What's Riley Gaines Up to in Virginia?
A group of Virginia female swimmers is taking action to protect women’s sports and private spaces, following in the footsteps of Riley Gaines, who has led the national fight for fairness in women’s athletics. Former Virginia Tech swimmer Réka György, along with Roanoke College swimmers Lily Mullens and Carter Satterfield, have just submitted a formal petition urging the Virginia Board of Health to establish new regulations ensuring the safety and fairness of women’s athletics and locker rooms. The Family Foundation is proud to stand with them in this effort.
György, who was forced to compete against and share a locker room with Lia Thomas in 2022, explained why they are pushing for these changes:
“The public health of Virginians, particularly of women and girls, demands that the Department of Health take action to prevent further harm, both physical and psychological, from males claiming to be females and gaining access to female-only athletic competitions and private spaces.”
Mullens, the captain of the Roanoke College women’s swim team, echoed this concern:
“This is about basic safety, dignity, and fairness for all women and girls who simply want to pursue athletics.”
Her teammate, Carter Satterfield, added:
“Women and girls deserve the same opportunity to compete as men and boys, and they shouldn’t have to jeopardize their physical and mental health to do so.”
Mullens and Satterfield first spoke out in 2023 when a male swimmer, who had previously competed on the men’s team, switched to the women’s team at Roanoke College, forcing them to share private spaces with him.
Riley Gaines has also weighed in on this matter:
“The Virginia Board of Health has a duty to protect the safety, dignity, and fairness of women and girls in sports and private spaces. This petition is a crucial step in ensuring that female athletes are not forced to compete against or share private spaces with the opposite sex—protecting not only their opportunities but also their physical and mental well-being. Hopefully, this sets a precedent for the rest of the nation.”
Now that the petition has been submitted, it will be published in the Virginia Register of Regulations, which is updated every 14 days. This will kick off a 21-day public comment period on townhall.virginia.gov, where Virginians can voice their support. After the comment period closes, the Virginia Board of Health will have 90 days to decide whether to take action and what steps to pursue. During the public comment period, we will be calling on you to stand with these female athletes and make your voice heard—urging the Board to protect fairness, safety, and dignity in women’s sports and private spaces.
The Board of Health has clear legal authority to take action on this issue. The NCAA and VHSL already recognize the importance of limiting women’s sports to biological females Virginia should follow their lead to protect female athletes, spaces, and sports.
Réka György
Lily Mullens
Carter Satterfield
