Riley Gaines dragged for claiming trans women have an advantage in chess
LGBTQ+ activists have hit out at Riley Gaines on X for claiming trans women have an advantage in chess. (Twitter/FoxNews)
Former US college swimmer Riley Gaines has faced fierce criticism on X/Twitter for claiming trans women have an advantage in chess.
Gaines, whose anti-trans commentry on social media has previously been linked to a bomb threat at a California library, was dragged on social media for her comments on Tuesday (28 November).
Trans journalist Erin Reed, the fiancée of trans lawmaker Zooey Zephyr, tagged Gaines in a post about the International Chess Federation (FIDE) banning trans women from competing in its women’s events.
“Hey Riley, remember that time you advocated for banning trans women from women’s chess?,” Reed wrote.
Gaines responded, writing: “Of course I do. I worked alongside leadership within to make sure of it. Women’s opportunities are meant for women, full stop.
“Men shouldn’t be in women’s category in chess, pool, or any sport. Why even have women’s category in the first place if men can play wherever they want?”
In August, FIDE published its new policy on trans chess players. The policy states that trans women are banned from taking part in official female-only events until the federation conducts “further analysis” that can last up to two years.
Trans comedian and model Stacy Cay also called out Gaines’ beliefs to highlight that she is implying cis women “are dumb”.
“I don’t think arguing that ‘trans women have an unfair advantage in chess because cis women are dumb’ is the feminist stance you think it is,” she wrote.
Cay added: “Trans women aren’t men, btw. Hope this helps.”
Gaines frequently uses social media to attack the trans community. On 20 November, Gaines took to X to support the Libs of TikTok’s creator Chaya Raichik to target a cis woman with Polycystic ovary syndrome, calling her a “man pretending to be a woman”.
PinkNews has contacted Gaines for comment.
