Riley Gaines calls trans teen high schooler who won state title a ‘mediocre man’
Riley Gaines has called an eighth grade trans child a “mediocre man”. (Noam Galai/Getty)
Former US college swimmer Riley Gaines has described teenage trans athlete Aayden Gallagher as a “mediocre man”.
Appearing on Fox News to discuss her new book, Swimming Against the Current: Fighting for Common Sense in a World That’s Lost Its Mind, Gaines, a prominent opponent of trans inclusion, also spoke about transgender high school athlete Aayden Gallagher.
Gallagher faced boos as she crossed the finish line in the 200m final at the state championships in Oregon at the weekend.
Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer, weighed in on Gallagher’s win telling Ainsley Earhardt that “this is becoming more and more common”, adding: “It’s seemingly a mediocre man who decides to switch to the women’s team who becomes a record smasher and that’s exactly what we have seen here.
“This boy is built. He has bigger biceps, his legs are built. Look at him compared to the rest of the girls,” she continued.
Acknowledging that her “stance” in sticking up for “fairness” in girls’ sport is often seen as anti-trans or, Gaines went on to say that Aster Jones, who finished second in the race – two-tenths of a second behind Gallagher – deserved to be “deemed and called the champion”.
Gaines’ new book aims to inspire “readers to embrace common sense and truth in discussions about women’s rights”.
The author added: “The book is a more-in-depth account of my experience, what we went through in March 2022 competing against [trans swimmer] Lia Thomas.”
Gaines has become a prominent opponent of trans inclusion in women’s sport since she competed against trans US college swimmer Lia Thomas in 2022.
Gaines is among 16 sportswomen suing athletics regulator the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) over its inclusion of transgender people.
How did this story make you feel?
