Riley Gaines Calls on AOC to Reconsider Trans Athlete Stance Amid Silence

The national debate over the inclusion of transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports continues to intensify, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has been notably quiet on the issue recently. Riley Gaines, a conservative figure, has now publicly urged the congresswoman to reconsider her position. Gaines stated in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital that she believes AOC has the platform and influence to sway Democratic members toward what Gaines considers a more "sane" approach. She emphasized the responsibility she feels every member of Congress has on this matter. Gaines suggests that even a "performative" shift in Ocasio-Cortez's stance against trans inclusion in women's sports could benefit her political image. "I would certainly applaud her or any Democrat for speaking out against trans inclusion," Gaines said, regardless of disagreements on other issues. Ocasio-Cortez last addressed the issue directly on January 14 during the House vote on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. Her speech, where she claimed the bill would empower child sexual predators and asserted that "trans girls are girls," sparked significant backlash, even within her own party. Since then, developments include President Trump's executive order banning trans inclusion in women's and girls' sports nationally, and the NCAA's amendment of its gender eligibility rules to comply with the order. Some Democrat-led states have openly defied Trump, leading to federal investigations and potential funding cuts. The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act is scheduled for a Senate vote on Monday. Despite her past advocacy for trans inclusion, Ocasio-Cortez has remained largely silent on the matter recently. She briefly referenced an exchange between Trump and Maine Governor Janet Mills on Bluesky, but has not addressed Trump's order or the broader issue in detail. During a virtual town hall on February 21, Ocasio-Cortez did not address a question submitted by Fox News Digital on the topic. Her office has also not responded to multiple requests for comment. In a January 23 interview on "The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart" podcast, Ocasio-Cortez touched on the broader subject of Democrat support for the trans community, saying, "When we allow ourselves to constantly be distracted by these culture wars around trans people… we need to make standing up for those folks just such an afterthought that it's not even a debate." Gaines believes that the Democrats' distance from the issue indicates that "cancel culture is losing its grip" and that they are trying to distance themselves from their voting records because they know it's a "losing issue." Ocasio-Cortez has previously supported bills like the Equality Act and the Transgender Bill of Rights, which would enable trans athletes to participate in women's sports. She has also criticized both former President Biden for not doing enough to enable trans inclusion, calling his proposed Title IX change a "disgrace." Recent data, however, suggests growing opposition to trans inclusion in women's sports. A New York Times/Ipsos survey revealed that the majority of Americans, including a significant portion of Democrats, oppose allowing transgender athletes to compete in women's sports. A national exit poll also indicated that the issue was important to a significant percentage of moderate voters.