Riley Gaines, a conservative activist and former collegiate swimmer, has welcomed her first child with her husband.
Gaines, 25, shared that she had given birth to a baby girl, Margot, on September 29 in a touching Instagram post on Thursday evening.
‘There’s nothing that could’ve prepared me for a love like this. God has blessed us beyond belief,’ the anti-trans activist wrote alongside photos of her and husband, Louis Barker, cradling their bundle of joy.
Gaines tied the knot with British swimmer Barker in 2022 after the couple met while both swimming for the University of Kentucky in 2019.
The couple announced that they were expecting their first child together in June, shortly after Gaines found herself embroiled in a bitter online feud with Olympic hero Simone Biles over transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports.
She first announced she was pregnant during a talk at Turning Point USA’s Young Women’s Leadership Summit in Texas.
Riley Gaines, a conservative activist and former swimmer, has welcomed her first child
Gaines, 25, shared that she had given birth to a baby girl, Margot, on September 29
Gaines, 25, first announced her pregnancy in June – just days after her feud with Simone Biles
‘How many men do you know that have this?’ Gaines said as she showed the audience her baby bump.
Her husband Barker added: ‘The next generation that our little girl is going to be a part of, that is who you all are fighting for and who Turning Point is fighting for. And so from a father-to-be, thank you, keep fighting… and thank you.’
Gaines has consistently campaigned against trans athletes competing in women’s sports after she tied for fifth with Lia Thomas, a biological male, at the 2022 NCAA Championships.
Biles hit out at the former swimmer for criticizing a Minnesota softball team that were competing with a trans pitcher back in June.
‘You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser,’ Biles said, referencing the 2022 NCAA Championships where Gaines competed against trans swimmer Lia Thomas.
‘You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!! But instead… You bully them… One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!’
The seven-time Olympic gold medalist then got personal in a follow-up tweet to Gaines, saying: ‘bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.’
Four days later, Biles publicly apologized and Gaines accepted.
Gaines tied the knot with British swimmer Louis Barker in 2022 after the couple met at college
‘I’ve always believed competitive equity & inclusivity are both essential in sport,’ Biles wrote. ‘The current system doesn’t adequately balance these important principles, which often leads to frustration and heated exchanges, and it didn’t help for me to get personal with Riley, which I apologize for.
‘These are sensitive, complicated issues that I truly don’t have the answers or solutions to, but I believe it starts with empathy and respect.
‘I was not advocating for policies that compromise fairness in women’s sports.’
Gaines’ campaigning has even won the respect of Donald Trump, who invited her to be present at the Oval Office when he signed his executive order to prohibit trans athletes competing in women’s sports.
