Riley Gaines On Transgender Athletes At Trump Rally: 'Exposed And Exploited'

The exploitation of women for the benefit of transgender athletes has become a major issue during the 2024 presidential campaign. On one side, Kamala Harris and her handlers have purposefully avoided answering difficult questions about her views on males in women's sports. On the other, Donald Trump has repeatedly made it clear that he will do everything in his power to protect women and competitive fairness.

There's no doubt which side OutKick's Riley Gaines is on, and the host of the "Gaines for Girls" podcast spoke at a Trump rally on Wednesday night. Gaines detailed her experience with transgender athletes, what it means for women, and the impacts on private spaces.

"I could share the grotesque details of what it was like being forced to undress, inches away from a 6-foot-4 man who watched us strip down to nothing, while he did the same, exposing his fully-intact naked male body," Gaines said. "There are no words to describe the violation and the betrayal, the humiliation that we felt." 

"Nobody asked for our consent. We did not give our consent to be exposed and exploited to a naked man. This used to rightfully be labeled as sexual harassment," Gaines said. 

ATLANTA - University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas and Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines react after finishing tied for 5th in the 200 Freestyle finals at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 18, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center.  (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Riley Gaines' Story Highlights Importance Of Supporting Women's Sports

Gaines' description of sharing a locker room with a male shows that this issue isn't just about competitive fairness. While that's a major factor in and of itself, it's also about protecting women from unwanted exposure and harassment. 

Transgender activists and their supporters have prioritized the wishes and desires of transgender individuals, above and beyond the wishes and desire of those forced to compete with and against them. As we've seen with the San Jose State women's volleyball team and its male player, there are significant physical consequences for opposing teams. 

To the point where many of their scheduled opponents have decided to avoid playing those games in the first place. Trump has said he wants to ban such practices, saying simply, "We're not going to let it happen," and, "We stop it, we stop it, we absolutely stop it. We can't have it."

The contrast between the two candidates couldn't be more stark, exemplified by the reaction from Kamala Harris to hearing "Jesus is Lord" to Gaines' saying "We all need Jesus" at the rally on Wednesday.

The choice couldn't be more obvious, after hearing Gaines' story and description, there's only one acceptable answer.