RILEY GAINES: Trump's Education Secretary will protect women's sports

As a female athlete who endured the consequences of allowing males to compete in women’s sports, I am relieved that our next Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, will protect young women and girls from the dangers of radical gender policies.

I devoted my life to swimming, competing at the highest and most competitive level. In 2022, I had to compete against a male at the NCAA championship, and, unsurprisingly, he stole a national title from a hardworking, deserving woman. Not only did my teammates and I have to compete against him, but we also had to share a locker room with him. No girl or woman at any level should have to face this blatant discrimination.

The Biden-Harris administration was a colossal and hypocritical embarrassment on this issue, failing to protect women and girls’ privacy, safety, and opportunities, all the while claiming to be the pro-women candidates. In fact, Biden proposed the most radical change to Title IX in our history, attempting to require the inclusion of males in women's sports. Not only is this proposal anti-woman, it’s anti-reality. When directly asked by ESPN about the fairness of the male athlete competing against us girls in 2022, Biden’s Education Secretary, Miguel Cardona, had this to say: "Athletes who happen to be transgender deserve the same opportunities. ... Participating in athletics gives all students an opportunity to learn about themselves, to compete, to negotiate with a team and learn skills that are going to be needed for success in life, outside of college or high school. That’s critical, that’s part of the experience."

TRUMP TAPS FORMER WWE CEO LINDA MCMAHON TO SERVE AS EDUCATION SECRETARY 

The message I received from then-Secretary Cardona is that "inclusion" at all costs should be prioritized above both safety and fairness. Leadership matters. The former Education secretary had the opportunity to speak out and implement policies that would protect female athletes like me, but he chose not to. In fact, for these last four years, we had no one looking out for us from the U.S. Department of Education or anywhere else in the Biden administration.

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For far too long, girls around the country have been struggling to participate in sports safely. Many have been told that they cannot participate if they are not willing to compete with and against males. In Vermont, an entire team was banned from competing for the rest of the season after the coach forfeited a game where the opposing team had a male on the other side of the volleyball net due to safety concerns. As was made clear on November 5, the American people are fed up. A 2023 poll found that 7 in 10 registered voters believe that males have an unfair advantage over females when competing against each other in athletics. It also found that a majority of registered voters do not think public schools in their area should allow males to participate in women’s sports. The Wall Street Journal stated the "progressive transgender coercion," especially as it pertained to sports, was the sleeper issue of the 2024 elections.

Now, we have a chance to save women’s sports and protect girls throughout America. I feel confident that Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Education, will help lead that charge. She’s a strong leader with the experience and values needed for the job. Most importantly, she knows right from wrong and that men do not belong in women’s sports.

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As head of World Wrestling Entertainment, Linda elevated women in a predominantly male sport. When she led the Small Business Administration, Linda empowered women-owned small businesses and helped to ensure their access to capital. She has a record of fighting for women in whatever the theater of competition.

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In lockstep with President Trump, I believe that in Linda McMahon, we will finally have an Education Secretary that will protect Title IX and prioritize fairness for all female athletes.

Public officials are responsible for fulfilling the wishes of the people who elected them, and Americans have overwhelmingly voted to protect women’s sports. I cannot wait for Linda McMahon to be confirmed, and I believe that parents and students across the country feel the exact same way.

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