Riley Gaines praises Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt for supporting NCAA’s revision of Transgender Athlete Policy
Riley Gaines recently praised Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt for signing the letter that urged the NCAA to revise its Transgender Athlete Policy. The 50-year-old was among the governors of nine states who opposed the idea of making biologically male athletes compete against biologically female athletes.
Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines has been advocating the protection of opportunities and security of female athletes. It all started when the swimmer competed against a trans female swimmer, Lia Thomas, at the NCAA Championships 2022.
Although both the swimmers stood fifth, the medal was given to the Thomas as a gesture to make the trans woman feel included in sports. Gaines felt deeply disturbed by the experience and has been vehemently fighting to secure women's rights in sports ever since.
Hence, when Governor Stitt stood up against NCAA transgender policy, Gaines was highly appreciative of his gesture.
The Republican Party member shared the news of his NCAA stance on his X (formerly known as Twitter) handle and wrote:
“I promised to protect women’s spaces, sports, and opportunities for success. That’s why I signed onto a letter with 8 other governors urging the NCAA to revise their Transgender Athlete Policy. It’s time the NCAA make the call.”
Sharing his statement, Riley Gaines praised the governor through her handle:
“I'm the biggest @GovStitt fan!”
Governor Stitt and eight other states had brought up cases of transgender participation to NCAA President Charlie Baker. They reportedly warned the president that deserving female athletes will continue to be overpowered by “average male athletes” without a proper change in the NCAA rules.
Riley Gaines reacted to the Oklahoma governor signing the Women's Bill of Rights
In August, Oklahoma Governor, Kevin Stitt signed the Executive Order of Women’s Bill of Rights. The law recognized 'male' or 'female' as genders, depending on their biological sex at birth, with one's reproductive system determining biological sex.
Moreover, the Women’s Bill of Rights indicated protecting women's spaces and privacy by ensuring they remain accessible only to biological females, encompassing areas such as locker rooms, restrooms, rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, and prisons.
Moreover, when the Governor was signing the bill, he expressed the need to protect women from “out of control gender ideology.”
He believes that the idea of multiple genders poses a threat to the foundation of society and the principles of Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education.
Impressed by his views on transgender policies, Gaines praised him on her X (formerly known as Twitter) handle and wrote,
"Stitt is the first governor to take decisive action and safeguard women's privacy, safety, and equal opportunities. His leadership sets an example for all Governors and elected officials. Rather than sitting idly by, he took action. This is a victory worth celebrating and a small step to defeating the war on women. Thanks @GovStitt!!!"