Riley Gaines calls on famous female athletes to choose a side in trans debate. Here's who she's starting with
Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines asks tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams how they 'feel about males competing against women'
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Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer who speaks out against trans athletes competing in girls and women’s sports is calling on famous female athletes to join her cause.
"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," Gaines, who swam with the University of Kentucky, tweeted.
Her first tweet asked the world-famous tennis star sisters Serena and Venus Williams how they "feel about males competing against women."
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Gaines became outspoken on preserving women’s sports for biological females after tying for fifth with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the 200-meter NCAA championship last year.
In 2013, Serena Williams, considered one of the best female tennis players of all time, told David Letterman that she preferred to play against women.
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"The men are a lot faster, they serve harder, they hit harder," Serena said. "It's a completely different game."
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"If I were to play Andy Murray, I would lose, 6-0, 6-0, in 5 to 6 minutes, maybe 10 minutes," Serena said the top British tennis star.
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"I'm with you," Letterman said jokingly. "When it comes to tennis, I only want to play girls."
Gaines recently told Fox News that allowing biological men into women’s sports "doesn’t work."
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"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 proven successful in women’s sports including. CeCé Telfer becoming the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA title in the Division II Track and Field 400-meter hurdle in 2019. Thomas won the 500-yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA championship. Last week, trans cyclist Austin Killips placed first for the Tour of Gila, competing in the women’s category.
Gaines called on women and girls to boycott competing against trans athletes to raise awareness and ensure their sports are only for biological females.
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"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," said Gaines.
"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."
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The Williams sisters did not immediately return a request for comment.
To watch the full video with Gaines, click here.