"More of this" - Riley Gaines lauds Pennsylvania school students for walking out of class over transgender bathroom policy

Former American swimmer and women’s rights activist Riley Gaines recently applauded high school students in Pennsylvania for protesting against their school. On Friday, hundreds of students from the Perkiomen Valley School District protested against the school board after it allowed trans students to use any washroom of their choice.

A week ago, the board added the transgender restroom agenda to its meeting on Monday, after a couple of inappropriate events occurred on school premises. Transgender female Tarren McDonnell, a student, usually used the nurse’s washroom which was farther away from her class. But after getting taunted by a boy, she began using the girl’s washroom.

On the other hand, Jim Tagger, a father posted on social media that it was her daughter's first day at the Pennsylvania school and she had to encounter a boy in the girl’s washroom. Moreover, he told the school board that his daughter was not sure if that person was a male but the incident had deeply upset her.

Owing to these events, the school organized a board meeting to discuss the bathroom policy for transgender students and concluded that they could use any washroom of their choice.

The school failed to adopt a policy that would allow students to use restrooms that correspond with their biological sex. As a result, parents and students protested to safeguard the safety of female students. John Ott, the organizer of the protest, told Fox News:

"The safety of females is so important and these students that stood out that walked out, they are to be commended. They have courage and they exercise their First Amendment rights. This is about protecting our children and our privacy and boys and girls. It's simple biology," said John Ott.

Recognizing the efforts of the Pennsylvania school’s students, activist Riley Gaines shared their story on her Twitter page and wrote:

“This is what it takes. More of this. Nicely done!” Riley Gaines wrote.

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Riley Gaines lauds her role model who inspired her to speak her mind fearlessly

Riley Gaines at an interview (Image via Sportskeeda)

Riley Gaines has been actively fighting and creating awareness for safeguarding the opportunities and security of female athletes in sports. Recently, the 23-year-old revealed that anti-transgender rights activist, Kellie-Jay Keen inspires her to speak her mind without fearing anyone.

Gaines shared a video of a recent swimming event where trans female swimmer Lia Thomas was speaking after her performance. During her speech activist, Kellie-Jay Keen shouted from the audience ‘He’s a man’ at Thomas.

Resharing the video on her X (formerly known as Twitter) handle, Riley Gaines wrote in her post:

"She's my role model! The word fearless gets tossed around a lot, but Kellie-Jay Keen is the embodiment of it. She was at the NCAA championships and was the first I had seen to unapologetically and loudly call Thomas what he is...a man. She showed me it's not hard to say that."