The National Organization for Women (NOW) now sees those who oppose the inclusion of trans athletes in women’s sports as proponents of “white supremacist patriarchy.”
In a social media post specifically targeting a group consisting of several prominent female athletes who are suing the NCAA for violating their Title IX rights by allowing transgender swimmer Lia Thomas to compete against them and use their changing areas during the 2022 NCAA Swimming Championships, NOW posted a statement to X blasting the female athletes as “weaponizing womanhood” to further the interest of “white supremacist patriarchy.”
Repeat after us: Weaponizing womenhood against other women is white supremacist patriarchy at work. Making people believe there isn't enough space for trans women in sports is white supremacist patriarchy at work. https://t.co/SacFuIgpPd
— National NOW (@NationalNOW) March 31, 2024
Riley Gaines, one of the leaders of the group suing the NCAA and is pictured in the X post by NOW, shot back at the activist group, accusing NOW of using “oppression buzzwords” and suggesting legal action.
I've never seen so many oppression buzzwords in one sentence. Apparently, advocating for fair sport makes me a white supremacist. I wonder if my attorney will agree.
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) March 31, 2024
(in case you were wondering, NOW stands for National Organization of Women lol) https://t.co/f1O15daf9F
Gaines wasn’t the only one to take NOW to task for their statement. Soon after their post, a Community Note reminded the activist organization that trans athletes are not barred from competing in sports. They are just barred from competing in sports categories that do not coincide with their gender.
“Transwomen are still able to compete in the category of their birth sex or an Open category, they are not excluded from sport. World Aquatics prohibits anyone who has undergone any part of male puberty from entering the Female category,” the note read.
X users had fun mocking NOW for their post.
You are such a complete and utter embarrassment.
— Kara Dansky (@KDansky) March 31, 2024
I wonder if @Riley_Gaines_ should contact her attorney about @NationalNOW calling her a white supremacist. Seems pretty defamatory to me. 🤷🏻♀️
— Danni (@DanniBrener) March 31, 2024
Race baiting on top of betraying women? Pathetic. You stopped being feminists long ago.
— ♀️Jennifer Gingrich ✡️ (@fem_mb) March 31, 2024
Males are faster & stronger than females. That's why every single speed & strength record in all of history has been held by a male and not ONE by a female.
WOMEN DESERVE OUR OWN SPORTS. pic.twitter.com/1HMM06JiOV
I can’t believe I worked here when I was in college. I’m embarrassed for you.
— Jennifer Sey (@JenniferSey) April 1, 2024
The patriarchy is telling women to sit down and shut up and accept whatever unfairness and invasion of privacy is hurled their way.
Since 2020, nearly two dozen U.S. states have banned or severely restricted males from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.