On Wednesday, Riley Gaines, a former top college athlete, joined Congresswoman Debbie Lesko in calling on Congress to pass the “Women’s Bill of Rights.” The bill, sponsored by Lesko, would clarify that the term “woman” is based on biology rather than personal identity when it appears in federal law.
Lesko believes the Women’s Bill of Rights is needed to affirm the importance of acknowledging women and their unique and distinguishing characteristics and to recognize their contributions to our nation.
Gaines is a 12-time All-American swimmer with 5 SEC titles who was forced to share a locker room and then compete against biological male Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA Women’s Swimming Championship.
“The left has declared a war on women,” said Lesko. “It is now more important than ever to affirm the biological differences between men and women to protect women’s hard-fought rights and ensure women have spaces reserved for them in society. I am grateful to my congressional colleagues for their support on this critical legislation, and to Riley Gaines for bravely sharing her story and standing up for female athletes. We will never stop advocating for these important protections for women!”
Lesko was also joined by Representatives Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01), Kevin Hern (R-OK-01), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-01), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL-13), Andy Ogles (R-TN-05), Burgess Owens (R-UT-04), Ralph Norman (R-SC-05), and Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24).