Thursday, September 12 – Join Hamilton County Young Republicans for an amazing evening with Riley Gaines! Yes, the swimmer from the University of Kentucky who was forced to compete against a 6’4″ male and also share a locker room with him. Email Mary Francis Hoots at maryfrancishoots@gmail.com to buy a table (bring friends!) or a ticket to hear Riley’s full story!

Through the Riley Gaines Center at the Leadership Institute, Riley and her team of Ambassadors are spearheading a growing nationwide movement to defend women, common sense, and free speech.

In her senior year, as she approached the end of her collegiate swimming career at the University of Kentucky, there was a new swimmer, Lia Thomas, who swooped in out of nowhere and broke record after record. It didn’t take long for us to realize that Lia Thomas was formerly Will Thomas. He swam for three years on the men’s team at University of Pennsylvania where he was mediocre at best, before switching to the women’s team his senior year. They spent their entire lives training to be the best in women’s sports, just to have to compete against a man – and be told to celebrate it.

On top of the unfair competition, they were also forced to share a locker room with Thomas. They weren’t even forewarned that they would be forced to undress in front of a 6’4” fully intact, 22-year-old male. As if that weren’t enough, they were effectively silenced by their universities with threats and intimidation.

This isn’t just a women’s issue. It’s a freedom issue. It affects everyone. And every person has the right to speak the truth. Buy a table or a ticket and come hear Riley’s full story! You don’t want to miss this!