{"id":1300,"date":"2023-09-05T03:43:05","date_gmt":"2023-09-05T03:43:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/2023\/09\/05\/riley-gaines-unveils-her-encounter-with-the-depths-of-evil\/"},"modified":"2023-09-05T03:43:05","modified_gmt":"2023-09-05T03:43:05","slug":"riley-gaines-unveils-her-encounter-with-the-depths-of-evil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/2023\/09\/05\/riley-gaines-unveils-her-encounter-with-the-depths-of-evil\/","title":{"rendered":"Riley Gaines Unveils Her Encounter with the Depths of Evil"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article_content\">\n<header>\n<div class=\"article-byline has-tools\">\n<div class=\"article-tools\"><a href=\"#cp-talk\" class=\"has-number talk-cp-255383\" data-scrollto=\".viafoura\" aria-label=\"Go to comments\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/assets\/img\/icon\/chat-rect.svg\" alt=\"\"\/><span class=\"number\"\/><\/a><a href=\"\" class=\"js-share\" aria-label=\"Share\" id=\"share-btn\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/assets\/img\/icon\/share-outline.svg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<figure class=\"img-box align-left left\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><picture width=\"400\" height=\"508\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/images\/cache\/image\/14\/81\/148117_w_400_508.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/images\/cache\/image\/14\/81\/148117_w_400_508.jpg\" class=\"type:primaryImage\" width=\"400\" height=\"508\"\/><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption\"><span class=\"photo-des\">Riley Gaines, a 12-time all American swimmer speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on fairness in women&#8217;s sports and why she opposes allowing men who identify as women to compete on women-only teams at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, on March 3, 2023. <\/span> | <span class=\"credit\">The Christian Post\/Nicole Alcindor <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Former collegiate swimmer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.christianpost.com\/news\/riley-gaines-wont-let-hatred-infect-her-in-battle-for-fairness.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Riley Gaines<\/a> has quickly become a women\u2019s rights icon in conservative circles, with her activism and commentary on transgender issues and sports making waves.<\/p>\n<p>Gaines, who rose to prominence after competing against Lia (Will) Thomas, a biological man who identifies as trans, said she and her fellow swimmers knew it was \u201cwrong\u201d to allow men to compete in women\u2019s sports, yet initially didn&#8217;t know how to handle the situation.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>READ ALSO: <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/billyhallowell.substack.com\/p\/god-has-been-so-good-to-me-country\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>&#8216;God Has Been So Good to Me&#8217;: Country Star on Faith, Troubles, and Clinging to the Lord<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe knew it was wrong \u2014 what was happening in regards to the competition and the locker room and the silencing,\u201d Gaines said on the \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/higher-ground-with-billy-hallowell\/id1401499962\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Higher Ground With Billy Hallowell Podcast<\/a>.\u201d \u201cWe all knew it was wrong, and even our coaches, they knew it was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But, at first, she said no one spoke up, leading her to some important realizations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI kept waiting, and waiting, and waiting for someone else to [speak up], because I thought it was someone else&#8217;s job,\u201d Gaines said. \u201cI thought surely a coach would do it or a parent \u2014 someone&#8217;s dad would surely stick up for us, or someone with political power.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She added, \u201cSomeone who is supposed to be protecting us would protect us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Listen to Gaines discuss her story and share her faith:<\/p>\n<p><iframe style=\"border-radius:12px\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/2TesESxFo5BKh2BA5kKJzj?utm_source=generator\" width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>But Gaines said she eventually came to a place where she felt personally compelled to address the issue so many were skirting and avoiding.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI came to this realization of \u2014 if we as female athletes, we as women weren&#8217;t willing to stick up for ourselves, how could we expect someone else to?\u201d she said. \u201cThat&#8217;s when I kind of decided to take it upon myself to take a stance \u2026 that men should not be in women&#8217;s sports.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gaines also discussed the awkward situation she and other females experienced in the locker room when changing alongside a biological male. Already an uncomfortable and vulnerable place for many, she said the locker rooms quickly turned even more discomforting.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou&#8217;re fully exposed \u2026 but to add someone of the opposite sex with male genitalia, male eyes, a male gaze in that same room \u2026 it&#8217;s awkward, it&#8217;s embarrassing, it&#8217;s uncomfortable,\u201d she said. \u201cBut it felt like betrayal. And I think the best word to describe it without being over-dramatic is \u2018traumatic.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gaines expressed frustration over the officials and others who tossed out women\u2019s rights to privacy \u201cwithout even a second thought\u201d and without regard for those these decisions impacted.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe all felt violated,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>READ ALSO: <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/billyhallowell.substack.com\/p\/are-aliens-ufos-real-astrophysicist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Are Aliens, UFOs Real? Astrophysicist Reveals Why These \u2018Terrifying\u2019 Things Might Not Be What They Seem<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As for Gaines\u2019 advocacy, she said it would be much easier to be quiet and pretend none of it was going on, especially considering the blowback and intense name-calling and chaos that has befallen her since openly advocating against the inclusion of biological males in female sports.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey&#8217;ll label you \u2026 transphobic, homophobic, racist, white supremacist, domestic terrorist, fascist,\u201d Gaines said. \u201cBut that&#8217;s all it is \u2014 name-calling, because they don&#8217;t have truth on their side, they don&#8217;t have common sense, they don&#8217;t have logic, or reasoning, or science on their side.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She continued, \u201cWe do on our side. Therefore, the only way they can dissuade from our argument is through the petty, personal attacks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gaines credited her Christian faith with helping guide her through the storms that can come along with being so open and vocal about such an explosive issue.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is a spiritual battle,\u201d she said. \u201cI&#8217;ve always been spiritual. I grew up in the church. I&#8217;m very fortunate to have that firm foundation, but, I will tell you, this past year \u2026 I have seen very clearly how God works, and how He moves, and how He has His hand on me, most certainly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But, at the same time, Gaines has received clarity on how the \u201copposition works,\u201d detailing a \u201cbattle of morals versus evil\u201d that has burst into the mainstream.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;ve looked that evil in the eyes when I was in San Francisco, and I was held hostage and assaulted,\u201d she said, referencing the scary situation she faced when protestors came after her earlier this year during an appearance at San Francisco State University. \u201cIt&#8217;s soulless, it&#8217;s violent, it&#8217;s vengeful, it&#8217;s hateful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gaines wants her critics to know there\u2019s no hatred in her heart and noted she has often stops to pray for protestors who heckle her; her motives, she said, are pure.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m doing this out of love,\u201d she said of her activism. \u201cI\u2019m done competing. I&#8217;m fighting for this for my future daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gaines added, \u201cWhat about us as women? What about our privacy, what about our safety \u2014 our equal opportunity?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Listen to the full interview<a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/2TesESxFo5BKh2BA5kKJzj?si=f2ed6fad29394cb0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/billyhallowell.substack.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Get More Uplifting Stories From Journalist and Author Billy Hallowell<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"eoa_freedom_post\">\n<h2><span>Free<\/span> Religious Freedom Updates<\/h2>\n<p>Join thousands of others to get the <strong>FREEDOM POST<\/strong> newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.christianpost.com\/news\/riley-gaines-ive-looked-evil-in-the-eyes.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Riley Gaines, a 12-time all American swimmer speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on fairness in women&#8217;s sports and why she opposes allowing men who identify as women to compete on women-only teams at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, on March 3, 2023. | The Christian Post\/Nicole [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1301,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[]},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1300"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1300"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1300\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1301"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}