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Former international swimmer Riley Gaines recently collaborated with XX-XY Athletics, a woman-led sports brand, to empower women in sports.
The American has collaborated with XX-XY Athletics, a new activewear line that supports women in the sports world. Jennifer Sey is the founder of this emerging brand.
The brand's goal is to become a cultural movement for bravery and a force for truth. The name of the brand comes from XX-XY chromosomes, denoting that men and women are different.
In their first commercial video, Riley Gaines along with former NCAA swimmer, Paula Scanlan, talked about their life stories showcasing their struggles. Riley Gaines shared her childhood experiences, saying:
“I started when I was four, and graduated college when I was 22 so I spent at least 18 years of my life dedicated to becoming the best that I could be. The sacrifices and the time and the hours that you put in, it is immeasurable.”
She also spoke about the ongoing controversy related to Lia Thomas, saying:
“Midway through my senior season, this name pops out of nowhere. Lia Thomas was actually formerly Will Thomas and swam 3 years on the men’s team.”
In the 200-yard freestyle race at the 2022 NCAA Division Championships, Gaines and Thomas had tied for 5th place. Gaines was representing the University of Kentucky while Thomas was representing the University of Pennsylvania. However, the trophy was given to Thomas which seemed unfair to Gaines.
Gaines continued:
“The 200 freestyle which is the event that Thomas and I raced in, we had tied down to the hundredth of the second and the official says, great job you two but you tied and we only have one trophy so we are going to give the trophy to Lia.”
She added:
“Sorry, Riley, you don’t get one. We have been advised that when photos are been taken, it is crucial that the trophy is in Lia's hands.”
Sey, the founder of the XX-XY brand, also shed some light on what the brand is about and how it supports women.
Riley Gaines recently sued the NCAA along with her other collegiate athletes
On March 14th, Riley Gaines sued the National Collegiate Athletic Association and other entities for a loss of women's constitutional right at being forced to share the same locker room with transgender athletes for changing clothes.
She raised her voice and accused the NCAA of violating their Title IX rights by allowing Lia Thomas, a transgender athlete to take part in the national championships in 2022. The lawsuit was filed in the District Court in Atlanta, U.S.
Gaines shared a tweet on this matter, saying:
“It’s official! I’m suing the NCAA along with 15 other collegiate athletes who have lost out on titles, records, & roster spots to men posing as women.”
She added:
“The NCAA continues to explicitly violate the federal civil rights law of Title IX. About time someone did something about it.”
The lawsuit alleges that NCAA has continuously imposed a “radical anti-woman agenda” on college sports and that the organization is destroying safety in areas such as women's locker rooms.
