Riley Gaines, a vocal advocate for women’s sports, recently criticized Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau following a powerlifting competition where a transwoman set a national record. Anne Andres, a 40-year-old biological male who identifies as a woman, participated in the Canadian Powerlifting Union’s 2023 Western Canadian Championship, competing in the Female Masters Unequipped category. Andres outperformed her opponents by a significant margin, lifting a total weight of 597.5 kilograms, compared to her closest competitor’s 387.5 kilograms. This achievement not only set a new Canadian women’s national record but also an unofficial women’s world record.
In response, Riley Gaines took to social media to express her disapproval of Trudeau’s policies, which allow the Canadian Powerlifting Union to include transgender participants based on self-identification. Gaines referred to Andres as a mediocre male powerlifter, claiming that the Canadian powerlifting union discriminates against female athletes. She criticized Trudeau’s “radical disdain for women (and reality),” suggesting that his policies were responsible for Andres’ record-breaking performance.
Gaines also shared a video of Andres discussing women’s powerlifting, where she made derogatory comments about her competitors’ abilities. Gaines highlighted the fact that Andres, as a biological male, has physical advantages resulting from male puberty and testosterone levels, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and celebrating the unique abilities of female athletes.
April Hutchinson, another Canadian powerlifter, also voiced her concerns about Andres’ record-breaking performance. She expressed disappointment, stating that top female athletes have been working hard to achieve that national record for years. Hutchinson highlighted the physiological advantages that males have over females in areas such as muscle mass, bone density, and lung capacity. She revealed that many female athletes chose to drop out of the competition because they knew Andres would be participating, raising concerns about the federation’s lack of action in response to their complaints.
Following her victory, Andres posted on Instagram, expressing gratitude for her friends’ support and emphasizing the importance of being able to compete while being accepted and loved. She disregarded the significance of records and instead focused on the sense of camaraderie and friendship she experienced during the competition.
This is not the first instance of controversy surrounding transgender policies in powerlifting. In March, male powerlifting coach Avi Silverberg participated in a competition to protest these policies. He identified as a woman and broke the bench press record in the 84+ kilogram category, which was previously held by Andres. Trudeau’s Trans Inclusion Policy, released in February, supports the participation of transgender athletes in accordance with their self-identified gender, regardless of hormone therapy.
The criticism and debates surrounding transgender policies in sports continue to attract attention and spark discussions about fairness and inclusivity. Scott Thompson, a sports writer for Fox News Digital, reported on these events.
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