Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer and outspoken advocate for the preservation of women’s sports for biological females, has called on famous female athletes to join her in taking a stance on the issue of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.
Gaines took to Twitter, announcing her plan to call on well-known female athletes each day for the next week, as she believes that “silence is complicity” and their voices are needed on this matter.
Gaines, who competed with the University of Kentucky, started advocating on this issue after tying for fifth with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the 200-meter NCAA championship last year.
Gaines initiated her current campaign by asking tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams for their views on “males competing against women.”
In a 2013 interview, Serena Williams told David Letterman that she preferred to play against women, citing the differences in speed, serving, and hitting power between male and female athletes.
“The men are a lot faster, they serve harder, they hit harder,” Serena said. “It’s a completely different game.”
She acknowledged that she would lose to top male tennis player Andy Murray if they were to play against each other.
“If I were to play Andy Murray, I would lose, 6-0, 6-0, in 5 to 6 minutes, maybe 10 minutes,” Serena said.
“I’m with you,” Letterman responded jokingly. “When it comes to tennis, I only want to play girls.”
Gaines recently spoke to Fox News, expressing her belief that allowing biological men to compete in women’s sports “doesn’t work” and that the situation will likely worsen before improving.
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She questioned the number of girls who would have to be injured or lose out on the benefits reaped from winning before meaningful changes are made. Gaines also expressed concern for the feelings of female athletes in locker rooms.
“I think this will get worse before it gets better,” Gaines said. “How many girls have to be injured playing against a male, how many girls have to lose out on scholarships and trophies and titles? How many girls have to feel violated in the locker room?”
Transgender athletes have experienced success in women’s sports, with CeCé Telfer becoming the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA title in the Division II Track and Field 400-meter hurdle in 2019. Lia Thomas won the 500-yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA championship, and trans cyclist Austin Killips placed first in the women’s category of the Tour of Gila last week.
To raise awareness and ensure women’s sports remain exclusive to biological females, Gaines has called for women and girls to boycott competing against transgender athletes.
“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 stated.
Gaines acknowledged it is an unfair and huge ask.
“It’s unfortunate, of course, to ask women to make that sacrifice because these are their sports, they should be entitled to playing,” she added. “They shouldn’t have to give up anything to get changes.”
As of now, the Williams sisters have not yet responded to Gaines’ request for comment.