SPOTLIGHT: Taking a Stand: Riley Gaines
Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg
In this special episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, Monte Larrick sits down with award-winning swimmer and speaker, Riley Gaines.
Riley Gaines was a member of the University of Kentucky’s NCAA swim team and the 2022 Southeastern Conference Women’s Swimming and Diving Scholar of the Year.
In March of 2022, Riley Gaines, along with her teammates, was forced to share a locker room and swim alongside a biological male, Will Thomas. Gaines subsequently tied with Thomas, but was forced to give the trophy to Thomas for the purpose of publicity and inclusion of transgender “women” in sports.
Gaines is now using her experience to speak out for the protection, fairness, safety, and privacy of women’s sports. She is also an outspoken ally of Title IX.
In response to these experiences, Riley started the Riley Gaines Center, which is dedicated to training female athletes, coaches, parents, medical professionals, and other allies,
“to fearlessly, relentlessly, and eloquently defend America’s founding principles and to become powerhouse leaders who work in positions of influence to keep America true to those principles.”
This is an interview you will not want to miss. Tune in and listen to episode #368 anywhere you find podcasts or click the audio link below.
To learn more about the Riley Gaines Center, click HERE.