The trans-sport two-step dishonors female athlete pioneers like my mom

Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines gave an emotional opening statement at the Senate hearing on ‘Protecting Pride: Defending the Civil Rights of LGBTQ+ Americans.’

The Senate Judiciary Committee recently held a hearing entitled, "Protecting Pride: Defending the Civil Rights of LGBTQ+ Americans," where former University of Kentucky women's swimmer Riley Gaines gave emotional testimony about her experience losing an NCAA championship to a male transgender swimmer, and having to change in a locker room with the 6’4" 22-year-old biological man exposing his male genitalia in front of her and other female swimmers.

Senate Democrats, led by Dick Durbin of Illinois, downplayed the elite woman swimmer’s powerful message and delivered general bromides about transgender discrimination and its "divisive and hateful rhetoric" putting "children in danger." He noted, "LGBTQ+ Americans are asking for no more—and no less—than the full freedom to live as who they are."

Actually, on this score, transgender activists are indeed asking for a lot more, and their demands discriminate against women athletes who train hard for the right to compete and win on a level playing field with other women. Such efforts also dishonor real advocates of gay rights, as well as the pioneers of women's sports who worked so hard to let females enjoy and compete in sports previously restricted to men.

Rights for gay Americans like me have made incredible strides in a few short decades, when we faced true discrimination in the areas of military service, marriage, employment, and – in many quarters – general social acceptance. In my own case more than 30 years ago, I had to mask my sexuality to serve my country in the Marine Corps, before the advent of "don’t ask,