(LifeSiteNews) — Former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines is calling on female athletes to not compete against gender-confused men.
“We have to have girls who, when the whistle blows, they don’t run, they don’t swim. They stand up on the block and they don’t go,” Gaines told Fox News Digital this week.
“It’s unfortunate, of course, to ask women to make that sacrifice because these are their sports — they should be entitled to playing. They shouldn’t have to give up anything to want changes and to get changes.”
Gaines, 23, is a former All-American. She has made dozens of media appearances in recent years, bringing attention to the NCAA’s decision to allow William “Lia” Thomas to swim against females. Predictably, Thomas went from being one of the lowest-ranked male swimmers in the country to an above-average female one, even winning the 500-yard freestyle national championship.
Gaines herself competed against Thomas, tying him for fifth — down to 1/100th of a second — in the 200-yard freestyle finals. The NCAA awarded Thomas the trophy and told Gaines she had to stand off the podium so he could have a photo-op. She has since become a leading spokesperson against the inclusion of gender-confused males in women’s competitions.
During her interview with Fox, Gaines observed that transgender athletics has become a one-way street, with men seeking to play against women and not vice versa.
“We’re seeing males infiltrate into women’s sports and spaces and win, and take away opportunities for women. And we’re not seeing that the other way around,” she said.
“How can we put women in this position to where they’re losing out and there’s nothing they can do about it?”
Gaines’ message was amplified earlier this year when Twitter CEO Elon Musk shared a video of her testimony against Thomas. “Shame on NCAA,” Musk said at the time.
TRANS IDEOLOGY: How to Erase Women
Female athletes like @Riley_Gaines_ deserve more. pic.twitter.com/I2Uk3j5wbr
— CatholicVote (@CatholicVote) February 6, 2023
Bruce “Caitlyn” Jenner echoed Gaines’ comments by re-tweeting her this week. “I support Riley’s boycott if females are forced to compete against biological males,” he announced.
It’s the 50th anniversary of Title IX and women are facing the reality of losing their scholarships if the Biden admin changes their guidelines. I support Riley’s boycott if females are forced to compete against biological males https://t.co/nfVOA5NEDk
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) May 7, 2023
Gaines told Fox that she believes more Americans are waking up to not only the unfairness of the situation but also to the physical and emotional dangers it poses.
“How many girls have to be injured playing against a male? How many girls have to feel violated in the locker room?” she asked.
“People all across the political spectrum are realizing … this whole gender ideology propaganda movement is specifically harmful to women and children.”
READ: Report: Trans swimmer ‘Lia’ Thomas keeps secret Instagram account for bizarre sexual fetishes
“We need parents to defend their daughters and sons,” she continued. “We need athletic directors, we need medical professional to speak up and address the science behind it — how male puberty affects the body and the differences that it allows men to have in comparison to women.”
On Monday, May 8, Gaines started urging professional female athletes to voice their opinion on whether men should play in women’s competitions.
“Each day for the next week I’m going to call on well-known female athletes to take a stance on this issue because silence is complicity … we need their voices. Day 1: Serena Williams, Venus Williams: how do you feel about males competing against women?”
Each day for the next week I'm going to call on well-known female athletes to take a stance on this issue because silence is complicity…we need their voices.
Day 1: @serenawilliams @Venuseswilliams how do you feel about males competing against women?
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) May 8, 2023
On May 9, she called on former mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey to speak up. As of the publication of this story, Gaines has not received a response to either of her inquiries.