Riley Gaines drops never-before-heard details on trans teammate; tells Joe Rogan ALL



Joe Rogan is no stranger to platforming some of the most interesting and controversial voices on his podcast, and his episode with Riley Gaines is no different.

Gaines tells Rogan about her experiences sharing swim competitions with two trans identifying individuals — one a biological woman and one a biological man.

“We were told we fully had to treat this person as a woman, right?” Gaines says of trans woman Lia Thomas. “The same national championships we had another athlete who was transitioning, but this athlete is a female who was then self-identifying as a man from Yale.”

“Top eight women in the entire country, and you’ve got a 6'4” man in a women’s swimsuit with the bulge next to a woman wearing only a Speedo with nothing covering her top,” Gaines adds.

“I’m sitting there watching this, I’m thinking to myself, 'It’s me, I’m the crazy one, it must be. This is the freaking Twilight Zone,'” she says.

Gaines then shares the story that forced her to be honest about how she felt with Thomas on her team.

Thomas swam the 500 freestyle, won a national title, and beat out American Olympic record holders by “body lengths,” Gaines explains.

“Even the time he went last year would have beat every girl in the country this past season by nearly two full seconds, making him the first man to win a division one NCAA women’s title,” she says, jokingly calling him a “trailblazer.”

However, Gaines was able to tie Thomas in the 200 freestyle — but because they only had one trophy, they gave it to Thomas instead of her.

“I asked the question that no one dared ask all season, and I said, ‘Why?’” Gaines recalls. “He realized that he didn’t have a justification, he didn’t have an answer for this, and so I actually appreciate his honesty.”

“His face changed, he looked sad, his voice changed. I could tell he didn’t even believe what he was about to say, but this official looked at me and said, ‘Riley, I am so sorry, but we have been advised as an organization that when photos are being taken, it’s crucial that the trophy is in Lia’s hands,’” she explains.

Dave Rubin is impressed with Rogan’s strong guest.

“Little-known podcaster Joe Rogan, well, I think this guy is going to make it,” he comments.


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Riley Gaines Makes Joe Rogan Go Quiet with Never-Before-Told Details of Lia Thomas

Riley Gaines Makes Joe Rogan Go Quiet with Never-Before-Told Details of Lia Thomas

WATCH: Riley Gaines shares never-before-told details about Lia Thomas with Joe Rogan



Just last week, Riley Gaines joined Joe Rogan on “The Joe Rogan Experience” to discuss the intimate details of her time competing against trans swimmer Lia Thomas.

At the National Championship, “we were told we fully had to treat this person as a woman,” said Gaines.

But most people already knew that.

What they might not know is who else was competing in the same tournament.

“We had another athlete who was transitioning, but this athlete is a female who was then self-identifying as a man ... and we were told we fully had to treat this person as a man,” she explained.

Of the “top eight women in the entire country, you've got a 6’ 4" man in a women's swimsuit with the bulge next to a woman wearing only a speedo with nothing covering her top.”

“This is the freakin’ twilight zone,” Gaines told Rogan, who looked horrified.

Playing along with gender politics only lasted for so long, though.

The day after Thomas “swam the 500 freestyle and won a national title, beating out Olympians ... [and] American record-holders ... by body lengths,” Gaines had to compete against him in the 200 freestyle.

“We get on the blocks, dive off, swim eight laps of freestyle, touch the ball at the end. I look up at the scoreboard, and almost impossibly enough, Joe, we had gone the exact same time, meaning, of course, we had tied,” said Gaines. “You can’t tell me that’s not divine intervention.”

However, when the two went to the award podium, something utterly incomprehensible happened.

“The official looks at both of us and says, ‘Great job you two, but you tied and we only have one trophy, so we're gonna give the trophy to Lia,'" Gaines said, as a look that can only be described as flabbergasted spread over Rogan’s face.

Gaines’ first words upon hearing this were, “Isn't this everything that Title 9 was passed to prevent from happening?”

But, of course, the presenter didn’t have an answer — not a legitimate one anyway.

“We’re actually just doing this in chronological order,” was his first excuse.

Not his smoothest answer, as “G comes before T,” Gaines said, which she pointed out to the man.

“Finally, he realized that he didn't have a justification ... This official looked at me and said, ‘Riley, I am so sorry, but we have been advised as an organization that when photos are being taken, it's crucial that the trophy is in Lia’s hands ... Lia takes the trophy home,”’ but “‘we can eventually mail you one.”’

To hear more, watch the clip below.


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