19 Facts About Riley Gaines

Riley Marie Gaines Barker is an American conservative political activist and former swimmer, known for campaigning against the participation of trans women in women's sports.

Riley Gaines joined the University of Kentucky's swim team and made the All-SEC Freshman Team in 2019.

Riley Gaines made the All-SEC Second Team in 2019 and 2020.

Riley Gaines was the 2022 Southeastern Conference Women's Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Riley Gaines was invited to a tryout for a 2024 Olympic qualification event in 2021 but failed to qualify for the event proper.

In March 2022, while swimming for the University of Kentucky in the 200-yard NCAA freestyle championship, Riley Gaines tied for fifth place with University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, who subsequently became the first openly trans woman champion in the NCAA women's division after winning the 500-yard freestyle later in the same event.

Riley Gaines said that Thomas shared locker room space with her while still intact with "male genitalia" and that the fifth place trophy was to be given to Thomas for "photo purposes" while Riley Gaines held a sixth-place trophy while waiting for another fifth-place trophy in the mail.

Riley Gaines has advocated against the inclusion of transgender women in the women's division of sports, including by lobbying her state representatives in April 2022 to pass a law that would prohibit transgender women from women's sports.

In September 2022, Riley Gaines supported the campaign of US Senator Rand Paul by appearing in a TV ad for him, where she shared her criticism of trans women in women's sports.

In March 2023, Riley Gaines was an invited speaker at a Texas Senate committee in support of legislation that would categorically prohibit transgender college athletes from competing in sports divisions that align with their gender identity.

Riley Gaines was escorted by law enforcement officers to shelter in a classroom, where she stayed for three hours while protesters continued to demonstrate outside.

Riley Gaines accompanied Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt as he signed an executive order in August 2023 representing Independent Women's Voice which had developed model legislation the Oklahoma bill was based on.

In November 2023, Riley Gaines confirmed working with FIDE to prevent transgender women from playing in women's chess.

In March 2024, Riley Gaines was one of 16 female student athletes who launched a legal case against the National Collegiate Athletic Association over the participation of transgender athletes in women's sports.

In February 2025, the United States Department of Health and Human Services released a new webpage showcasing a new guidance on "women's health" featuring videos with Riley Gaines talking about her role helping with Trump's Executive Order, which threatens to revoke federal funding from any elementary, secondary, and post-secondary institution that allows transgender girls to play on girls' teams.

Riley Gaines is a Christian and has stated that her faith has shaped her activism.

Riley Gaines started dating British swimmer Louis Barker after meeting at the University of Kentucky in 2019, and they married in 2022.

On June 2,2023, Riley Gaines endorsed Ron DeSantis in the 2024 US presidential election; after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, she expressed her support for Trump's candidacy.

Riley Gaines graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2022 with a degree in health sciences.