Hundreds of families gathered at a Missouri library to hear professional surfer Bethany Hamilton and former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines share their stories of overcoming obstacles as they navigated transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.
As they shared about their athletic career experiences, Gaines and Hamilton were met with transgender activists at the event. The activists, draped in transgender pride flags and themed clothing, made their presence known with random disturbances from the crowd.
One activist was seen dressed as a shark to mock Hamilton, who survived a 2003 shark attack, which resulted in her left arm being bitten off. After the shark attack, Hamilton was not deterred and returned to professional surfing.
“We’ve seen activists at almost every one of our story hours. Sometimes they’re noisy, sometimes they’re dressed in drag, but these were downright nasty,” BRAVE Books CEO Trent Talbot told the Washington Examiner.
He added, “The activist who showed up dressed as a shark to target Bethany Hamilton is a terrible person. Once again, those who claim they are most tolerant turn out to be the most callous.”
Before the event, activists made a “call to action” on social media to “wear inclusive shirts.”
?CALL TO ACTION
— Brittany (@prideforMO) January 31, 2024
Join us as we do a sit in protest taking up space for our #trans friends and family. Wear inclusive shirts!!
Anti Trans activist Riley Gain’s will be reading her children’s ?“Happy No Snakes Day” at the Library Center in Springfield this FRIDAY 4-8pm pic.twitter.com/gMKAWAaUDQ
A second call to action included contacting the library to ask them to cancel the event.
“I also want to encourage you to email the Library Center and ask them to cancel this event,” the @prideforMO account said on X, formerly Twitter, ahead of the event.
Another person wrote on social media, “I’m sorry your whole identity is attacking marginalized people. That’s not what we’re about and we will be there tomorrow to remind you queer people exist.”
Despite the transgender activists, Gaines was inspired by a long line of young girls and swimmers who came out to show support.
“I’m so grateful for the people of Missouri who came out to the story hour. The presence of a group of confused people dressed as a shark and clothed in pride did nothing to stop hundreds of families and young girls from taking in messages of truth and faith at our BRAVE Books story hour,” Gaines said.
The talk at the Library Center also included book readings of the new children’s books Happy No Snakes Day by Gaines, which advocates standing up for truth despite being afraid, and Surfing Past Fear by Hamilton, which details a journey of overcoming fears to accomplish big dreams. Both books are published by up-and-coming conservative Christian book publisher BRAVE Books.
While at the event, Gaines presented Hamilton with the Riley Gaines Center’s 2023 “True Woman of the Year” award. Special attendees of the story hour included Missouri Secretary of State John “Jay” Ashcroft and former Division I collegiate swimmer Valentina Gomez.
Last week, Hamilton slammed transgender athletes in women’s sports.
“Male-bodied athletes should not be competing in female sports. Period,” she said on social media.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Hamilton was previously celebrated in various Rip Curl ads, but she and the surfing retail company parted ways in November when they promoted social media posts embracing a biological man who identifies as a woman.
Gaines famously competed with biological male Lia Thomas, who identifies as a transgender woman, in the 2022 NCAA Championships. Following her experience with Thomas, she became an outspoken defender of maintaining the integrity of women’s sports, becoming connected to Outkick and nonprofit organizations, including the Independent Women’s Forum and the Leadership Institute, to help grow her campus outreach to young women.
