Former ESPN host Keith Olbermann clashed with Riley Gaines this week following the University of Pennsylvania’s decision to strip trans-identifying male swimmer Lia Thomas of his program records.
Olbermann called Gaines “whiny” in an X post on Tuesday after the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights announced its agreement with UPenn.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Wanted to congratulate Whiny Gaines on now being able to say she finished tied for FOURTH not tied for FIFTH in the Lia Thomas race (<a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Riley_Gaines_</a>)
&mdash; Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithOlbermann/status/1940215159034941516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“Wanted to congratulate Whiny Gaines on now being able to say she finished tied for FOURTH not tied for FIFTH in the Lia Thomas race,” he wrote.
Thomas, who is biologically male, was the first trans-identifying swimmer to win an NCAA Division I title, setting multiple school records and tying for fifth place with Gaines in the 200-yard freestyle event at the 2022 NCAA Division I Women&#8217;s Swimming and Diving Championships. Since then, Gaines has actively spoken against biological men competing in women’s sports.
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“Thank you!” Gaines shot back in a reply to Olbermann. “And while you’re keeping track, make sure to congratulate Emma Weyant, the right National Champ in the 500 freestyle, too.”
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Thank you! And while you’re keeping track, make sure to congratulate Emma Weyant, the right National Champ in the 500 freestyle, too. 
(If you&#39;re insinuating 5th in the nation is bad, what do you call a man who ranks 462nd nationally in the men&#39;s category?) <a href="https://t.co/liCRPraFQD">https://t.co/liCRPraFQD</a>
&mdash; Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_/status/1940224425485537588?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Emma Weyant finished in second place behind Thomas in the 500 freestyle at the 2022 NCAA swimming championship.
She added, “If you&#8217;re insinuating 5th in the nation is bad, what do you call a man who ranks 462nd nationally in the men&#8217;s category?”
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning men from competing in women’s sports. The NCAA updated its gender eligibility policies in compliance with the administration.
UPenn President J. Larry Jameson <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/riley-gaines-clashes-keith-olbermann-after-upenn-strips-lia-thomas-program-records?intcmp=tw_fnc&amp;taid=686554021cab570001444d27&amp;utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">said</a> the university plans to “fully comply” with both Title IX and the NCAA’s new policies.
“The University will not – on the basis of sex – exclude female students from participation in, deny female students the benefits of, or subject female students to discrimination under, any athletics programs,” Jameson said. “In addition, in providing to female student-athletes intimate facilities such as locker rooms and bathrooms in connection with Penn Athletics, such facilities shall be strictly separated on the basis of sex and comparably provided to each sex.”

Photo courtesy of Riley Gaines

Riley Gaines Fires Back After Ex-ESPN Host Mocks Her Advocacy For Women

Keith Olbermann

Lia Thomas

Politics

Riley Gaines

Social Issues

Transgender Athletes

University of Pennsylvania

Former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines thanked President Donald Trump for defending women in sports and for bringing about a deal that resulted in the University of Pennsylvania apologizing for the damage wrought by its decision to allow a trans-identifying male swimmer to compete as a member of its women&#8217;s team.
The agreement also saw Lia (formerly William) Thomas stripped of medals and the records returned to the women who had rightfully earned them — including Gaines, who famously tied with Thomas for fifth place in the 200 freestyle at the 2022 NCAA Championships.
&#8220;UPenn has agreed to right its wrongs, restore records to the rightful female athletes, and issue an apology to the women impacted by the man they allowed to compete as a woman. Are pigs flying? God bless @realDonaldTrump,&#8221; Gaines wrote in a post on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
UPenn has agreed to right its wrongs, restore records to the rightful female athletes, and issue an apology to the women impacted by the man they allowed to compete as a woman.
Are pigs flying?
God bless <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>. <a href="https://t.co/PZxcieyp7m">pic.twitter.com/PZxcieyp7m</a>
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_/status/1940187628021694922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
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But even as Gaines was thanking Trump for his administration&#8217;s efforts to protect women in athletics, others were pointing out the fact that if Gaines herself had not been one of the first to take a stand — to protect herself and other women and girls — that the result she saw on Tuesday might never have been realized.
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&#8220;UPenn caves after federal investigation into Lia Thomas, and will now enforce Trump’s mandate to BAN men from women’s sports. This is a major win for women everywhere. And it wouldn’t have happened without Riley Gaines. She fought hard and now the tide is turning,&#8221; conservative podcast host Benny Johnson posted.
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UPenn caves after federal investigation into Lia Thomas, and will now enforce Trump’s mandate to BAN men from women’s sports.
This is a major win for women everywhere. And it wouldn’t have happened without Riley Gaines. She fought hard and now the tide is turning. 👊🏻🔥 <a href="https://t.co/rlkgdvIWEz">pic.twitter.com/rlkgdvIWEz</a>
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1940165174364876875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Paula Scanlan, a teammate of Thomas&#8217; at UPenn, spoke out even after being told by school officials to simply shut up and swim. She credits Gaines with helping her to take a stand.
&#8220;I wanted to take a quick moment to thank @Riley_Gaines_. She’s become the teammate I wish I had in college. I was silenced, bullied and unsupported by my teammates and my university. Today and everyday, I’m grateful for our friendship and how much she’s helped me grow,&#8221; Scanlan posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I wanted to take a quick moment to thank <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Riley_Gaines_</a>
She’s become the teammate I wish I had in college. I was silenced, bullied and unsupported by my teammates and my university.
Today and everyday, I’m grateful for our friendship and how much she’s helped me grow ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/u1RljDLuue">pic.twitter.com/u1RljDLuue</a>
— Paula Scanlan (@PaulaYScanlan) <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulaYScanlan/status/1940217285819691464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Former champion gymnast and XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey added, &#8220;UPenn rescinded all of the accolades given to Will Thomas because we have FREEDOM OF SPEECH in the US. @PaulaYScanlan @Riley_Gaines_ @xx_xyathletics and many others spoke out about the injustice. It made a difference in the end. Happy independence day (sic)!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
UPenn rescinded all of the accolades given to Will Thomas because we have FREEDOM OF SPEECH in the US. <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulaYScanlan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PaulaYScanlan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Riley_Gaines_</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/xx_xyathletics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@xx_xyathletics</a> and many others spoke out about the injustice.
It made a difference in the end.
Happy independence day! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/tqpOu7dzsO">pic.twitter.com/tqpOu7dzsO</a>
— Jennifer Sey (@JenniferSey) <a href="https://twitter.com/JenniferSey/status/1940417391495684602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;It’s wild that there is a percentage of people brainwashed by their religion (liberalism) to believe it’s &#8216;evil&#8217; to stop people w/ testicles from violating women &amp; dominating their sports. Anyway, shoutout @Riley_Gaines_ for trailblazing on this issue when it was unpopular,&#8221; Jason Howerton added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It’s wild that there is a percentage of people brainwashed by their religion (liberalism) to believe it’s “evil” to stop people w/ testicles from violating women &amp; dominating their sports.
Anyway, shoutout <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Riley_Gaines_</a> for trailblazing on this issue when it was unpopular <a href="https://t.co/8eu3d4q3mC">pic.twitter.com/8eu3d4q3mC</a>
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) <a href="https://twitter.com/jason_howerton/status/1940233088011051510?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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NCAA SWIMMING: MAR 18 Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships

‘Are Pigs Flying?’: Riley Gaines Praises Trump As UPenn Strips Records From Trans Swimmer

‘Are Pigs Flying?’: Riley Gaines Praises Trump As UPenn Strips Records, Titles From Trans Swimmer

Donald Trump

Executive

NCAA

Women's sports

Women's Swimming

Climate change activists are now arguing that simply owning a dog can increase a person’s carbon footprint.
A <a href="https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/6/pgaf191/8159053?login=false">finding</a> published in PNAS Nexus says that, supposedly, people overestimate the climate benefits of activities like recycling or switching light bulbs. At the same time, they underestimate other beneficial impacts, such as taking fewer flights.
“We think, ‘I have to recycle this and it will help the planet,’” Madalina Vlasceanu, an assistant professor of environmental social sciences at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_climate_messaging_can_backfire_and_how_to_improve_it">told</a> the Greater Good Magazine. “It’s less likely you will hear that if you fly less, that’s the best you can possibly do, lifestyle-wise.”
Another “underestimated” benefit is cutting back on beef intake. According to <a href="https://earth.org/environmental-impact-of-pets/">Earth.org</a>, pets’ meat consumption accounts for 64 million tons of annual carbon dioxide emissions in the United States. That adds up to 25-30% of the environmental impact of meat intake.
In a list of ideas on how to reduce one’s carbon footprint that includes switching to public transport and eating poultry instead of beef, Greater Good Magazine suggested people “opt out of getting a dog.”
Man’s best friend is just the latest victim of climate activists’ propaganda. To them, owning a dog is an activity even dedicated climate change sympathizers engage in without realizing it, and they blame people who aren’t fully dedicated to the cause for furthering these issues.
“People will engage in lifestyle changes when they think it’s easy to do. It’s less important to them if it’s effective,” Vlasceanu said. “For collective action, it is more important to people that the action they engage in will actually result in a meaningful change.”
Though it seems like a lost cause to try and convince people to radically change their lifestyle so it fits a fear-based narrative, activists are not letting up.
“In order to meaningfully address climate change, experts have agreed that we will need lifestyle change and collective action,” Vlasceanu said. “Both of these have to work together. This is a critical part of the pathway to net zero.&#8221;

Templates

Climate Activists Really Don’t Want You To Have A Dog

Animals

Climate Change

Global Warming

U.S.

Pro-life organization Live Action is planning hundreds of demonstrations to support defunding abortion provider Planned Parenthood.
The demonstrations, called &#8220;Defund Day,&#8221; will take place at more than 200 Planned Parenthood locations across the country on June 28. The organization aims to unite pro-life Americans in &#8220;[demanding] Congress defund the abortion and trans-sex hormone giant Planned Parenthood and expose the organization’s ongoing abuse: abortion, child sterilization, and sexual indoctrination in schools,&#8221; a press release <a href="https://www.liveaction.org/live-action-demands-congress-defund-planned-parenthood-with-over-200-demonstrations-nationwide-on-defund-day/">said</a>.
Lila Rose, founder and president of Live Action, will lead the flagship demonstration at the Planned Parenthood facility in Anaheim, California.
&#8220;While Live Action has led many demonstrations outside Planned Parenthood’s killing centers, this is the first time we have mobilized a nationwide response on this scale,&#8221; Rose told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Because of the urgency of the vote and the stakes for innocent lives, we knew we had to activate every pro-life and pro-family American.&#8221;
Live Action has planned rallies all across the U.S., including the Planned Parenthood in Washington, D.C. The D.C. event will feature David Bereit, founder of 40 Days for Life.
&#8220;A Defund Day demonstration is occurring in every state with a Planned Parenthood location,&#8221; the press release said.
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&#8220;Leaders in the pro-life movement, Live Action ambassadors, volunteers, students, parents, and everyday citizens are stepping up to say enough,&#8221; Rose said. &#8220;And tomorrow, the nation will not be able to look away.&#8221;
The &#8220;Big Beautiful Bill&#8221; currently defunds the abortion provider. Pro-life activists want to make sure the provision stays in the Senate version of the bill.
Rose said this is the pro-life movement&#8217;s best opportunity to defund the abortion giant.
&#8220;If passed, it would allow for swift, decisive action to halt the flow of taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood,&#8221; Rose said. &#8220;Without this federal funding, Planned Parenthood’s deadly operations will be dramatically crippled. This is the closest we have ever been. And if we show up and speak out, we can finally pull the plug on the abortion industry’s federal cash flow.&#8221;
Rose said Planned Parenthood currently receives about $800 million a year in taxpayer funds. The money finances 400,000 abortions a year, in addition to pushing sex education in schools and promoting &#8220;so-called gender-affirming care, pushing irreversible hormones and surgeries that sterilize and mutilate.&#8221;
&#8220;This is not just about politics,&#8221; Rose said. &#8220;It is about stopping the greatest human rights abuse of our time. We will not stop until every child is protected and Planned Parenthood is defunded for good.&#8221;

Supreme Court Ruling Allows States To Cut Medicaid Funds To Planned Parenthood

Live Action To Protest Planned Parenthood With Nationwide ‘Defund Day’

Abortion

Congress

Live Action

Planned Parenthood

A Leftist California bookstore is banning J.K. Rowling&#8217;s &#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; series but remains committed to sending &#8220;queer, affirmative&#8221; titles all over the country through an anti-book banning nonprofit.
Booksmith is located in San Francisco&#8217;s renowned Haight-Ashbury neighborhood — the epicenter of the 1960s hippie counterculture and the Summer of Love. It stopped selling &#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; books after Rowling announced the creation of the J.K. Rowling Women&#8217;s Fund. The fund <a href="https://jkrwf.org/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKdvNljbGNrAp26GGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAGJyaWQRMVhFYkVUMVlETmNnb3NRM2YBHpCylZCyqT-dSAcjqzcghgBSrl8tIO_sNX3dgcFvY5leoMkcTzlQEUHionpy_aem_HyMGvqrZM5nRn93ZKNrRMg">says</a> it &#8220;offers legal funding support to individuals and organizations fighting to retain women’s sex-based rights in the workplace, in public life, and in protected female spaces.&#8221;
Its website never mentions transgender-identifying individuals, but Booksmith <a href="https://www.booksmith.com/NotHP">claims</a> the fund is &#8220;dedicated to removing transgender rights.&#8221;
&#8220;With this announcement, we&#8217;ve decided to stop carrying her books. We don&#8217;t know exactly what her &#8216;women&#8217;s fund&#8217; will entail, but we know that we aren&#8217;t going to be a part of it,&#8221; a sign in the bookstore reads.
But ironically, Booksmith — a self-described &#8220;group of queer booksellers&#8221; — participates in the Books Not Bans program, which is dedicated to <a href="https://www.booksmith.com/BnB">mailing</a> &#8220;crates of queer, affirmative, necessary books all over the country,&#8221; it says, that are actively being banned.
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&#8220;These are going to people who desperately need them but who live in book deserts and communities where new book bans are rolling out daily,&#8221; the store&#8217;s announcement said. &#8220;We don&#8217;t need to tell you things are serious out there: this is a lifeline for people whose lives and wellbeing are in danger. &#8221;
Books Not Bans, now a separate nonprofit, started at a different San Francisco <a href="https://www.fabulosabooks.com/#/">bookstore</a>, Fabulosa Books, that &#8220;[specializes] in LGBTQ+ books.&#8221;
Fabulosa Books also stopped selling Rowling&#8217;s work, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DLV4dvcyXYY/?hl=en">saying</a> on social media that the author &#8220;is devoting her life to nastiness.&#8221;
Books Not Bans has sent more than &#8220;2200 books to community groups around America,&#8221; according to a social media <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJvD5hUzNhs/?igsh=aGduY25yYWM4NDl5">post</a>.
One popular shipment is &#8220;All Boys Aren&#8217;t Blue,&#8221; which has been at the center of fights to keep sexually explicit books away from children, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-fight-to-shield-kids-from-graphic-material-in-a-deep-red-state">reported</a>. The book includes <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/its-time-to-unite-against-the-real-enemy">graphic descriptions</a> of anal rape and incest.
&#8220;[&#8216;All Boys Aren&#8217;t Blue&#8217;] was recently named the most banned book in America,&#8221; Books Not Bans said in a social media post. &#8220;We’ve sent &#8216;All Boys Aren’t Blue&#8217; to 20 different organizations all over America.&#8221;
Rowling has drawn criticism for her commitment to protecting women and women&#8217;s spaces, but the bestselling author has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/5-years-ago-j-k-rowling-took-a-stand-against-trans-activists-she-hasnt-backed-down">refused</a> to back down or apologize. In December, she celebrated the social media post that resulted in her becoming a global icon for women&#8217;s rights.
&#8220;Five years ago today and my only regret is that I didn&#8217;t speak out sooner,&#8221; Rowling <a href="https://x.com/jk_rowling/status/1869544832370344245?s=43&amp;t=BDz6oekueqrSVJ50bM62xw">said</a> on social media. &#8220;To every girl and woman who&#8217;s paid a heavy price for fighting to retain their rights and boundaries, to every person striving to halt an appalling medical experiment on minors, I salute you. We will win.&#8221;

Assam Book Fair 2023-24

Liberals In California Are Banning Books Again

Books

California

Censorship

J.K. Rowling

San Francisco

The following article was originally posted on &#8220;<a href="https://thenewjerusalem.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email">The New Jerusalem</a>&#8221; on Substack.
* * *
Once, when I was young, I told a girl, “You can’t solve your problems until you stop being proud of them.” In general, this is a terrible thing to say to a woman. As a sex, women tend to hold their problems very dear and view any attempt at a solution as a domineering masculine intrusion. In this particular case, however, I had chosen my moment, and the girl married me. Which, come to think of it, may have proved my point.
More seriously, though, there is nothing people hold onto so tightly as their worst behaviors, and nothing more useless than telling them to stop doing the thing that hurts them most. In my 2009 novel “Empire of Lies,” the protagonist reflects on friends who have headed down The Road to Disaster.
<blockquote>“Sometimes it even happened that these friends… would come to [my wife] Cathy and me… and ask us for our advice. ‘We are heading down the Road to Disaster,’ they would say. ‘What can we do to avoid the Disaster at the end?’ And Cathy and I would answer, ‘Stop. Stop going down that road. Stop cheating on your wife or spending too much money or neglecting your children or drinking. Turn around and go back and go down another road instead.’ And every time—every single time—they would say to us, ‘Oh, no. Oh, no, we can’t do that… We have many good and sound and necessary reasons why we must go down the Road to Disaster. Therefore give us some other advice. Give us some advice that will make the Road to Disaster end somewhere other than in the Disaster to which it inevitably leads.’”</blockquote>
<div id="attachment_939277" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-939277" class="size-large wp-image-939277" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-24-Jun-2025-02-33-PM-2532-384x576.jpg" alt="“Road to Morrocco.” 1942. Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour. Paramount Pictures." width="384" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-24-Jun-2025-02-33-PM-2532-384x576.jpg 384w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-24-Jun-2025-02-33-PM-2532-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-24-Jun-2025-02-33-PM-2532-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-24-Jun-2025-02-33-PM-2532-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-24-Jun-2025-02-33-PM-2532-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-24-Jun-2025-02-33-PM-2532-1360x2040.jpg 1360w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-24-Jun-2025-02-33-PM-2532-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" />Paramount Pictures. 1942. IMDB.</div>
This isn’t just true of individuals, whole nations do the same. World War I is the perfect example. &#8220;On or around December 1910, human character changed,” wrote Virginia Woolf. She was referring, with hyperbolic exactitude, to the onset of modernism in the arts. When one looks at the dissolution of realism and metaphysical certainties in the writings of Nietzsche or the paintings of Munch and Picasso, when one reflects on how art expresses the spirit of the age, it should have been almost obvious that Europe would soon begin the thirty years of self-annihilation that transformed it from the greatest culture that had ever existed on Earth to the hollow corpse we see being devoured by Islamists today.
And yet European leaders leapt to that death in 1914 and waited passively for it in the 1930’s, as if no other course were open to them.
My own stumble into political commentary was spurred, not by my commitment to one kind of politics over another, but by my observation that one side had gone palpably insane with self-hatred. What I don’t know, what I guess we’ll find out, is whether this was just the philosophical expression of a fatal organic decline, or a purposeful turn down the Road to Disaster from which we yet might turn away.
* * *
This article was originally posted on &#8220;<a href="https://thenewjerusalem.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email">The New Jerusalem</a>&#8221; on Substack.
Andrew Klavan is the host of “The Andrew Klavan Show” at The Daily Wire. Klavan is the bestselling author of numerous books, including the Cameron Winter Mystery series. The fourth installment, “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1613165536?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_thcv_3&amp;storeType=ebooks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Woman Underground.</a>” His most recent nonfiction release is “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Cain-Finding-Literature-Darkness/dp/0310368340/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_w=nMYjR&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.bc3ba8d1-5076-4ab7-9ba8-a5c6211e002d&amp;pf_rd_p=bc3ba8d1-5076-4ab7-9ba8-a5c6211e002d&amp;pf_rd_r=133-8344803-2786917&amp;pd_rd_wg=7a8J3&amp;pd_rd_r=5791ea0f-6d96-4732-9d6a-3a4e6b348bb5&amp;ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Kingdom of Cain: Finding God in the Literature of Darkness.</a>” (May 2025, Zondervan/HarperCollins). Follow him on X: <a href="https://x.com/andrewklavan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@andrewklavan</a>
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-25-Jun-2025-12-58-PM-5405

The Road To Disaster

Andrew Klavan

Humor

Opinion

Psychology

Riley Gaines, the former collegiate swimmer who rose to fame advocating to protect women&#8217;s sports and spaces from transgender-identifying males, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DLPoOftgYJx/?hl=en">dropped</a> the first installment of her new clothing collection on Monday, the 53rd anniversary of Title IX. 
Gaines teamed up with XX-XY Athletics for a &#8220;Be Bold&#8221; collaboration intended to &#8220;honor the past and defend the future,&#8221; featuring clothing emblazoned with &#8220;Title IX,&#8221; along with messages like &#8220;Save Women&#8217;s Sports.&#8221;
According to XX-XY’s <a href="https://www.xx-xyathletics.com/pages/riley-collaboration">webpage</a>, &#8220;The collaboration with Riley Gaines and Title IX represents a powerful stand for protecting women’s sports as they were meant to be—fair, female and grounded in truth.&#8221;
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Gaines marked the collaboration&#8217;s launch and the anniversary of Title IX with an <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/riley-gaines-title-ix-meant-protect-women-not-erase-us">opinion piece</a> for Fox News, writing, &#8220;Title IX was written to protect women based on biological sex—not self-identified gender. To lose that foundational truth is to lose the heart of the law itself.&#8221;
&#8220;And why does that matter?&#8221; she went on to ask. &#8220;Because growth in sports is about more than medals. It’s about pushing ourselves mentally and physically, developing character, working hard, failing with grace, and winning with integrity. Sports are the training ground for life. And if we allow Title IX to be redefined, we risk losing not just championships—but the next generation of women leaders.&#8221;
Gaines noted how public opinion on transgender athletes has shifted recently and believes the new clothing collection will encourage people to proudly express their principles. 
&#8220;Three years ago it was not popular to say that men and women are different,&#8221; she said. &#8220;But now, having a brand that proclaims it proudly just gives people the courage, the boldness, the bravery to say what everyone already knows to be true.&#8221;
Gaines began collaborating with XX-XY Athletics when it launched in March 2024. The company was founded by Jennifer Sey, an ex-gymnast opposed to transgender-identifying men competing in women’s sports. 
Sey, who got into the textile and brand management business working for Levi Strauss &amp; Co., <a href="https://jennifersey.substack.com/p/the-why-behind-xx-xy-athletics">decided to found XX-XY</a> in response to clothing companies like Nike and Lululemon embracing pro-transgender marketing collaborations with social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, a biological male who identifies as a woman, and Nikki Hiltz, a biological female who identifies as &#8220;non-binary.&#8221;
Gaines noted that, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, &#8220;The Department of Justice and the Department of Education have taken bold steps to restore Title IX to its original intent.&#8221;
She has expressed her dissatisfaction with previous <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/grotesque-betrayal-of-students-critics-blast-bidens-new-title-ix-regulations-championing-gender-identity?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=85&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Grotesque+%E2%80%A6+Betrayal+Of+Students%E2%80%99%3A+Critics+Blast+Biden%E2%80%99s+New+Title+IX+Regulations+Championing+%E2%80%98Gender+Identity%E2%80%99">administrations&#8217; reinterpretation</a> of the legislation.
&#8220;Under the Obama and Biden administrations, this landmark civil rights law was gutted in the name of &#8220;inclusion,&#8221; Gaines said. &#8220;Democrats redefined Title IX to accommodate radical gender ideology, allowing men who identify as women to compete in women’s sports, access women’s locker rooms and displace the very people Title IX was meant to protect.&#8221;
Gaines hopes her new clothing collab will inspire others to protect women&#8217;s sports.
&#8220;Title IX opened the doors for women in sport—and we’re not giving that up. Be bold, wear your values, and have faith and courage for the girls who need us to be strong for them. This collection is for real athletes who love America.&#8221;

Riley Gaines Unveils ‘Be Bold’ Clothing Collab To Defend Women’s Sports, Honor Title IX Legacy

Business

clothing

New York City’s mayoral race appears to be between Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani and disgraced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Mamdani has dominated headlines thanks to his communist <a href="https://www.zohranfornyc.com/platform">promises</a> to freeze rent prices and create city-run grocery stores. Recent polls <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-york-mayoral-hopeful-would-go-all-in-on-transing-the-kids-to-the-tune-of-65-million">show</a> him beating Cuomo in the city’s ranked-choice Democrat primary.
But the Democratic socialist isn’t the only crazy leftist in the race. Here are five of the most insane policy proposals from New York City’s mayoral candidates.
Crime-Fighting Therapists
Michael Blake, a former assemblyman who served in the Obama administration, <a href="https://blakefornyc.com/vision/publicsafetyplan/">says</a> he would hire “up to 1,000 mental health professionals” to work alongside — or instead of — law enforcement.
“These professionals will be embedded in 911 dispatch systems and trained to de-escalate emergencies without law enforcement presence,” Blake’s website <a href="https://blakefornyc.com/vision/healthandmentalhealth/">says</a>.
The professionals would include “peer specialists, social workers, and licensed clinicians.”
The goal, Blake says, is to “[ensure] that whenever possible, mental health experts — not law enforcement — take the lead in responding to crises.”
Pave Golf Courses for Affordable Housing
NYC Comptroller Brad Lander plans to solve the city’s housing crisis by <a href="https://x.com/bradlander/status/1936545628252967240">paving</a> over four municipal golf courses to build affordable housing.
“The total land area of the combined golf courses is 2,500 acres, roughly three times the size of Central Park,” Lander’s website <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/67a2f550954e9c463f4a2ef6/t/681ba98b9b089d1f4ffba0fc/1746643340249/State+of+Emergency+-+Addressing+NYC%E2%80%99s+Housing+Crisis.docx.pdf">says</a>.
Lander says four golf courses would provide 50,000 of the 500,000 homes he’s promised in his campaign.
As part of his “affirming housing” policy, Lander plans to <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/67a2f550954e9c463f4a2ef6/t/683eda613f94585b6810c3bb/1748949601775/Standing+Up+for+LGBTQ%2B+New+Yorkers.docx.pdf">build</a> “LGBTQ+ senior housing.”
Abortion “Hospitality Industry”
When Lander isn’t promising to pave golf courses, he’s turning New York City into a one-stop shop for abortion.
Lander’s website <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/67a2f550954e9c463f4a2ef6/t/6839d87967a0f1345173e3d5/1748621433533/Protecting+Reproductive+Rights.docx.pdf">promises</a> “safe, effective abortion care if the federal government limits or withdraws the ‘abortion pill.’”
Lander’s vision extends beyond the city to “build a pipeline of abortion providers for NYC and beyond” and “provide targeted, essential support for people traveling from states where abortions are banned who seek care [in New York City].”
Anti-Hate Crime Curriculum for Kindergarteners
State Senator Zellnor Myrie wants to make sure five-year-olds are anti-racists.
“As Mayor, Myrie will expand the city’s existing tolerance curriculum (which is currently only available to older students) to students aged K-5, so that all NYCDOE students, grades K-12, have access to anti-discriminatory and anti-hate curriculum,” Myrie’s website <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/661d72f5fdcd48687fb80031/t/679956e93279b30474a6e55d/1738102520471/RNYC+Public+Safety+%26+Public+Square.pdf">says</a>.
The NYC Public Schools website <a href="https://www.schools.nyc.gov/about-us/vision-and-mission/together-for-justice">offers</a> resources on discussing racism in the classroom — including from the <a href="https://www.adl.org/resources/tools-and-strategies/race-talk-engaging-young-people-conversations-about-race-and-racism">Anti-Defamation League</a>, an organization that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/adl-urged-counterterrorism-agency-to-target-daily-wires-matt-walsh-other-alleged-amplifiers-of-lgbtq-hate">encouraged</a> a counterterrorism agency to open an investigation into Daily Wire host Matt Walsh.
Myrie’s policy doesn’t elaborate on the “existing tolerance curriculum,” but it probably doesn’t include Walsh’s hit <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/am-i-racist">documentary</a> “Am I Racist?”
$65 Million to Trans the Kids
In addition to copying the communist playbook, Mamdani wants to spend millions on “gender-affirming” trans procedures for adults and children, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-york-mayoral-hopeful-would-go-all-in-on-transing-the-kids-to-the-tune-of-65-million">reported</a>.
Mamdani’s plan directly opposes President Donald Trump’s efforts to restrict transgender procedures for minors.
Mamdani’s administration would also “investigate and hold public hearings on hospitals that deny trans youth their rightful healthcare and hold them accountable to the law” and turn New York City into a “sanctuary city” for the LGBTQ community.

Last Day Of Early Voting In New York City Mayoral Primary

Here Are The Top Five Craziest Policy Proposals From NYC Mayor Candidates

Andrew Cuomo

Elections

LGBTQ

New York City

Transgender

Queens assemblyman Zohran Mamdani — who is looking for a win in the upcoming Democratic primary in New York City&#8217;s mayoral election — would sink millions into &#8220;gender-affirming&#8221; trans procedures for both adults and children if elected.
Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, says via his <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pMQhFiQEZh0PgI8q1PL2NTCvM5JT5-ee/view">campaign website</a> that he plans to prioritize &#8220;expanding and protecting gender-affirming care citywide.&#8221;
&#8220;The Mamdani administration will protect gender-affirming care immediately by investing $65 million in public providers to provide gender-affirming care to New Yorkers who seek it and will hold private entities abetting Trump’s attacks to account,&#8221; the website states, noting that such care would be made available both to adults and children in direct opposition to President Donald Trump&#8217;s efforts to restrict transgender procedures — whether chemical or surgical — for minors.
Mamdani also promised that if elected, his administration would invest millions into &#8220;gender-affirming&#8221; Telehealth services and other programs, and would &#8220;investigate and hold public hearings on hospitals that deny trans youth their rightful healthcare and hold them accountable to the law.&#8221;
In addition, Mamdani said that he planned to make New York City a &#8220;sanctuary city&#8221; for the LGBTQ community, although the key points that followed only addressed the T and the Q: &#8220;The Mamdani administration will be committed to protecting the rights of queer and trans New Yorkers, from those who have been lifelong residents to those who have just arrived here in search of a place where they can receive medical care and live and thrive without the threat of persecution and bigotry.&#8221;
Mamdani is facing off against key opponent disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo — and according to the latest odds posted by Polymarket, Mamdani has a 61% chance of besting Cuomo.
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BREAKING: Mamdani surges as clear favorite in the NYC Mayoral primary.
61% chance he wins. <a href="https://t.co/8KJeTHMyan">pic.twitter.com/8KJeTHMyan</a>
— Polymarket (@Polymarket) <a href="https://twitter.com/Polymarket/status/1937097883805008050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Despite a few polls showing Mamdani making gains, a majority of polls still show Cuomo as holding a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/nyc-mayoral-primary-election-polls-2025.html">commanding lead</a> over Mamdani. The most recent polls, as reported by The New York Times, show Cuomo with a 19-point lead (Harris-X), a three-point lead (Nectar, PIX 11, The Hill), and a 13-point lead (The Manhattan Institute).
Current Mayor Eric Adams, who was initially elected as a Democrat, is also running for reelection as an independent.

New York City Mayoral Candidates Campaign Ahead Of Primary Election

New York Mayoral Hopeful Would Go All-In On Transing The Kids, To The Tune Of $65 Million

Eric Adams

gender ideology

transgender surgery

The Los Angeles County Sheriff&#8217;s Department (LASD) deleted a social media post on Sunday and then apologized for it after calling the United States&#8217; bombing of key Iranian nuclear facilities a &#8220;tragic event.&#8221;
LASD released a statement saying, &#8220;Our hearts go out to the victims and families impacted by the recent bombings in Iran.&#8221; While the Trump administration <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg9r4q99g4o">says</a> that the strikes caused &#8220;severe damage&#8221; to Iran&#8217;s most important nuclear facilities, there have been no reported casualties from the U.S. bombing mission, and Iran <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg9r4q99g4o">claims</a> that all of the targeted facilities were evacuated before the attack.
In its now-deleted social media post, the L.A. County Sheriff&#8217;s Department added, &#8220;While this tragic event occurred overseas, the Los Angeles County Sheriff&#8217;s Department is closely monitoring the situation alongside our local, state, and federal partners.&#8221;
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The LA County Sheriff’s office just deleted this tweet calling the U.S. strikes on the Iranian regime’s nuclear facilities a “tragic event” and saying that “our hearts go out to the victims and families impacted by the recent bombings in Iran.” <a href="https://t.co/xnq2u8NDnY">pic.twitter.com/xnq2u8NDnY</a>
— Jerry Dunleavy IV 🇺🇸 (@JerryDunleavy) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryDunleavy/status/1936956559029916047?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Later on Sunday, the world&#8217;s largest sheriff&#8217;s department released a statement &#8220;to formally apologize&#8221; for what it called &#8220;an offensive and inappropriate social media post.&#8221;
&#8220;This post was unacceptable, made in error, and does not reflect the views of Sheriff Robert G. Luna or the Department,&#8221; the statement continued. &#8220;As a law enforcement agency, we do not comment on foreign policy or military matters.&#8221;
The sheriff&#8217;s department added that it has launched an investigation to &#8220;determine how [the post] was created and published.&#8221;
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<a href="https://t.co/z6MhYB8knl">pic.twitter.com/z6MhYB8knl</a>
— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/LASDHQ/status/1936981037021827216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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State and local agencies across the country ramped up security and preparedness following the United States&#8217; bombing mission over Iran. L.A. Democratic Mayor Karen Bass <a href="https://x.com/MayorOfLA/status/1936616636405948530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1936616636405948530%7Ctwgr%5Ed5d77118c00f00af1d62e79b8daa0a4762215cc6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fabc7.com%2Fpost%2Fcalifornia-state-local-officials-monitoring-threats-us-attack-iranian-nuclear-sites%2F16812539%2F">said</a> on Saturday that &#8220;out of an abundance of caution, LAPD is stepping up patrols near places of worship, community gathering spaces and other sensitive sites.&#8221; She added, &#8220;There are no known credible threats at this time.&#8221;
The NYPD <a href="https://x.com/NYPDnews/status/1936584866969342013">said</a> Saturday evening that it was &#8220;deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC and coordinating with our federal partners.&#8221; Similarly, the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DKYV9RjNheR/">said</a> it is &#8220;actively coordinating with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to share information and monitor intelligence in order to help safeguard residents, businesses, and visitors in the District of Columbia.&#8221;
On Sunday, President Donald Trump&#8217;s border czar, Tom Homan, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-border-czar-warns-of-biden-era-gotaways-amid-iranian-sleeper-cell-concerns">warned</a> of potential Iranian sleeper cells in the United States after the Biden administration allowed more than 1,200 Iranian nationals through America&#8217;s southern border.
“So we know that some terrorists have crossed that border. We’d be a fool to think zero crossed,&#8221; Homan added. &#8220;The thing is, though, we’ve got President Trump as a commander in chief who has put all resources on that.&#8221;

L.A. County Sheriff

L.A. County Sheriff’s Dept Apologizes For Calling U.S. Strikes On Iran A ‘Tragic Event’

Iran

Los Angeles

Los Angeles County

Sheriff

Social Media

A spokesperson for the group Heritage of Pride confirmed that about 25% of their corporate sponsors had either pulled out of sponsoring New York City’s Pride parade or reduced contributions, leaving organizers scrambling to replace those funds.
“The vast majority of what we have heard is that folks are treading carefully from an economic perspective,” Kevin Kilbride <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/21/nyregion/nyc-pride-sponsors-trump-tariffs.html">told</a> The New York Times during an interview published in late May. He asserted that companies are distancing themselves from the Pride movement for political reasons.
“&#8230;Some folks have definitely mentioned the fear of potential blowback from the Trump administration if you are a big corporation and you are publicly supporting D.E.I. initiatives,” Kilbride told the outlet.
Now the event is happening in ten days. A few weeks ago, Heritage of Pride organizers had been focusing on community funded donations after big corporate spenders pulled back. They were facing a shortage of about $750,000.
“That gap we’re trying to fill with a community fundraising campaign. So in the middle of May, we launched a peer-to-peer campaign so folks can start their own fundraiser online, share it with their friends, and then have folks donate to that,” he told NYT.
Kilbride confirmed the organization planned to “lean a little bit more into individual giving and support from the community.”
Per NYT, four of the five companies that were Platinum sponsors last year either scaled back contributions or canceled. Those include Garnier, Skyy Vodka, Target, and Mastercard. Pepsi and Nissan are also <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/05/08/pride-month-sponsorship-decline-2025">not contributing</a> funds this year.
Several other cities have reported similar results, with corporate and individual sponsorships being reduced this year compared to others. This has led to some Pride events in large cities being <a href="https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/boise-pride-cancels-june-kickoff-event-due-to-low-attendance-despite-strong-online-support-idaho/277-85507887-f32c-4bae-ae4b-366f10d9eda3">canceled</a>.
This pulling back from Pride has become a trend with major retailers. Target shoppers noticed that the retailer has moved their Pride messaging to the back burner. Social media is buzzing with photos of patriotic apparel displays in Target stores during the month of June. Just two years ago, these same displays would have been decked out in rainbow flag glory.
In 2023, Target was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/target-to-offer-pride-merchandise-in-fewer-stores-after-backlash-against-tuck-friendly-swimsuit-sale-last-year">blasted</a> for offering “tuck-friendly” female swimsuits, which led to boycotts and sinking sales. After the backlash, Target scaled back its “Pride” displays in June 2024, only offering “Pride” merchandise at a limited number of stores. Now, almost all have been <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/target-swaps-out-rainbow-flags-stars-stripes-shoppers-notice-shift-during-pride-month">replaced</a> with red, white, and blue.

NYC Pride

NYC Pride Parade Loses Corporate Sponsors, Begs For Individual Donations

Pride

Pride Month

Two drag queens performed a flamboyant lip-sync routine on the Oregon House floor on Wednesday as part of a Democratic resolution celebrating &#8220;black drag performers,&#8221; prompting Republican backlash over using the legislative chamber for &#8220;political theater.&#8221;
The <a href="https://x.com/RepYunker/status/1935145970058277064">resolution</a> recognizing &#8220;the artistry of black drag performers&#8221; in Oregon was introduced by Rep. Travis E. Nelson, a Democrat and the state&#8217;s &#8220;first black LGBTQIA+ House member,&#8221; The New York Post reported.
“Your presence, artistry, and courage are a powerful reminder of the joy, resilience and cultural impact of drag in Oregon and beyond,” Nelson told the drag queens. “Thank you for sharing your light with us this morning.”
The resolution <a href="https://x.com/RepYunker/status/1935512965882790212">passed</a> in the state House with a vote of 34-9, with two Republicans voting in favor.
Two drag queens danced wildly around the chamber for nearly five minutes in honor of the resolution, wearing eccentric outfits including a yellow jumpsuit and a rainbow-colored one-piece with a blue wig.
&#8220;I&#8217;m not sure the Founding Fathers envisioned taxpayer-funded legislative chambers being turned into platforms for political theater,&#8221; GOP state Rep. Dwayne Yunker posted on X, along with footage of the performance. &#8220;The House floor is meant for serious debate, lawmaking, and serving all Oregonians, not partisan spectacles designed to push cultural agendas,&#8221; he added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This was the Oregon House floor this morning used to celebrate Black Drag Queens.
I’m not sure the Founding Fathers envisioned taxpayer-funded legislative chambers being turned into platforms for political theater. The House floor is meant for serious debate, lawmaking, and… <a href="https://t.co/FrwjaRqPw0">pic.twitter.com/FrwjaRqPw0</a>
— Rep. Dwayne Yunker HD3 (@RepYunker) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepYunker/status/1935411823634956642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Yunker went on to describe the drag show as “outrageous and a complete waste of taxpayer money.”
The drag queens lip-synched to Aretha Franklin&#8217;s &#8220;A Deeper Love.&#8221;
According to Oregon Live, nearly all Republicans were <a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2025/06/democratic-oregon-house-members-celebrate-black-drag-performers-as-nearly-all-republicans-boycott.html">absent</a> during the drag show, while two were seated at the back of the chamber.
GOP Rep. Cyrus Javadi was at the front of the chamber, clapping along to the performance with his teenage daughter. Javaldi was one of the two Republicans who voted in favor of the resolution.
Social media erupted with criticism following the display, with many commenters calling it inappropriate for government proceedings.
“I am completely embarrassed of the state I live in. Our tax dollars are being spent on this crap,” one account posted on X.
“The Oregon House of Representatives&#8230;.let that sink in,” another social media user wrote. “Parents are doing all they can to clean their schools and elected representatives are doing this in the house (sic) of the people. No words.”
“I am thankful every day that Trump won the 2024 election,” another posted in response.

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