Real Women.
Real Change.
Women Who Are Making Waves
WWAW is proud to join activist Riley Gaines in recognizing October 10th as “Real Women's Day.”
This special day is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the countless achievements of real women who have made extraordinary contributions to their community through their activism on behalf of women and girls.
In conjunction with “Real Women’s Day,” WWAW introduces an annual award to recognize notable female activists and their accomplishments.
WWAW is thrilled to recognize Riley Gaines as the inaugural recipient of this award, honored on October 10, 2023—“XX”—in celebration of Real Women’s Day!
We commend Gaines’s unwavering strength and perseverance in her activism not only to protect women’s sport but also to ensure women and girls feel safe and confident in their spaces even beyond athletics.
Gaines stood up for women and girls after watching too many fellow female athletes suffer in silence.
Whether through testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee or speaking at hostile college campuses and during television interviews, Gaines has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to the wellbeing and dignity of women and girls. She has played a pivotal role in her stand, inspiring more athletes to speak out and join our fight in pushing back against the men encroaching on women’s spaces and opportunities.
This award not only represents the countless unsung heroes among us but also serves as a testament to the power of recognizing the extraordinary within the everyday lives of real women.
“Feminism is not a fluid term.
The meaning of what it means to be a feminist is to uphold, respect, honor, embrace, and celebrate women on our own physical ceilings—our own uniqueness. That term has not changed.
What this really is, is a male mansplaining what it is to be feminist, which I honestly think is pretty ironic and something we’ve seen before.”
Riley Gaines
June 21, 2023
About Riley Gaines
Riley Gaines, a graduate of the University of Kentucky, is a twelve-time NCAA All-American, five-time SEC Champion and record holder, and two-time Olympic trial qualifier. Gaines’s achievements in the record book include the following: No. 1 in 100 free (2022), 200 free (2022), 200 fly (2022), 200 medley relay (2021), 400 medley relay (2022), 400 free relay (2019), 800 free relay (2019), and No. 4 in 50 free (2021). Gaines’s record-breaking work now extends to her fiery advocacy of women’s sport for women who are women. Resisting the woman haters and impersonators who seek her silence, she reminds us, “When they want to silence you, it means it’s time to speak even louder.” An inspiration for resistance among women and girls, Gaines carries a blazing torch for women’s sport. Most recently, Gaines has declared October 10 “Real Women’s Day,” a day to celebrate the achievements of real women on the tenth day of the tenth month—“XX,” in Roman numerals. “The war on women is in full effect,” she declares, “so it’s time to say we’ve had enough.”
Gaines’s petition for the recognition of “Real Women’s Day” can be signed at her website for the Riley Gaines Center at the Leadership Institute.
For details of Gaines’s harrowing experience facing a transgender mob at San Francisco State University (SFSU) on April 6, 2023