SFSU students protest speech by former college swimmer opposed to trans athletes competing
SAN FRANCISCO -- Video captured tense moments at San Francisco State Thursday night after a speech by a former college swimmer.
Riley Gaines was at the school to talk about her opposition to transgender athletes competing in women's sports. A number of students weren't happy about her appearance and protested the event.
Gaines shot the video after her speech as protesters followed her with shouting and chants. Gaines has become an outspoken critic of allowing transgender athletes to compete in college women's sports after she tied with a transgender swimmer for fifth place in the college championships last year.
The incident comes amid rising tension in the U.S. About whether trans athletes should be able to compete in the women's division.
Another video from a conservative group that supported her speech showed the chaos from another angle.
According to university police, officers escorted Gaines to a different location due to the "disruption" following the event.
No one was arrested.
This is part of a larger national debate. The Biden administration is proposing a new federal rule involving transgender athletes.
It wouldn't stop schools from limiting their participation on teams that correlate with their gender identity, but it would make total bans a violation of Title IX.
States are doing their own thing. A new law in Kansas is set to prevent transgender girls from playing on gender-correlating teams after the legislature overrode a veto Thursday.
In North Carolina, six bills introduced this week take aim at sports participation and gender-affirming treatment for minors.
The U.S. Supreme court got involved by denying an emergency request Thursday. The ruling means a 12-year-old transgender girl in West Virginia can run track on the girls' team for now while a related lawsuit plays out in court.
