At Gov. Kim Reynolds’ annual fundraiser, former competitive swimmer and anti-transgender activist Riley Gaines said the participation of transgender women in sports — and the recognition of transgender identities in general — is “spiritual warfare.”
“As a Christian myself, I entirely see this as spiritual warfare,” said Gaines, who was invited as a special guest speaker. “It’s no longer about right versus wrong or good versus bad. This really is about moral versus evil.”
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“I asked the question that no one dared ask all season. … I said, ‘Why? Why are you adamant on giving this trophy to a man in women’s swimming freestyle?'” Gaines said.
Gaines said Thomas was also permitted to change in the women’s locker room, which made her and other teammates feel uncomfortable.
Beyond just athletic accommodations, Gaines argued against the existence of transgender individuals in a Christian worldview. She referred to Thomas as a man repeatedly throughout her speech.
“There is just man and woman, and God created them,” Gaines said. The audience cheered and whooped.
Major American medical groups recognize transgender identities and recommend gender-affirming care for transgender individuals.
As Reynolds introduced Gaines, she celebrated Iowa’s 2022 law that banned transgender women and girls from competing in female sports offered by Iowa schools, colleges and universities.
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Keenan Crow, lobbyist for LGBTQ advocacy group One Iowa, said in a Saturday statement that Reynolds’ “victory lap” on the transgender sports ban is “once again taking the opportunity to punch down on a marginalized group of young people.”
“Her ongoing cruelty to transgender Iowans may not bother her donors, but there are real human impacts on real children from this kind of hate and exclusion,” Crow said.
Although Republican legislative leaders said they didn’t have any more transgender issues on their agenda after the transgender sports ban, the Legislature returned in 2023 and passed several more laws impacting transgender kids.
Now, Iowa prohibits doctors from providing gender-affirming medical care to transgender minors; forbids transgender individuals from using school restrooms or changing rooms that align with their gender identity; requires parental notification if a student requests to use a new name or pronouns in school; and bars any instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity before seventh grade.
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Medical groups recommend providing transgender youth with medical care that helps them live as the gender they identify with.
Some Iowa families sought gender-affirming care out of state as the ban became law last month.
Katie Akin is a politics reporter for the Register. Reach her atkakin@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin.
* ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2023/10/15/riley-gaines-says-transgender-identities-are-spiritual-warfare/71073481007/
