Riley Gaines, right, had to hold the sixth-place trophy on the NCAA Championships podium while Lia Thomas, a transgender female, got to hold the fifth-place award after the two tied in the 200-yard freestyle. (Photo by Getty Images)
Kentucky senior swimmer Riley Gaines has already been on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” Fox News and “Inside Edition” — another national TV show — and Wednesday will be in Frankfort to testify when the Kentucky legislature votes to override the veto of Senate Bill 83 that would ban transgender girls from participating in girls’ or women’s sports grades six through senior year of college.
Gaines has become the unofficial spokesman for many female athletes in the transgender debate after she tied for fifth place with Penn’s Lia Thomas, a transgender female, in the 200-yard freestyle at the NCAA Championships. NCAA officials decided to let Thomas have the fifth-place trophy while Gaines was told she could pose with the sixth-place trophy and a duplicate fifth-place trophy would be mailed to her.
Gaines explained all that happened to me earlier then explained the process on Carlson’s show and how she didn’t buy the tie-breaking explanation given to her about chronological order dictating Thomas got the trophy.
Carlson said he felt the NCAA was openly promoting biological males over biological females in the women’s NCAA Championship.
Gaines said she grew up watching Fox News in Gallatin, Tenn., and was” thrilled” when Carlson asked her to be on the show.
“They ordered a chauffeur to pick me up and take me to the Fox Studio. It was the real deal,” Gaines said. “I was a little nervous before the show and asked him to tell me what he was going to ask so I could prepare. He didn’t really say, so I just thought I would wing it.”
Gaines emphasized again she was “not trying to be disrespectful to anyone” on Fox News but was just trying to make her point.
“There is no hate or ill will toward any transgender. The problem is with the rule,” Gaines said.
It was the same type message on “Inside Edition” and will be the same in Frankfort. Gaines knows many other female swimmers will not speak out, especially those with NCAA eligibility remaining.
Carlson said the NCAA is basically endorsing “cheating” with its policy.
“It’s remarkable that it takes bravery to point that out. But it does, and you are brave for doing it,” the Fox News show host told Gaines.
Gaines is not sure “brave” is the right word. She jokes maybe she simply doesn’t understand possible repercussions for speaking out.
“I got nominated for some scholarships (for dental school) through the NCAA and have secured some,” she said. “There are still a couple more and they might see my name and say, ‘We are not going to pick that girl.’”
Still, she remained firm in her stance Friday on “Inside Edition” and won’t waver Wednesday in Frankfort.
“I am going to share my experiences and probably some of my thoughts. I am sure there will be some press conferences because I’ve had a lot of calls from various news media recently,” she said. “I am just trying to use my voice to make some changes. I am in a position athletically where I don’t have as much to lose as some other athletes. I just wish there was a way for my female athletes to speak out.”
She also wishes her swimming accomplishments were not overlooked. She won four SEC championships —and one SEC team title —in her UK career and still thinks not everyone understands how difficult it is to even place fifth in any event at the NCAA Championships.
“Some people just don’t grasp it and why finishing fifth was a big deal and the way this was all handled was a big deal,” Gaines said.
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Gaines will join me on WPBK (102.9 FM, wpbkfm.com) Thursday from 7:30-8 a.m. EST.
9 Responses
Good luck to her.
All she is really asking for is equality and not an PREDETERMINED advantage for either side. She is certainly correct that finishing fifth is a "big deal" when the competition is that good.
GO CATS!
Exactly right on Riley.
There are men and there are women. That is how God created us.
This world has gone off the rails.
Amen Professor!!! Absolutely ridiculous. If people, especially Christian conservatives, don’t wake up and take a strong stand against this sort of drastic, in your face type policies being forced on female athletes now, and even the American family as well, then we will be stuck with this. I believe our country is being destroyed from within by this type nonsense. It is divisive and just plain wrong. Look at Disney now, and school systems that are pushing this sort of sexual orientation to children as early as kindergarten to 3rd grade, without parental consent too. It is an attack on the American family. This is not right. If you want to live like that fine, just don’t force it down peoples’ throats who disagree with you, and when it lands in female sports, it is clearly unfair. It’s not right and never has been right, and never will be. My birth certificate says what I am, and God made me that way! He makes no mistakes. This is just plain American common sense.
Agree 100% with the above 4 comments.
I totally agree . This is so wrong !!! Compete according to what sex God assigned you at birth. I don’t care what you call yourself . This is so unfair to female athletes!
Sure Riley appreciates your support Brenda
I wish you would clarify your headline. When I read "UK", I thought it meant United Kingdom and it was very confusing to me because I thought that you were saying Riley Gaines is from the UK.
That’s a man baby (Austin Powers voice)