Georgia governor signs Riley Gaines Act to protect fairness in women’s sports

Last week, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, R, signed the “Riley Gaines Act” into law, prohibiting biological males from participating in female sports at public schools and colleges across the state.

The legislation also mandates that students use restrooms, locker rooms, and sleeping quarters that correspond with the sex on their birth certificates.​

The act, officially known as Senate Bill 1, is named after former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, an outspoken advocate for protecting women’s sports. Gaines gained national attention after competing against transgender swimmer William “Lia” Thomas and has since campaigned for similar legislation in other states.​

Kemp emphasized the importance of the new law in protecting the integrity of women’s sports.

“As the parents of three daughters, Marty and I know just how important it is to keep our children safe and to give them the best possible start in life,” Kemp said.

“That’s why I’m proud to sign these bills that will further safeguard our classrooms, both from those with violent intentions and from out-of-touch political agendas,” he added “Girls should not have to share a playing field, a restroom, or a locker room with boys and vice versa, and the commonsense legislation I signed today is about what is fair and safe for our children. I want to thank the members of the General Assembly for putting the well-being of our students over politics. Like Marty and me, they want to protect their daughters and sons, they want them to grow up and compete in a fair environment, and they want their children to know that political agendas won’t dictate their lives.”

The legislation requires schools to designate athletic teams based on biological sex and prohibits transgender students from competing on teams that do not align with their sex assigned at birth. It also mandates that schools enforce policies requiring students to use facilities corresponding to their biological sex.

Supporters of the bill argue that ensuring fairness in women’s sports is essential. State Sen. Greg Dolezal, R, the bill’s sponsor, stated, “This legislation restores fairness and preserves the integrity of women’s athletics. These principles should never be sacrificed at the altar of radical, woke ideology.”

Gaines, the former NCAA swimmer named in the law, also released a statement of support on Monday, writing,

“Three years after I, and dozens of other Division I female athletes, were forced to compete against a man in a Georgia pool, the Riley Gaines Act of 2025 is now law. It’s an honor of a lifetime to know our stories help shed light on a grave problem of rampant gender ideology that means women are victims of government facilitated sex discrimination.”

The law has faced criticism from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, who argue that the bill targets a marginalized community. GLAAD argued that no known transgender athletes were participating in school sports in Georgia at the time of the bill’s passage, suggesting the legislation addresses a non-existent issue.

The governor’s action is part of a broader national movement, with at least 26 states enacting laws restricting transgender athletes’ participation in sports.

At the federal level, a similar bill — the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025” — failed to advance in the Senate after a 51–45 vote in March, falling short of the 60 votes required to proceed to a final floor vote.

Four senators did not cast votes on the measure. Republican Sens. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, along with Democratic Sens. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Peter Welch of Vermont, were all absent during the vote.

The proposed legislation aimed to codify the executive order signed by President Donald Trump on National Girls and Women in Sports Day. That order prohibits biological males from competing in female sports divisions at K-12 schools and colleges that take federal funding.

“Around the country we have seen men—biological men who identify as women—take up spaces and medals in athletics meant for actual women,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., before the vote. “This is a matter of fairness and equality.”

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., who introduced the bill in the Senate, emphasized that the measure should be viewed as a defense of women’s rights and not through a partisan lens.

“This doesn’t have to be a Republican or Democratic issue,” Tuberville said. “This is about standing up for girls and women, which I know my Democratic colleagues also care about.”

The signing of the Riley Gaines Act represents more than a legislative win — it’s a moral stand for truth, fairness, and the God-given distinction between male and female. In a culture increasingly confused about foundational realities, this law boldly affirms the biological differences between the sexes and protects the integrity of women’s sports. It marks a return to common sense and a moment to celebrate the defense of truth and justice in the public square.

The Bible teaches that God created humanity “male and female” (Genesis 1:27), and this distinction is not just spiritual — it carries real, biological implications that affect every part of life, including athletics. When girls are forced to compete against biological males, they lose opportunities, recognition, and sometimes their safety. The Riley Gaines Act corrects this injustice in Georgia by ensuring that girls and women can compete on a level playing field, free from the burden of competing against those with natural physical advantages.

Riley Gaines, the courageous athlete who inspired this law, has become a powerful voice for truth. Her testimony highlights what many Christian families fear: that radical gender ideology is sacrificing women’s dignity on the altar of political correctness. As Gaines put it, the law exposes “a grave problem of rampant gender ideology that means women are victims of government-facilitated sex discrimination.”

This is not just a political issue; it’s a spiritual one. As Christians, we are called to defend the vulnerable and uphold the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Advocating for policies that reflect God’s design for men and women is part of our witness. The Riley Gaines Act affirms that design and conveys that girls matter, fairness matters, and truth matters.

In a time when many leaders are bowing to pressure from activist groups, Georgia’s action is a call to courage. It reminds us that Christian convictions can shape public policy when they align with justice and righteousness. This legislation should inspire believers to speak up, get involved, and support efforts that protect women and children and honor the biblical understanding of the sexes.

PHOTO: University of Kentucky swimmer and women’s sports advocate RIley Gaines CREDIT: X

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