Sparse crowd for conservative athlete’s ‘Take Back Title IX’ stop at UNLV — PHOTOS
Riley Gaines, a conservative political advocate and former NCAA athlete, spoke at UNLV on Thursday night as part of her “Take Back Title IX” college tour.
The audience of about 60 people was a smaller group than she’s used to. Her previous appearance Wednesday night at Oklahoma State University drew more than 400 people.
Gaines was introduced by Las Vegas native Marshi Smith, a former collegiate swimmer and the co-founder of the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS), the advocacy group behind two current lawsuits against policies to include transgender athletes in college sports.
Gaines, who swam for the University of Kentucky against transgender woman Lia Thomas, is the primary defendant in a suit against the NCAA.
A new lawsuit was filed Wednesday against the Mountain West and San Jose State athletic personnel amid a controversy surrounding an alleged transgender player on the Spartans volleyball team. The player, senior outside hitter Blaire Fleming, and the university have not spoken publicly about her gender identity.
Gaines has been prominent in the campaign against players like Fleming, recently appearing at a “Women’s Sports are For Women Only” rally with UNR players, who have refused to play the Spartans along with three other schools in the conference.
“It’s a blessing to be well received,” Gaines said as she opened her remarks.
She went on to tell a story about being “punched in the face by men in dresses” when she visited San Francisco State University and being held hostage for a $10 per person ransom while police officers did nothing. Campus police suspended their investigation in February, saying her claims were “unfounded.”
Gaines’ speech at UNLV centered on the “injustice” of the NCAA’s policies, as well as the “absurdity” of the Democratic party.
She spoke in front of a backdrop that displayed the “Riley Gaines Center at the Leadership Institute” logo, sandwiched between two side panels peppered with the “Turning Point USA” emblem.
Both organizations promote conservative ideals.
Posters that said “Stand with real women” and “Men and women are different” were placed on the seats. Signs that said “I’m surviving college without becoming a socialist” and “defend our right” were placed around the room.
Views at UNLV
Gaines told the Review-Journal that her appearance at UNLV was part of an initiative she’s been pursuing for the past two years in the hopes of reaching people at an “impressionable age.”
She said that while she always intended to come to Las Vegas, seeing the university’s volleyball team play against San Jose State twice “increased” her interest.
Gaines added she has spoken with members of the UNLV volleyball team, and that not all of them are on the same page.
“There are girls on the team who, maybe don’t necessarily support, but don’t see a problem with the male on the opposing team, but there are girls who do so,” Gaines said. “It stinks being asked to give up games, or … feeling like you’re being pressured to because that’s what other universities are doing. So I don’t blame these girls for playing, but there are definitely girls who do feel like they’re being put in harm’s way by playing San Jose State.”
Gaines took questions from the audience Thursday.
Heather Gardner, a UNLV student athlete on the swim team who transferred from Liberty, said people disagree with her on her views in Las Vegas.
Gaines told her that people who let politics or beliefs intervene with relationships aren’t worth knowing.
She was flanked by two armed security guards as she spoke. A police car was parked out front afterward. None were needed, similarly to when UNLV hosted San Jose State on Nov. 7. There were no protesters at either event.
Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.