Women’s sports advocate and former NCAA swimming star Riley Gaines is spearheading an effort to raise funds to cover the expenses of female pro golfers who refuse to compete against a transgender opponent.
Appearing on Fox Business Network’s Varney & Co on Jan 25, Gaines said, “We have to incentivize not participating in the farce.”
Gaines kicked off the idea with a Jan. 23 post on X saying, “I will personally pay any expenses, sponsorships, and/or prize money lost.”
“I’ve talked to so many of these girls before publicly making this statement, and every single one of these girls who’s had to compete against this male, they tell me: Riley, I can’t not compete because I have sponsorships and I have endorsements, and this is my job. If I don’t do this, I don’t have income,” Gaines said on the FBN show.
“You guys shouldn’t have to be scared,” Gaines added. “And I think if we created… some sort of crowdfunding effort, I think we could raise the money easily.”
Since her first tweet, Outkick founder Clay Travis and several others joined Gaines on the fundraising plan.
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Gaines was specifically responding to news that the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) had given the okay to male-born transgender golfer Hailey Davidson to begin the qualification process to become the first trans LPGA pro golfer.
Gaines also said that she is considering the idea of opening the fund for every sport and for any female pro athlete who refuses to play against a trans opponent.
“I will happily pay that fee. Whatever that looks like in any sport,” Gaines exclaimed. “And I know it’s easier said than done, because when I was faced with this, I competed against Lia Thomas, I didn’t want to have to sacrifice all the work that I had put in. But I do think it’s necessary now.”
Davidson, meanwhile, has slapped back at critics and claimed he faces “misinformed hatred” about his status in the LPGA.
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