Anti-trans athlete activist Riley Gaines endorses Charles Barkley's bold stance with urging message
NBA legend Charles Barkley expressed his views on the inclusion of transgender athletes in women sports debate during an interview with OutKick's "Don't @ Me" with Dan Dakich. Barkley vehemently rejected the idea of biologically male athletes competing against women in sports, a statement that gained the approval of anti-trans athlete activist Riley Gaines.
"Men should not play sports against women...I support the transgender community a 100%, but I don't...think men should play sports against women," Barkley said.
Riley Gaines instantly reposted a clip of Barkley's remarks and claimed that the issue of banning trans women from women's sports is straightforward and doesn't need complex explanations. She further urged sports anchors and professional athletes to rally more decisively on the perspective.
"It's really been this simple the whole time. It requires zero explanation," Gaines tweeted. "More sports anchors and professional athletes should follow suit. That's when this stops being controversial."
Riley Gaines has been a vocal activist against the participation of transgender athletes in women's sports. She has maintained that the physical advantages retained by transwomen makes the competition unfair for biologically female athletes.
Her activism gained momentum after she tied with Lia Thomas, a trans swimmer, in the 2022 NCAA swimming championships. She has since then worked with lawmakers to pass bills that restrict transgender athletes' participation in women's sports.
Charles Barkley, despite his stance on trans athletes in women's sports, emphasized his support for the LGBTQ community. The former MVP's penchant for speaking his mind has made him a popular figure to many fans.
Charles Barkley dares ESPN ahead of debut appearance
Charles Barkley's time with TNT comes to an end at the end of the 2024/25 season. His next journey takes him to rival network ESPN, and ahead of his debut, he dared the network to fire him.
Barkley made this known when he spoke on Outkick's "Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich":
"Ain’t nobody — they can’t fire me. I make too much money to get fired. So, they can’t fire me. First of all, if they fire me, they got to pay me for seven years, and I’m going to quit way before then. But if they want to fire me, I would love for them to do that," Barkley said. "The only decision we’ve been making is how long I’m going to work… I’m not worried about getting fired. And nobody at ESPN is going to tell me what to say or do. Period.”
ESPN is taking over the popular Inside the NBA show next season after TNT lost its media rights with the league. Chuck reportedly signed a 10-year, $210 million contract in 2022 to be on the popular TV show.
