Female athletes shred witness' testimony suggesting women should 'lose gracefully' to trans competitors

Female athletes took exception to a nonprofit leader's statement made during congressional testimony about Title IX last week after many said she appeared to suggest that women and girls competing in sports should "learn to lose gracefully" to transgender athletes competing alongside them.

"Trans students participate in sports for the same reasons as [other] kids," Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the women's rights nonprofit National Women’s Law Center, said.

"Because it is fun, because it creates belonging, community, because it teaches so much about persistence, leadership and discipline, and last, they learn to lose gracefully – hopefully – and often, win with dignity," she continued.

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President of National Womens Law Center Fatima Goss Graves testifies during a House Oversight Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services hearing on Capitol Hill December 5, 2023 in Washington, DC.  (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, who has been outspoken about the alleged unfairness of allowing biological men to compete in women's events, fired back at the suggestion - noting that, even when she tied with transgender University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas for fifth place during the 2022 NCAA finals, she gracefully lost to the four biological women who placed in front of her.

"Just for the record, I have lost gracefully many times in my career. Even speaking to the incident of Thomas and I, at the national championships, we tied for fifth — granted, fifth in the entire nation, so it’s still an incredible achievement," Gaines said to Congress. "But there were four women who beat me. I’m incredibly proud of those women who beat me. So, I certainly can and have lost gracefully many times in my career."

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Other female athletes weighed in on X, including Mara Yamauchi, a former marathon runner and British Olympian who has also been outspoken about transwomen competing in women's sports.

Former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines testifies during a House Oversight Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services hearing on Capitol Hill December 5, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

"Women & girls should ‘learn to lose gracefully’ to men & boys in their category," she wrote, followed by a facepalm emoji. "Women throwing away fair & safe sports for their fellow women is unforgivable."

Goss Graves' statement also gained attention from Martina Navratilova, a former professional tennis player, who responded to Yamauchi's post by writing, "Unforgivable indeed. Lose gracefully my a--! Always did that when it was a fair fight!!! Nothing to be graceful about when the field is tilted so badly!!! Sex matters in sports, it matters. Shame on them."

Sharron Davies, an Olympic medalist and former competitive swimmer, re-posted a clip of Goss Graves' statement and wrote on X, "If you’re a female athlete watch this & get furious you’re just supposed to learn to lose gracefully to a male in a race for females. If you don’t stand together & say NO womens sport will just be another race for males, along with men’s & non binary!"

Aside from female athletes, the remark garnered attention from some Republican lawmakers who took exception.

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University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas and Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines tied for 5th in the 200 Freestyle finals at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 18th, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta Georgia.  (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., who applauded Gaines for her athletic accomplishments during the hearing, ripped the suggestion as a "slap in the face" to "any athlete who worked so hard."

"I don't think you should lose gracefully. I think you should do exactly what you've been doing," he told Gaines.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz responded to Goss Graves' notion on X, writing, "Outrageous. We should never have to teach our daughters how to ‘lose gracefully’ in sports to men dressed up like women."

Fox News Digital reached out to Graves for comment but has yet to receive a response.

Taylor Penley is an associate editor with Fox News.