Anti-transgender activist Riely Gaines is aiming pretty high with new recruitment pitch.
The former NCAA swimmer — who has been an outspoken critic of allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports — has called on two of the world’s biggest female athletes to join her cause.
During an interview with Fox News, Gaines said that adding WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark and Olympic gymnastics great Simone Biles to the movement could potentially “solve” the issue.
“People who I think would be critical to this movement are, of course, people like Caitlin Clark, people like Simone Biles, which I think is definitely a stretch, but these are women who have been able to shatter glass ceilings and break barriers, who are role models to young girls across the country,” Gaines told the outlet.
“To have them emphatically say (trans athletes) do not belong in women’s sports would be, the issue would be solved across all levels, like yesterday, if they were willing to do this.”
Gaines, who infamously tied with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA championships, said it’s “not as far out of reach” as it sounds, with a sizable culture shift among Americans to protect women and girls from competing against transgender athletes.
Last year, Gaines became the first brand ambassador for the activist sportswear company XX-XY Athletics – a brand dedicated to promoting activism against transgender inclusion in women’s sports.
XX-XY founder Jennifer Sey, a former U.S. gymnast and Levi’s executive, addressed Gaines’ pitch to Clark and Biles.
“We are always encouraging more female athletes to join the fight. And we’d love to work with anyone standing up for the integrity of women’s sports. We are in constant conversations with those who have stood up or are considering doing so,” Sey said in a statement to Fox News. “We believe this ends when the athletes defend women’s sports in large numbers.”
Gaines and Sey said that the brand is “in talks” with prominent female athletes, including Olympians.
“They’re in the works and (there are) conversations with many amazing athletes, Olympians and beyond,” Gaines said.
A recent survey conducted by the New York Times and Ipsos found the majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, think transgender athletes shouldn’t be permitted to compete in women’s sports.
Check out our sports section for the latest news and analysis.