Josh Hawley: NCAA 'dead wrong,' owes apology for forcing women to share locker rooms with trans athletes

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., called on the NCAA to apologize to female athletes, such as swimmer Riley Gaines, for favoring transgender athletes at their expense this week.

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) President Charlie Baker testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday on the controversy surrounding female athletes being forced to compete and share locker rooms with biological males. 

In previous testimony, Gaines spoke about being unfairly treated by the NCAA in favor of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.

Hawley referenced Gaines’ testimony and called on the NCAA to respond and apologize to her and her fellow female athletes.

"The NCAA was dead wrong to force female athletes like @Riley_Gaines_ to share a locker room with biological men. The NCAA should apologize to female athletes - and stop forcing women to stand by while men take over their sports," Hawley wrote on X with a clip of his questioning of Baker, the former Republican governor of Massachusetts.

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Hawley quoted Gaines’ testimony where she described, "In addition to being forced to give up our awards and our titles and our opportunities, the NCAA forced me and my female swimmers to share a locker room with Thomas. A 6-foot-4, 22-year-old male equipped with and exposed male genitalia. Let me be clear about this – we were not forewarned we would be sharing a locker room. No one asked for our consent and we did not give our consent."

"Is that still NCAA policy?" Hawley asked the NCAA president.

"I'm not going to defend what happened in 2022," Baker responded. "I wasn't there. I was still governor of [Massachusetts]. What I will say is, we have very specific rules and standards around the safety and security of all our student athletes, and anyone who hosts one of our national championships has to accept that they know what they are and then abide by them accordingly."

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Hawley followed up, "Does that include female athletes having to share locker rooms with biological males not being warned or consent? Are they asked for their consent?" 

"I don't believe that policy would be the policy we would use today," Baker continued.

The Missouri senator later sent out a formal letter to the NCAA requesting that the association respond to further questions on what exactly the current policy is regarding transgender athletes in women’s locker rooms.

"Yesterday the NCAA president couldn’t recall what the NCAA’s policy is today about men in women’s locker rooms. This shouldn’t be hard. He should give the public a straight answer. Here’s his chance," Hawley shared on X Wednesday.

Gaines herself expressed disappointment with Baker in a statement to Fox News Digital, stating that he has yet to respond to her request to speak regarding policy for transgender athletes competing with women.

"I explained why it’s crucial to understand the scientific evidence that shows the impossibility of leveling the collegiate playing field through hormone therapy. I asked for an opportunity to meet face-to-face and sit down with him to better explain my (and so many other female athletes’) perspective and to work together to create a solution that would provide everyone a place where they can play fairly and safely," Gaines wrote.

"TEN months have passed since I sent this letter. Unfortunately, as with former NCAA President Mark Emmert, I’ve yet to receive a reply," Gaines said.

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