Why does she want men playing in the women’s tournament?

Dawn Staley said, “If you consider yourself a woman and you want to play sports…you should be able to play.” ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ Fellow Freedom Defender, Maybe you saw this tweet from me earlier this month. I responded when the University of South Carolina’s women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley said, “If you consider yourself a woman and you want to play sports…you should be able to play.” [Image of a tweet from Riley Gaines on April 6, 2024]( This is ridiculous. There’s a reason the NCAA created separate divisions for men and women’s sports. It’s the same reason why the 3-point line is further, the basketball is bigger, and there are more dunks compared to layups in men’s basketball vs women’s basketball. There’s no question that Staley is a great coach. She coached her University of South Carolina team to two national titles in the past three years with a 109-3 record. That’s virtually unheard of. But what if they had to play the University of Connecticut’s men’s championship team? This isn’t only about keeping women’s sports fair -- though that matters. It’s also about protecting women’s safety and opportunities. Because if we use Dawn Staley’s definition, any man that “considers” himself a woman would have access to women’s scholarships. No man should be able to steal a woman’s scholarship or her place on a team. Her remarks send a clear message to young girls and women around the country. That message is that we don’t matter. Our safety, privacy in locker rooms, chances for athletic opportunity and success, and our dignity as female athletes don’t matter to Dawn Staley. You and I must work to uphold the integrity of fair sports and the value of women before this crackpot movement goes any further. [Help me and the Leadership Institute stand bravely for women, free speech, and common sense by donating right now.]( With the Riley Gaines Center at the Leadership Institute, my colleagues and I fight the left’s radical anti-women agenda every single day. We speak at colleges across the country, where we identify brave students and give them the training, resources, and support to fight for their rights. But we cannot do it alone. We count on people like you. [That’s why I hope you’ll aid our fight with your generous gift to the Leadership Institute today.]( Stand bravely with me, Riley Gaines Director of the Riley Gaines Center at the Leadership Institute P.S. Fox and Friends asked me to join them to talk about Staley’s comments. If you’d like to watch it for yourself, click [here](. [Stand with Riley]( The Leadership Institute, 1101 N. Highland St., Steven P.J. Wood Building, Arlington, VA 22201, United States, (703) 247-2000 Patriot Values Defense PO Box 461 Fort Collins, CO 80522 [unsubscribe]( | [manage data preferences](