Luke Taylor: Riley Gaines to speak on campus
Apr. 18—Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines will speak at the University of Illinois Campus Instructional Facility today in one of many college visits across the country.
Along with 15 other athletes, Gaines recently sued the NCAA over allowing transgender swimmer Lia Thomas to compete at the 2022 national championships.
Gaines first made headlines after losing to Thomas in those championships and has since launched the Riley Gaines Center at the Leadership Institute.
While her main focus is on barring transgender women from competing in women's sports, Gaines also advocates for general anti-transgender positions and refers to "the dangerous gender ideology that's spreading rampant and unchecked throughout society."
She seems to be concerned about transgender women competing no matter the sport: Gaines recently said she would pay prize money to Kim O'Brien after O'Brien forfeited the women's final of the European Pool Championships by refusing to compete against a trans woman.
That's billiards, not a swimming pool.
If you want to hear her speak at 6 p.m. tomorrow, sign up to attend on .
Security for the event seems to be pretty high; make sure to bring a photo I.D. if you attend.
