractical.
Gaines goes on to discuses the term “evolving science” and treats it like it’s a joke. The fact of the matter is science is always evolving. Science and research is always getting better and we are always improving our technology and learning more as developments are being made. Evolving science is just regular science. There isn’t much more to say about this issue other than - pay less attention to Gaines words and more attention to what she is actually saying and the real meaning behind those words.
The entire concept of approximately forty years of Olympic sports qualification requiring women to go through gender confirmation tests is not only horrifying and absurd but also ironic in the way Gaines frames this for her book. Gaines frames this in a way where it is reported by survey that the vast majority of female athletes were comfortable with these exams and only a small number were not. Gaines claims that this would ensure female athletes wouldn’t have to share a locker room with any transgender “athletes that still have male genitalia” or are “men” as she refers to them. Keep in mind the history behind this includes a brief period of time in 1938 there were members of the Nazi party proposed this idea, chiefly Karl Ritter von Halt, because he was also on the German Olympic committee. The gender verification tests didn’t just include cheek swabs once the technology adapted and no longer included personal physician certificates after 1940, in the 60s this also included physics examinations of the nude body and gynecologist exams. So Gaines is advocating for the possibility that female athletes go back to a world like this and have their privacy and privileges further invaded? Is this not just as bad as her fear of sharing a locker room with a “man?”
“Where are the feminists? Where are the men?” This is simply another example of how Gaines and others don’t understand the true meaning of feminism and what the movement stands for. It also goes to show that Gaines and others don’t understand what toxicity masculinity actually is and what it belies. No one has condemn men for being assertive, especially if it’s for the right reasons, it’s when traits that would normally be considered acceptable or desirable like ambition and discipline and dominance come at the cost of discrimination of others or come at the cost of treating others poorly or when it even affects someone’s personal view of themselves. Micro-agressions are still aggressions.
Gaines states in chapter 10 that she believes it would always be “the winner of the females that changes their body the most” if there were to be a separate category for transgender athletes. She also states that she does not believe there should be a separate category for transgender athletes in sports, writing an entire book on the subject and offering no solution to what she perceives as an issue.
As someone who is a follower of God as Gaines says she is, I raise you this: “the Bible says be who God created you to be.” We are all made on God’s image and we are all siblings in Christ. God doesn’t make mistakes, that means no one is a mistake no matter who they are, this includes transgender people. Transgender people are not mistakes, they are another extension of God’s image. God is beyond man and women and everything and God is greater than all. God created many different types of people. How do you not know God’s purpose and plan for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals is to be on this Earth to show others that they are still made in his image and that God loves and all and we are ALL worthy of God’s love. God has a path for all of us and you do not get to choose someone else’s journey or path. How do you not know that the path he has for one or many transgender people in your life isn’t to teach you how to not judge people or how to love all thy neighbors or how to see that people really aren’t so different no matter who they. Or maybe it’s to teach that gender really isn’t as much of a choice as people think it is. God doesn’t make mistakes, he makes people the way he makes them because it’s in his image and everyone has something to fulfill in life.
I read this book to get a different perspective on this issue, but I disagree completely with this book and I have several reasons to break down why this author is not only wrong but why this book was written as a hate piece and my reasoning for such:
Riley Gaines could have chosen to write a memoir about her life, but instead chose to write little but personal stories. This book is nothing but a discriminatory manifesto that severely lacks quality or any of the common sense that she claims to have. I have several opinions and rebuttals, but I am saving them for later on in this review.
She had little to back up her claims aside from some legal jargon and statements about political bills that have come into play over the past fifty years. This could have been a great opportunity for Gaines to do more vast research and back up her points logically, but she consistently talks about things that hard hardly tangentially related at all and does not circle back to them. The only times she does offer solid or concrete research is in chapter eight and what she contributes is not very expansive. She offers up research from one study on distance cycling and a some research based on the Olympics newest compromises on hormone levels and participation of trans athletics post full transition. She does little more than call the approach on this research lazy and based on bear minimum results, but does not further expand upon it. (I go into further detail on bodily examinations mentioned in chapter 8 later on in my review)
Gaines could have taken the opportunity to conduct interviews with athletes from both sides of this issue, discussed this topic with well research journalists on the matter, even dug into some actual studies and discussed them in this book, but chose not to. (If you are concerned about the 1960 Olympic Games, I cover my reasoning on that later.)
Gaines repeats the same intention several times through this book about locker rooms and Lia Thomas and her time in college. Gaines says she wished Lia Thomas no ill will or hatred yet continuously refers to Lia Thomas as “a man,” goes out of her way to use Thomas as an example as often as she can, and compares Thomas to herself in the form of completion. Lia Thomas very much lives rent free in Riley Gaines’ mind and all she does in exist and live her life and try and complete in sports in the hopes that people won’t bother her simply for her gender identity. (Oh, no! Did I just refer to Lia Thomas by she/her pronouns? Yes, I did. Because Lia Thomas is a female)
Regarding the issue of locker rooms. This is a very touchy subject and I will not ever dare or venture to tell anyone how to feel on this matter, but I will say that the rhetoric of saying “men just want to go into women’s spaces” and “girls who are raped by one of *these people* will have to call their attacker she/her” is getting very old and tired. The very idea that a man would transition into a woman, to through hormonal changes, go through or attempt to go through physical and or surgical changes, and live their entire existence both in public and private as a woman just so they could use a female bathroom is absolutely absurd (the reverse is also true for those who transition from female to male.)
We already live in a reality where being a woman is so unsafe and horrify. Being a woman or a femme presenting person and fearing for your safety is a daily occurrence. For someone who was born male to give that up to live their life as a female would be an insane idea. Gender identity isn’t something you wake up one day and just decide, it is something that has been part of you your whole life and that you struggle with constantly and most people do not have a support systems when the make the transition. The transgender community knows what it is like to fear for their lives and live under discrimination and oppression as well. The last thing a trans person would want to do is come into a women’s space and make others feel uncomfortable because they know exactly what it is like to have to feel that way and live that way. This is me simply offering an additional perspective that most people do not think about. If someone is reading this and I can at least get them to consider and understand the perspective of another group of people, then that would make me happy. You still don’t have to agree about locker rooms or bathrooms, but I hope you can understand the discrimination and danger the transgender community faces. It’s not the transgender community against women, it’s women and the transgender community banning together against the patriarchy.
Throughout this entire book Riley Gaines pulls together unrelated points to paint a picture of what she wants her audience to take away from her writings. She talks about identity politics, gender ideology, and politics language, but that’s all her book is. That’s all anything political ever really is. Listen less to her words and what she is really saying, the meaning behind her words.
To discuss some of the instances she brings up in her book:
the doping of German Olympic athletes in the 1960s. This is a tragic and unfortunate circumstance than never should have happened and the Olympic record books do deserve to be changed, but this is at the cost of children who were not given freedom or choice or education to choose for themselves. (This also includes Andreas Krieger, who has identified as male since and has also openly stated he was question his gender even before the Olympic injection experiments began, which.) These are children who were forced into a situation that was unavoidable for them and in no way comparable to that of a modern transgender athlete.
Doping of a regular athlete is not comparable to a transgender athlete. It is only comparable to other athletes who dope or use steroids. For any proof of this, studies would need to be conducted and there is no evidence of this.
Gaines brings up some biological questions as to the sex of certain athletes such as Caster Semenya. Caster Semenya is a woman. She is also intersex. Intersex people exists and this is something the world just doesn’t like to acknowledge about people in general. She simply has a high testosterone level, as do some other Olympic athletes. She has been barred from competing because she refuses to lower her testosterone levels. She should not have to lower her testosterone levels because that would mess with the biology of her body in a way that she does not want and a way she does not intend to. Asking Caster Semenya to lower her testosterone levels and complaining about tensgender athletes competing and wanting to alter their hormones levels to reach what it takes to maintain their physicality and not letting trans athletes compete for the same reason is almost hypocritical and a double edged sword.
Caster Semenya is an intersex athlete. There are many other intersex athletes and this doesn’t exclude the fact that intersex individuals exist in all places and in different capacities. Gaines speaks frequently of college and grade school athletics. Intersex athletes exist in these capacities and places as well. Not once does Gaines delve into the science behind Sawyer Syndrome, Tuner Syndrome, Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, Klinefelter Syndrome, 5-alpha-reductase deficiency, androgen sensitivity, or the myriad of other conditions that are, by technicality, considered to make a person intersex. Gaines simply goes about calling Caster Semenya a man and doesn’t once bother to educate herself or the reader on real biology and science on what sex actually is. Intersex biological is vastly more common than society and social stigma leads people to believe. People like Caster Semenya are the real Trail Blazers, not Riley Gaines.
Caster Semenya’s situation also highlights another very important argument in regard to sports, competition, rules, and separation of athletes that people don’t often want to acknowledge or think about, and that is what fairness and standards really are. Not every athlete, regardless of sex or gender - male or female or some identity other than, will have grown up training all their life for that sport, will be the same height as everyone else on their team, will have the same diet, the same muscle mass, will have the same endurance levels, etc. No athlete, even if all of them are the same sex, will be the same in body or experience and this can absolutely and unequivocally be argued that that makes everyone just as unequal and just as unfairly stacked against other athletes they are competing against, even when the opposition is all the same sex as well.
Gaines discusses the Women’s Sport’s Foundation (WSF) founded by Billie Jean King in 1974. Gaines claims that Billie Jean King and her organization used to fight for women’s rights and for Title IX but are not going backwards with their support of transgender and intersex athletes. The WSF has long supported intersex and transgender athletes and what Gaines fails to mention is Billie Jean King’s person history. King was one of the first public figures in sports or otherwise to publicly come out as gay. To expect King to be anything less than progressive and supportive of the LGBTQIA+ movement, especially in athletics, especially considering that she, herself, is part of that community, would be anything other than impractical.
Gaines goes on to discuses the term “evolving science” and treats it like it’s a joke. The fact of the matter is science is always evolving. Science and research is always getting better and we are always improving our technology and learning more as developments are being made. Evolving science is just regular science. There isn’t much more to say about this issue other than - pay less attention to Gaines words and more attention to what she is actually saying and the real meaning behind those words.
The entire concept of approximately forty years of Olympic sports qualification requiring women to go through gender confirmation tests is not only horrifying and absurd but also ironic in the way Gaines frames this for her book. Gaines frames this in a way where it is reported by survey that the vast majority of female athletes were comfortable with these exams and only a small number were not. Gaines claims that this would ensure female athletes wouldn’t have to share a locker room with any transgender “athletes that still have male genitalia” or are “men” as she refers to them. Keep in mind the history behind this includes a brief period of time in 1938 there were members of the Nazi party proposed this idea, chiefly Karl Ritter von Halt, because he was also on the German Olympic committee. The gender verification tests didn’t just include cheek swabs once the technology adapted and no longer included personal physician certificates after 1940, in the 60s this also included physics examinations of the nude body and gynecologist exams. So Gaines is advocating for the possibility that female athletes go back to a world like this and have their privacy and privileges further invaded? Is this not just as bad as her fear of sharing a locker room with a “man?”
“Where are the feminists? Where are the men?” This is simply another example of how Gaines and others don’t understand the true meaning of feminism and what the movement stands for. It also goes to show that Gaines and others don’t understand what toxicity masculinity actually is and what it belies. No one has condemn men for being assertive, especially if it’s for the right reasons, it’s when traits that would normally be considered acceptable or desirable like ambition and discipline and dominance come at the cost of discrimination of others or come at the cost of treating others poorly or when it even affects someone’s personal view of themselves. Micro-agressions are still aggressions.
Gaines states in chapter 10 that she believes it would always be “the winner of the females that changes their body the most” if there were to be a separate category for transgender athletes. She also states that she does not believe there should be a separate category for transgender athletes in sports, writing an entire book on the subject and offering no solution to what she perceives as an issue.
As someone who is a follower of God as Gaines says she is, I raise you this: “the Bible says be who God created you to be.” We are all made on God’s image and we are all siblings in Christ. God doesn’t make mistakes, that means no one is a mistake no matter who they are, this includes transgender people. Transgender people are not mistakes, they are another extension of God’s image. God is beyond man and women and everything and God is greater than all. God created many different types of people. How do you not know God’s purpose and plan for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals is to be on this Earth to show others that they are still made in his image and that God loves and all and we are ALL worthy of God’s love. God has a path for all of us and you do not get to choose someone else’s journey or path. How do you not know that the path he has for one or many transgender people in your life isn’t to teach you how to not judge people or how to love all thy neighbors or how to see that people really aren’t so different no matter who they. Or maybe it’s to teach that gender really isn’t as much of a choice as people think it is. God doesn’t make mistakes, he makes people the way he makes them because it’s in his image and everyone has something to fulfill in life.
January 17, 2025
Part memoir and personal story, part fact-finding and critique of transgender participation in sports. Of all people who tied (exactly!) with Lia Thomas, I'm glad it was Gaines. She's confident, gutsy, blunt, and has learned to speak well. The book is longer than it needed to be, but I can also see why Gaines wanted to be thorough.
Published in May 2024, it felt timely reading this book now, as it details events in 2021-2023 or so. But that means it will feel outdated in the next 3-5 years.
I got to hear Gaines speak in person during the July 2024 Issues Etc. Conference at CUC in Chicago, IL.
Published in May 2024, it felt timely reading this book now, as it details events in 2021-2023 or so. But that means it will feel outdated in the next 3-5 years.
I got to hear Gaines speak in person during the July 2024 Issues Etc. Conference at CUC in Chicago, IL.
July 27, 2024
Sad little homophobic internalized misogynist who lost a swim meet once so she threw a tantrum any two year old would be ashamed of throwing and is still capitalizing on her loser mentality by spewing this word salad
People, she’s a LOSER. A LOSER. She came in FIFTH in her NCAA race. FIFTH. She wasn’t going to win. She wasn’t cheated of anything. SHE JUST WASN’T GOOD ENOUGH. She was certainly never going to the Olympics LOL. And yet spoiled toddler decided to throw a tantrum because the spoiled toddler WASN’T TALENTED ENOUGH, DIDN’T TRAIN ENOUGH, DIDN’T WANT IT ENOUGH. Isn’t that what we’re told? To be a world class athlete, you need to be mentally and physically strong enough to be one and then nothing can get in your way?
Guess what, Riley, sweetie. YOU WEREN’T GOOD ENOUGH.
You FAILED.
Only YOU are responsible for your failure. Not your fellow swimmers, WHO ARE BETTER THAN YOU AT SWIMMING (and probably much better than you at being a productive member of society and a human being.)
Grow the fuck up and gain some perspective.
There is NOTHING exceptional about her that warrants a book - except the depth of her stupidity and inability to act like an empathetic, compassionate person and her outright dismissal of Christ’s actual lessons in favor of small minded hatred and prejudice. So much for turn the other cheek, Riley, darlin’, and all people being made in God’s image. You make Jesus cry. But that’s okay because only other bigots will support this and they don’t have the intellectual acumen to parse ideas and language in the first place.
People, she’s a LOSER. A LOSER. She came in FIFTH in her NCAA race. FIFTH. She wasn’t going to win. She wasn’t cheated of anything. SHE JUST WASN’T GOOD ENOUGH. She was certainly never going to the Olympics LOL. And yet spoiled toddler decided to throw a tantrum because the spoiled toddler WASN’T TALENTED ENOUGH, DIDN’T TRAIN ENOUGH, DIDN’T WANT IT ENOUGH. Isn’t that what we’re told? To be a world class athlete, you need to be mentally and physically strong enough to be one and then nothing can get in your way?
Guess what, Riley, sweetie. YOU WEREN’T GOOD ENOUGH.
You FAILED.
Only YOU are responsible for your failure. Not your fellow swimmers, WHO ARE BETTER THAN YOU AT SWIMMING (and probably much better than you at being a productive member of society and a human being.)
Grow the fuck up and gain some perspective.
There is NOTHING exceptional about her that warrants a book - except the depth of her stupidity and inability to act like an empathetic, compassionate person and her outright dismissal of Christ’s actual lessons in favor of small minded hatred and prejudice. So much for turn the other cheek, Riley, darlin’, and all people being made in God’s image. You make Jesus cry. But that’s okay because only other bigots will support this and they don’t have the intellectual acumen to parse ideas and language in the first place.
May 20, 2024
I really appreciated the chance to read from Riley's perspective and to learn more about her background and story.
Of course this book includes her emotions and opinions about the topic. But she also includes numerous facts, relevant studies, expert quotes, and historical anecdotes to demonstrate why trans-women have an unfair physiological advantage over women in sports.
Much of the second half of the book relates to legislation and her advocacy campaign. I found a lot of this information fascinating (if not alarming) as this is not an area I knew much about previously.
Even if you are not a woman or in sports, this book is relevant and worth the read as the overall consequences of this topic reach far beyond women in sports.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an early copy of the book! I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
Of course this book includes her emotions and opinions about the topic. But she also includes numerous facts, relevant studies, expert quotes, and historical anecdotes to demonstrate why trans-women have an unfair physiological advantage over women in sports.
Much of the second half of the book relates to legislation and her advocacy campaign. I found a lot of this information fascinating (if not alarming) as this is not an area I knew much about previously.
Even if you are not a woman or in sports, this book is relevant and worth the read as the overall consequences of this topic reach far beyond women in sports.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an early copy of the book! I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
July 23, 2024
“The NCAA had just reduced everything I, really all of us, had worked our entire lives for, down to a photo opportunity to validate the feelings and the identity of a male without even a second thought to our feelings and our identity.”
“Fourth-wave feminism no longer just attends to the struggles of women; it’s a demand for the elimination of “men” and “women” by rendering them the same and interchangeable.”
“Fourth-wave feminism no longer just attends to the struggles of women; it’s a demand for the elimination of “men” and “women” by rendering them the same and interchangeable.”
May 12, 2024
Wow, what a courageous young woman! I enjoyed her life story plus getting the “behind the scenes” feelings of the very tough public situations she has been through. I appreciated that she cited all of her points and arguments. Would recommend to teen/20s young women.
July 10, 2024
I already knew my feelings on this subject before reading this book however this book verified once again the immense bias in the media to report information accurately and not take things out of context and twist it to fit a certain agenda.
August 3, 2024
Riley Gaines is an unsung hero for women’s sports. Readers will enjoy learning about her journey from competitive swimmer to advocate.
November 6, 2024
Every single person should read this book! Especially if you have a daughter, niece, sister or mom! She speaks the truth and is trying to help us! Read it!
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