Riley Gaines and women’s sports activists share honest reactions, emotions to SCOTUS Title IX ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision to uphold state laws protecting women’s sports was a great moment for Riley Gaines. However, he admits that the fight caused great damage.

“Everything I’ve found myself fighting for over the last few years. I don’t want to speak for anyone else. Um, but I have a level of exhaustion, too.” Gaines told Fox News Digital:

“It’s exhausting that we’re still having this conversation in 2026, that the highest court in the land has to rule on such madness, whereas I think even just 10 years ago we wouldn’t necessarily be celebrating this decision. We’d kind of be like ‘yeah, duh. This is a default situation.’ It is the standard position that everyone should take. Of course, we don’t want boys in girls’ sports. But now we find ourselves celebrating, which is a sign of the times and where we are culturally and socially. “Well, so there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

RILEY WINS: THE SUPREME COURT GAVE A SIGNIFICANT GAIN TO WOMEN, BUT THE STRUGGLE IS NOT OVER

He is already thinking about the next steps. And this task will require more than six votes to complete.

“Number one, Congress must act,” Gaines said.

“We need Congress to enact President Trump’s executive orders, we need… I think we also need real enforcement mechanisms for those who continue to suffer from TDS, which is a truly diagnosable, crippling disease…

“What we’re going to see is that it’s going to make the biggest change, when people, you know, everyday people, you know, think about parents, coaches, etc., are brave enough to defend their daughters or defend their athletes or defend themselves, that’s when you’re going to see real change.”

Gaines led a rally on the steps of the Supreme Court during oral arguments in two cases the justices decided this week. Right next to the crowd of female sports advocates was a crowd of pro-transgender activists wearing costumes and shouting obscenities.

“They’re so angry,” Gaines told the opposing crowd.

“You look at the bike racks separating us and you see the anger, you see the negativity, you see the screams, you see harsh expressions, you see colored hair, you see piercings and honestly, what I would describe just visually by looking at it is an island of misfit toys. I don’t mean it like that, I’m just being pretty objective here.”

Gaines was a new mother at the time, and she famously wrapped her young daughter, Margot, in a bulletproof blanket when she spoke that day.

Now, she will have a growing army of female athletes by her side as she looks to the next steps after the “exhausting” first few years of competition.

Many of the other current and former women activists who participated in the fight shared their reactions after the decision was announced.

Jen Sey, founder of XX-XY Athletics, told Fox News Digital that it’s “unacceptable” that 23 other states don’t have laws protecting women’s sports. “We won, but we’re not done,” Sey said.

XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey with female activist athletes Riley Gaines, Paula Scanlan, Brooke Slusser and Kaitlynn Wheeler (Courtesy of XX-XY Athletics)

“What’s changed today is that athletes who compete under the auspices of Title IX in middle school, high school and college can continue to protect women’s sports — in the 27 states that have laws on the books protecting women’s sports. Girls in every zip code deserve fair sports. The court didn’t say the other 23 states had to pass laws. One might argue that we have a law — it’s called Title IX,” Sey told Fox News Digital.

Sey’s vision of a successful endgame for the “Save Women’s Sports” movement is one of widespread culture change.

“There’s still a lot of work to do. That’s why I say we need to focus on changing the culture, because when we do that I think all the governing bodies will fall in line and protect the women’s category,” Sey added.

Sey and her company were central to growing the movement and recruiting new women as activists; as he has aggressively recruited star Olympians and prominent women affected by the issue as brand ambassadors.

Former UPenn women’s swimmer Paula Scanlan, who had to share a pool and locker room with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in 2021-22, praised the court’s decision in an interview with Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” on Tuesday.

“More work needs to be done. We need to see protections in all 50 states in this country. Why should a girl in Texas have different rights than a girl in Connecticut or New York?” Scanlan said.

“It’s also disappointing to learn that it’s not 9-0. That’s something that saddens me. But I accept this win.”

Former San Jose State volleyball player Brooke Slusser called Tuesday’s Supreme Court decision in favor of states protecting women’s sports the “greatest victory” female athletes have ever achieved.

Brooke Slusser speaks before the US Supreme Court (Courtesy of Alliance Defending Freedom)

Slusser appeared on Fox News’ “The Faulkner Focus” after the high court ruled 6-3 in favor of West Virginia and Idaho in two prominent transgender athlete cases. The ruling state law required student-athletes to compete on sports teams that matched their biological sex at birth rather than their gender identity.

The decision was deeply personal for Slusser, who became one of the most prominent voices in the fight to preserve women’s sports after speaking out about a transgender player on the volleyball team in 2024.

“I mean, it’s amazing,” Slusser told Harris Faulkner. “This is the biggest win we’ve ever had, so I couldn’t be happier. We couldn’t ask for anything more right now.”

Former high school volleyball player Payton McNabb, whose career ended after she was hit in the face by a transgender player, shared her thoughts in her column on Fox News Digital.

PAYTON MCNABB: GIRLS DESERVE FAIR COMPETITION AND THE SUPREME COURT AGREES

“Today I feel something I haven’t felt in a long time when it comes to protecting women’s sports and fields: relief,” McNabb wrote.

Payton McNabb (C) and Second Lady Usha Vance (R) attend US President Donald Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol on March 4, 2025 in Washington DC. President Trump was expected to address Congress about his early accomplishments of his presidency and his upcoming legislative agenda. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

“Today’s decision is a reminder that truth does not disappear just because someone believes a misconception. Reality does not change because people are uncomfortable discussing difficult issues.”

Other prominent activists also shared their reactions on social media.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION