Reveal Podcast: "How Sports Became a Battleground Over Trans Rights"

Date: January 24, 2026
Host: Al Letson
Producers/Reporters: Madison Pauley (Mother Jones), Steven Rascon, Imogen Sayers

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode investigates how the world of sports became a focal point for the fight over transgender rights in the United States. It traces the political, cultural, and scientific forces that transformed disputes over trans women athletes into a national debate—and ultimately, a conservative rallying cry. The episode centers on the media and political rise of former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines, the science behind hormone therapy and physical advantage, and the experiences of a trans NCAA swimmer under increasing restrictions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The NCAA Race That Ignited a Movement

• [01:25–05:18]
  • 2022 NCAA Championships: The spotlight is on swimmer Leah Thomas, the first openly trans woman to compete at this level.
  • Fifth Place Tie: Leah ties with Kentucky’s Riley Gaines. Despite a fifth-place finish, controversy arises when the NCAA awards Leah the trophy, sparking Gaines’ protest.
  • Riley Gaines Speaks Out: At first measured, Gaines’ critiques soon take a more aggressive anti-trans tone, calling Thomas and other trans women "men" and likening them to predators.
    • Quote: "Any man forcing his way into a woman's private changing area...is absolutely a predator." — Riley Gaines [04:41]

2. From Wedge Issue to Conservative Cause

• [05:18–11:25]
  • Conservative Search for a New Cause: After the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in 2015, conservatives pivoted to transgender issues—first "bathroom bills," then sports.
  • Political Strategy: Conservative think tanks run ads (e.g., 2019 Kentucky governor race) questioning trans women in women’s sports. These ads shift public opinion and inspire state-level legislative bans.
  • Shortage of Trans Athlete Examples: Until Leah Thomas’s high-profile win, most proposed bans had little real-world basis.
  • Riley’s Transformation: Gaines quickly becomes a media fixture, keynoting at CPAC, earning a center in her name (funded primarily by the DeVos family), and cashing in on speaking, media appearances, and advocacy roles.
    • Quote: "I never would have imagined that things worked out the way they did now." — Trinity Ward, former teammate [12:27]

3. Conflicting Narratives: Locker Rooms, Coaches & Abuse

• [11:25–18:55]
  • Changing Perceptions: Teammates recall Gaines as down-to-earth and practical, but grow increasingly disillusioned as her rhetoric sharpens.
  • Locker Room Debate: Riley describes Leah’s presence as a violation; others at the meet remember Leah keeping to herself, trying not to draw attention.
    • Quote: "Any of the times I would see her in there, she's like wrapped in her towel, turned around, not facing anyone. I honestly, I felt bad for her." — Anonymous swimmer [14:43]
  • Real Threats Overlooked: Teammates argue the actual risk was not trans athletes, but abusive coaches. UK coach Lars Jorgensen is banned for life after sexual assault claims.
  • Riley’s Focus: Despite abuse revelations, Riley largely reverts to anti-trans advocacy after briefly commenting on the scandals involving her coaches.

4. Media, Money, and the Anti-Trans Advocacy Machine

• [11:25–21:14]
  • Riley’s National Platform: Payscale skyrockets—from $126k/year to nearly $500k with bonuses, all facilitated by major right-wing organizations.
  • Selective Outrage: Riley is criticized for ignoring allegations of abuse by male coaches while relentlessly targeting trans women as threats.
  • Vulnerable Moments: For the first time, Riley shares her own experience of harassment by a male assistant coach, Chip Klein, and filing a Title IX complaint.
    • Quote: "This is something I've never spoken about because, honestly, I think it takes time to process...I could tell many stories of interactions that we had, forcible interactions." — Riley Gaines [21:14]
  • Strategic Goals: Groups aligned with Gaines admit, "If men can't be women in sports and we win there, they can't be women anywhere." — Kim Jones [24:04]

5. The Science Behind Transition, Hormones, and Athletic Advantage

• [24:44–35:15]
  • What Hormones Change: Endocrinologist Ada Chung explains that gender-affirming hormone therapy reduces muscle mass (~5-7% loss), boosts fat mass, and can reduce cardio performance, but doesn't change stature.
    • Quote: "There's a smaller engine driving this body." — Dr. Ada Chung [26:04]
  • Key Studies:
    • Tommy Lundberg (Karolinska Institute): Finds minimal reduction in muscle size, argues trans women retain "male advantage" if they underwent male puberty, often cited by advocates for exclusion.
    • Blair Hamilton (Manchester): IOC-commissioned study: trans women have lower jump heights, weaker cardio fitness than cis women after ~5 years HRT, but still outpace in hand grip strength; findings are not conclusive.
    • US Air Force Fitness Data: After 2–4 years HRT, trans women’s push-up & sit-up performance matches cis women; running speed advantage persists longer.
  • Politics Trumping Science: Legislatures, federations, and the NCAA move to ban trans women from women’s competition, even as scientists stress the inconclusiveness of the research and the need for more sport-specific studies.
    • Quote: "You should see it as kind of a ticket to another body plan." — Tommy Lundberg [28:23]
    • Quote: "Policies are not waiting for the science." — Steven Rascon [34:39]

6. The Human Story: One Trans Swimmer's Journey

• [35:21–50:51]
  • Megan Cortez Fields’s Story:
    • Swam for Ramapo College in NJ; began on men’s team, transitioned, switched to women’s team after a year on hormones.
    • Overcame family and religious resistance; isolated but found community with supportive coaches and teammates.
    • Targeted by Riley Gaines online, who framed Megan’s records as the product of unfair male advantage.
    • Quote: "I wasn't mediocre. She [Riley] doesn't care about facts. She cares about optics and image." — Megan Cortez Fields [47:20]
    • Swims her last eligible races as NCAA policy changes ban nearly all trans women from women’s competition.
    • Quote: "I loved that moment of me not being afraid and not even thinking about me being trans. I only felt affirmed in being a woman." — Megan [48:58]
    • Reflects on living her dream briefly, then mourning the door closed behind her by changing laws.
    • Quote: "It saddens me to say, like, that was the best of it... it's hard because once you've had it, you only want to feel like that always." — Megan [50:51]

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• "Any man forcing his way into a woman's private changing area... is absolutely a predator."
  — Riley Gaines [04:41]
• "I never would have imagined that things worked out the way they did now."
  — Trinity Ward, Riley’s former teammate [12:27]
• "Any of the times I would see her in there, she's like wrapped in her towel, she's turned around, not facing anyone.... I honestly, I felt bad for her."
  — Anonymous swimmer (about Leah Thomas) [14:43]
• "This is something I've never spoken about because, honestly, I think it takes time to process... I could tell many stories of interactions that we had, forcible interactions."
  — Riley Gaines (on workplace harassment) [21:14]
• "If men can't be women in sports and we win there, they can't be women anywhere."
  — Kim Jones, Independent Council on Women's Sports [24:04]
• "There's a smaller engine driving this body."
  — Dr. Ada Chung [26:04]
• "You should see it as kind of a ticket to another body plan."
  — Tommy Lundberg [28:23]
• "Policies are not waiting for the science."
  — Steven Rascon (producer/reporter) [34:39]
• "I wasn't mediocre. She doesn't care about facts. She cares about optics and image."
  — Megan Cortez Fields [47:20]
• "I loved that moment of me not being afraid and not even thinking about me being trans. I only felt affirmed in being a woman."
  — Megan Cortez Fields [48:58]
• "It saddens me to say, like, that was the best of it... it's hard because once you've had it, you only want to feel like that always."
  — Megan Cortez Fields [50:51]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Leah Thomas & Riley Gaines Tie at NCAA Championships: [01:25–05:18]
• Conservative Strategists Pivot to Trans Sports Bans: [05:18–11:25]
• Riley Gaines’s Advocacy & Funding: [11:25–18:55]
• Locker Room and Coaching Controversies: [14:09–18:55]
• Riley’s Response to Investigation & Personal Disclosure: [19:06–22:07]
• Strategy Videoclip ("If men can't be women in sports..."): [24:04]
• Endocrinologist Ada Chung Explains Hormone Effects: [25:32–26:07]
• Summaries of Major Scientific Studies: [27:12–34:39]
• Transitioned NCAA Swimmer Megan Cortez Fields’s Story: [35:21–50:51]
• Megan Cortez Fields on Her Big Race & Record: [47:20–48:58]

Tone and Style

The episode maintains Reveal’s hallmark investigative tone—fact-heavy, empathetic toward its subjects, and unafraid to highlight hypocrisy, misinformation, or co-opted outrage. The stories are personal as well as political, with direct testimony from swimmers, advocates, and scientists. The host and reporters treat their sources with respect and nuance, occasionally injecting moments of irony or sadness, reflecting both the stakes for individuals and the broader battle underway.

For New Listeners

This episode offers an in-depth, multifaceted examination of how sports became a proxy conflict over trans rights. It peels back the political maneuvers and media ecosystem that amplified the issue, grounds the debate in scientific uncertainty and evidence, and delivers an unvarnished look at the human beings most affected—both those leading the charge and those caught in the crossfire.