• Faith: Christian
• Career: Political Activist
• Birthday:  April 21, 2000

Riley Gaines is an American political activist and former competitive swimmer, best known for her advocacy against the participation of transgender women in women’s sports.

Riley Gaines was born on April 21, 2000, in Nashville, Tennessee, and raised in nearby Gallatin. She grew up in a deeply athletic household—her father, Brad Gaines, played collegiate football at Vanderbilt University, while her mother, Telisha Gaines, played softball at Donelson Christian Academy and later at Austin Peay State University.

From a young age, Riley leaned into her natural athleticism. She attended Station Camp High School in Gallatin, where she distinguished herself in swimming. As a junior in 2017, she secured victories in both the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard freestyle at the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TISCA) championships in Knoxville. In 2016, she competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials for the 100-yard freestyle but fell short of qualification, finishing 85th.

Riley’s prowess earned her a place on the University of Kentucky’s NCAA Division I swim team. Over her tenure, she amassed an impressive 12 NCAA All-American honors. She was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team in 2019 and earned All-SEC Second Team distinctions that same year and in 2020. In 2021, she helped her team to a silver medal in the 4×200-yard freestyle relay and finished seventh in the 200-yard freestyle at NCAA Nationals, earning All-SEC First Team honors.

In 2022, Riley enjoyed her most decorated season. She finished fifth in the 200-yard freestyle final—a career-best individual finish at the NCAA championships—and was lauded as the Southeastern Conference’s Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year. That year, she also received the prestigious Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, which honors character and service. She earned a BS in Health Sciences upon graduating in 2022, intending to attend dental school before her athletic and activist trajectories shifted.

A pivotal moment in Riley’s career—and her public identity—occurred at the 2022 NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships. In the 200-yard freestyle final, she tied with Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer from the University of Pennsylvania, for fifth place. While the race was statistically a tie, Lia Thomas was awarded the only physical trophy, with Riley told she would receive hers later by mail.

While Riley initially expressed support for Thomas, emphasizing that both athletes abided by NCAA rules, she soon became a vocal critic of transgender policies in sports. She spoke of the discomfort of sharing locker rooms, noting the psychological strain of undressing in front of a “fully intact male” during the meet.

Following her retirement from competitive swimming, Riley transitioned into activism focused on protecting women's sports. She lobbied Tennessee legislators, testified at legislative hearings, and engaged with the media to champion policies explicitly barring transgender women from female sports divisions. Notably, she supported Georgia’s “Riley Gaines Act” in 2025, which bars trans women from competing in girls’ or women’s sports across K–12 and collegiate athletics in the state.

Since 2023, she has hosted the podcast Gaines for Girls on OutKick and Fox Nation, and contributed to conservative outlets on issues spanning Title IX, trans participation, and free speech. In March 2024, Riley joined 15 other female student-athletes in filing Gaines v. NCAA, a landmark lawsuit aiming to challenge NCAA policies on transgender athlete participation.

In addition, Riley has debated public figures such as Keith Olbermann and Simone Biles, often defending her record—citing her 12-time All-American status and accusing opponents of ad hominem criticism. Her clash with Biles in June 2025 drew national attention, with Riley defending her advocacy for fairness and equity in women’s sports.

Riley married fellow University of Kentucky swimmer Louis Barker in 2022, after a three-year relationship. She adopted the name Riley Gaines Barker, though she continues her professional work under her maiden name. In interviews, she has remarked that her husband and family have supported her journey, both athletically and personally.

An avid dog lover, Riley shares her home with two Springer Spaniels named Buddy and Lady. She also enjoys baking chocolate chip cookies, fitness, sweet tea, and volunteering in her local church community—all aligned with a grounded, family-oriented life rooted in core values.

Riley Gaines' Religious Beliefs

A devout Christian, Riley credits her faith with shaping both her character and her activism. Speaking at faith-based events, she has described a profound “spiritual awakening” during which she realized that her fight for fairness in women’s sports was part of a broader “spiritual battle” between good and evil. She has said: “I’ve always been spiritual. But this past year, I really have been spiritually awakened. […] It’s moral versus evil.”

Riley has framed her activism not as anti-transgender, but as pro-fairness and pro-womanhood. She rejects terms like “biological women,” arguing that there is no “unbiological alternative”—only the immutable categories of male and female created by God. Drawing from Scripture, she often casts her cause in moral terms, condemning perceived assaults on women’s safety and privacy as manifestations of spiritual warfare.

Riley regularly speaks at church and faith-based conferences, emphasizing that her work is grounded in biblical truth and driven by compassion, not hatred. She has stated:“…this is moral versus evil. […] I’m not anti-trans, but pro-fairness.”