Swimmer and activist Riley Gaines was among a group of women attacked Monday after attending the signing of a bill banning transgender athletes from competing on collegiate women's sports teams in Texas.
Gaines had been in attendance as Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) signed the bill, S.B. 15, at the Texas Women's Hall of Fame in Denton. Protesters opposed to the legislation gathered outside. Michelle Evans, a leader of the Independent Women's Network's Austin chapter, estimated the number of protesters to be around 250, according to a report.
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"As I was walking through Texas Woman's University after the #SB15 signing I was physically assaulted — including being spit on in the eye — by the kindness and inclusion crowd," Evans wrote on X, the platform once known as Twitter.
As I was walking through @txwomans after the #SB15 signing I was physically assaulted - including being spit on in the eye - by the kindness and inclusion crowd. #SaveWomensSports #LetWomenSpeak @IWN @IWF @IWV @Riley_Gaines_ @TxValuesAction @FamilyProjectTX pic.twitter.com/hiolGNSbKV
— Michelle Evans (@ThinkerMichelle) August 7, 2023
Macy Patty, another athlete who attended the signing, posted on X that the protesters were "extremely hostile and spitting on people." She added that she, Gaines, and the other women were "finding a safe exit" and asked readers to pray for the protesters that they "find hope in Jesus Christ."
Update: they are extremely hostile and spitting on people. We are finding a safe exit
— Macy Petty (@macypetty0416) August 7, 2023
Please join us in praying for these individuals that they find hope in Jesus Christ! Life does not have to be this way
Not scared, just don’t feel like getting spit on :) we won’t be silent https://t.co/dK9d2jrD9j
Paula Scanlan, another athlete, posted on X on Monday evening that she was able to "exit the event safely," and that while protesters "may call us names, we prevailed today in the state of Texas.
"Our work is not finished and I hope other states will follow in the footsteps of Texas," Scanlan wrote.
Craziness of today aside, I was finally able to exit the event safely. Although crowds of people may call us names, we prevailed today in the state of Texas. Our work is not finished and I hope other states will follow in the footsteps of Texas. @GregAbbott_TX was so generous… pic.twitter.com/aubigXutsn
— Paula Scanlan (@PaulaYScanlan) August 7, 2023
S.B. 15, also known as the Save Women's Sports Act by its supporters, will go into effect next month. The bill was signed into law in June, and the signing Monday was ceremonial.
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"Women have thrived under college sports," Abbott wrote on X. "They've mastered discipline, spurred drive, & cast visions to achieve greatness. We won’t allow that to be jeopardized in Texas."
Women have thrived under college sports.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 7, 2023
They've mastered discipline, spurred drive, & cast visions to achieve greatness.
We won’t allow that to be jeopardized in Texas. pic.twitter.com/P8GcB95c4s
Texas is the fifth state this year to enact a policy banning transgender athletes from women's sports at the collegiate level. It enacted a similar policy at the high school level in 2021.