Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines delivered a heartfelt and emotional address to Georgia state lawmakers during a hearing of the Special Committee on Protecting Women’s Sports. Gaines, along with fellow former swimmers Reka Gyorgy, Kylee Alons, Grace Countie, and Kaitlynn Wheeler, shared their experiences and concerns regarding the inclusion of transgender women in women’s sports.
The athletes recounted their experiences at the NCAA championships, particularly focusing on the discomfort and emotional distress they felt when Lia Thomas, a transgender woman who swam for the University of Pennsylvania, changed in the women’s locker room. Gaines, a former swimmer at the University of Kentucky, read a poignant letter addressed to Georgia Tech President Dr. Angel Cabrera, which brought her to tears.
In her remarks, Gaines expressed her distress over what she described as “sexual harassment” and a lack of privacy. “We did not give our consent to be exposed to a 6-foot-4 fully naked man,” she said, referring to Thomas. “Because you did nothing, that man walked into our women’s locker room at your university and saw me undress down to full nudity. You allowed college women to be traumatized and violated on your campus in this way. Why didn’t you protect us?”
The hearing also addressed the broader issue of transgender inclusion in women’s sports. Gaines urged the legislative body to take decisive action to protect the rights and dignity of female athletes. “You have the opportunity to send a strong message to young girls,” she said. “Women are worthy of privacy, safety, and dignity in their sport. This is a chance to make a difference not just in Georgia but across the United States.”
At the end of the hearing, Gaines called on lawmakers to hold accountable those responsible for the events at the 2022 NCAA Championships and ensure that such situations do not happen again.
In response, Georgia Tech released a statement indicating their cooperation with the committee. “As the host institution for the 2022 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships, Georgia Tech was the venue for the event, which was administered by the NCAA. We have and will continue to cooperate with the committee,” the statement read.
The discussion around transgender inclusion in sports remains a hotly debated topic, with Gaines and others advocating for policies that they believe will protect the integrity and fairness of women’s sports.
