The Unexpected Consequences of Georgia’s Riley Gaines Act on Sports Equality

Rubber stamp and red banned imprint on paper

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has signed the “Riley Gaines Act” into law, prohibiting transgender female athletes from competing in girls’ sports across the state’s educational institutions, reigniting national debate over fairness in athletics versus gender identity rights.

Key Takeaways

Georgia’s Riley Gaines Act requires student athletes to compete on teams matching their biological sex and restricts facility access accordingly.
The legislation, named after former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines, will take effect July 1, 2025, impacting all public K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and private teams competing against public teams.
Georgia joins more than 25 other states with similar prohibitions on transgender athletes participating in female sports categories.
Over 70% of Georgia voters support requiring athletes to play according to their birth certificate sex, according to polling cited by supporters.
President Trump signed an executive order in February to investigate schools allowing transgender females in women’s sports for potential Title IX violations.

Law Establishes Biological Sex Requirements for Athletics

Senate Bill 1, formally known as the “Riley Gaines Act of 2025,” was signed by Republican Governor Brian Kemp after passing through the Georgia legislature earlier this year. The legislation requires all student athletes to compete on teams that align with their biological sex and restricts restrooms, locker rooms, and sleeping quarters accordingly. The comprehensive bill applies to all public K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and private teams that compete against public teams in Georgia.

The new law was sponsored by Forsyth County Republican State Senator Greg Dolezal and received strong support from House Speaker Jon Burns and Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, both Republicans. It was a priority for GOP leadership in the state and builds upon similar sports-related gender restrictions Kemp signed into law three years ago.

GA Gov Brian Kemp signs SB 1, the Riley Gaines Act, into law. It prevents men from playing in women's sports and entering women's locker rooms.

Common sense is making a comeback. pic.twitter.com/6Gf3BPPr4Z

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) April 28, 2025

Named After Riley Gaines, Former Collegiate Swimmer

The bill is named after Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer who gained national attention after tying with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas at the NCAA Championships in 2022. Despite the tie, the championship trophy was awarded to Thomas, fueling Gaines’ advocacy against transgender participation in women’s sports. Gaines has since become a prominent voice for protecting women’s sports categories.

Governor Kemp, when signing the bill, emphasized its purpose to protect fairness in athletic competition. The legislation mandates that schools designate teams as male, female, or coed, and requires transgender athletes to play according to their birth-assigned gender. Schools must also enforce policies requiring transgender students to use facilities according to their birth certificate sex.

Broader National Movement and Opposition

Georgia’s legislation comes as part of a broader movement across conservative states, with more than 25 others having enacted similar prohibitions on transgender athletes in girls’ sports. The Georgia High School Association had already voted previously to require athletes to compete based on birth certificate sex, but the new law extends these requirements throughout the educational system and codifies them in state law.

The bill faced opposition from transgender rights activists, who held a “field day” protest against the legislation, criticizing it as harmful and unnecessary. Critics argue that such laws target a small number of students and potentially harm transgender youth’s mental health and inclusion in school activities.

Federal Context and Implementation Timeline

The state-level action comes after President Trump signed an executive order in February directing federal agencies to investigate schools that allow transgender women to compete in women’s sports for potential Title IX violations. The order could potentially lead to withholding federal funding from institutions found in violation. Georgia’s law aligns with this federal directive and represents a significant step in the national debate over transgender participation in athletics.

The Riley Gaines Act will take effect on July 1, 2025, giving educational institutions time to implement the required changes to their athletic programs and facilities. Supporters point to polling indicating over 70% of Georgia voters support requiring athletes to play according to their birth certificate sex, suggesting broad public backing for the measure despite vocal opposition from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.