Women's sports activist, transgender critic Riley Gaines to speak at Lincoln Day Dinner

Activist and former All-American swimmer Riley Gaines will be the guest speaker May 8 at the Lincoln Day Dinner hosted by the Seneca County Republican Party and the Sandusky County Republican Party.

Gaines in March was one of 16 college athletes who filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Atlanta accusing the NCAA of violating their Title IX rights by permitting a transgender woman to compete at the 2022 Division I championships

Columnist Ingrid Jacques: These women say transgender rules discriminate against them. So they're suing the NCAA.

Gaines on her website describes herself as a "leader defending women’s single-sex spaces, advocating for equality and fairness, and standing up for women’s safety, privacy and equal opportunities."

Gaines' appearance will come three days after she is scheduled to give the commencement address at Adrian College in Michigan. The Detroit Free Press reported her inclusion is drawing mixed responses on campus.

Gaines, who swam for the University of Kentucky, "gained notoriety in 2022 after tying in the 200-yard NCAA freestyle championship race against University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas," the Free Press reported. "Thomas had become the first transgender female to win an NCAA Division I championship title the day before.

"Following her loss, Gaines went on to campaign against transgender athletes' participation in women's sports. ... She also petitioned for the title to be transferred to her from Thomas, ultimately failing."

Tickets on sale for annual dinner

The Lincoln Day Dinner will take place at the Frankart barn at 7731 Township Road 32, Clyde. The event will start at 6 p.m. A meet-and-greet with Gaines will start at 4 p.m.

Tickets are $50 for individuals. Tables of eight can be reserved for $500. Tables of eight that include the pre-event meet-and-greet are $1,000. Tickets are pre-sale only, and deadline to purchase tickets is April 30. Tickets will not be sold at the door.

To purchase tickets, make checks payable to either "Seneca County Republican Party” or “Sandusky County Republican Party” and mail to P.O. Box 412, Fremont, OH 43420. Tickets can also be purchased through PayPal.

The dinner will be catered by Bone Boy’s BBQ and Catering.

For information, call Sandusky County Republican Chairman Justin Smith at 419-332-0739.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Riley Gaines to speak at Seneca, Sandusky OH Republicans' Lincoln Day