History of Riley Gaines in Timeline

Riley Gaines is an American conservative political activist and former collegiate swimmer. As a twelve-time NCAA All-American swimmer for the Kentucky Wildcats, she gained prominence for her advocacy against the participation of transgender women in women's sports following her graduation. She has since become a vocal figure in conservative political circles, focusing primarily on issues related to gender and sports.

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Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

April 21, 2000: Riley Gaines' Birth

On April 21, 2000, Riley Marie Gaines Barker was born. She is now known as an American conservative political activist and former collegiate swimmer.

Others born on this day/year

2016: United States Olympic Trials

In 2016, Riley Gaines was invited to the United States Olympic Trials event, but she failed to qualify after placing 85th.

2017: High School Swim Championship Victory

In 2017, as a junior at Station Camp High School, Riley Gaines won the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard freestyle at the TISCA High School Swim & Dive Championship in Knoxville.

2019: Joins University of Kentucky's Swim Team

In 2019, Riley Gaines joined the University of Kentucky's swim team and was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team. She was also selected for the All-SEC Second Team in 2019.

2020: All-SEC Second Team Selection

In 2020, Riley Gaines made the All-SEC Second Team while swimming for the University of Kentucky.

2021: NCAA Championship and All-SEC First Team

In 2021, Riley Gaines participated in the NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships, placing seventh in the 200 freestyle race and earning a silver medal in the 4 × 200 yd freestyle relay. She also made the All-SEC First Team that year.

March 2022: Highest Ranking Individual Finish

In March 2022, Riley Gaines achieved her highest-ranking individual event finish nationally, securing 5th place in the NCAA WD1 Championship 200yds Freestyle Final.

March 2022: Ties with Lia Thomas at NCAA Championship

In March 2022, during her final competitive event race at the NCAA championship while swimming for the University of Kentucky in the 200-yard freestyle, Riley Gaines tied for fifth place with University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas. Thomas became the first openly trans woman champion in the NCAA women's division after winning the 500-yard freestyle at the same meet. Gaines held a sixth-place trophy while waiting for another fifth-place trophy.

April 2022: Lobbying Against Transgender Athletes

In April 2022, Riley Gaines advocated against the inclusion of transgender women in women's sports, including by lobbying her state representatives to pass a law prohibiting transgender women from participating in women's sports.

September 2022: Appears in TV Ad Supporting Rand Paul

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

2022: Graduation from the University of Kentucky

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

2022: SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year

In 2022, Riley Gaines was named the SEC Women's Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

January 2023: Political Appearances and Protests

By January 2023, Riley Gaines had participated in a small protest at the NCAA Convention, appeared in campaign advertisements for former US Senate candidate Herschel Walker, and spoken at a Donald Trump rally.

March 2023: Speaker at Texas Senate Committee

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

April 2023: Visit to San Francisco State University

In April 2023, Riley Gaines visited San Francisco State University for a Turning Point USA event, speaking about her campaign against transgender athletes. After the event, protesters arrived, and Gaines was escorted by law enforcement to shelter in a classroom for three hours. Gaines claimed she was physically struck twice during the protest.

June 2, 2023: Endorsement of Ron DeSantis

On June 2, 2023, Riley Gaines endorsed Republican Ron DeSantis in the 2024 US presidential election.

June 21, 2023: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing

On June 21, 2023, Riley Gaines appeared as a witness at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. She shared her experiences competing with trans swimmer Lia Thomas and sharing a dressing room.

August 2023: Accompanies Governor Stitt for Executive Order Signing

In August 2023, Riley Gaines, representing Independent Women's Voice (IWV), accompanied Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt as he signed an executive order. This order included provisions regarding bathroom usage and defining sex based on assignment at birth.

November 2023: FIDE and Ohio Senate Testimony

In November 2023, Riley Gaines worked with FIDE to prevent transgender women from playing in women's chess. She also testified to the Ohio Senate Government Oversight Committee regarding her experiences with Lia Thomas and on preventing trans women from competing in female sports. The House later passed Bill 68.

2023: Gaines Starts Hosting Podcast

In 2023, Riley Gaines began hosting the weekly "Gaines for Girls" podcast on OutKick and Fox Nation.

2023: Activism Begins

In 2023, Riley Gaines stated that Lia Thomas shared locker room space with her while still possessing "male genitalia", an incident that she claims began her activism.

March 2024: Legal Case Against NCAA Launched

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

May 2024: Speaker at Republican Lincoln Day Dinner

In May 2024, Riley Gaines spoke at the annual Republican Lincoln Day Dinner.

July 2024: Support for Donald Trump and Republican National Convention Speech

After the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, Riley Gaines expressed her support for Trump's candidacy. In July 2024, Gaines spoke at the Republican National Convention in support of Trump.

August 2024: Launch of Riley Gaines Center

In August 2024, Riley Gaines announced the launch of the Riley Gaines Center at the Leadership Institute in Arlington, Virginia.

November 18, 2024: Gaines Tweets Support for Trump

On November 18, 2024, Riley Gaines tweeted that she had voted for Donald Trump.

February 2025: Featured on HHS Webpage

In February 2025, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched a webpage on women's health that included videos featuring Riley Gaines discussing her involvement with Executive Order 14201.

June 2025: Pregnancy Announcement

In June 2025, Riley Gaines and her husband Louis Barker announced that they were expecting their first child.

June 2025: Feud with Simone Biles

In June 2025, Simone Biles criticized Riley Gaines on X, calling her "truly sick" and a "straight up sore loser" due to her activism. Gaines replied, finding Biles's comments "so disappointing". Biles later apologized.

August 2025: New York Times Profile

An August 2025 profile in The New York Times described Riley Gaines's activism, noting that it often includes publicly targeting and insulting transgender individuals on social media. Gaines believes sports is a gateway to invalidating the wider womanhood of transgender women.