ADRIAN — Shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday, Adrian College ’s bell tower rang 24 consecutive times to honor the 2024 graduating class. Then the tassels were turned, and the mortarboards were flung into the air.
AC’s spring commencement, held outdoors on the college Mall directly in the heart of campus, saw 258 students earn undergraduate degrees; 31 students earn graduate degrees; and 12 students graduate as part of the college’s Honors Program.
The commencement address was delivered by keynote speaker Riley Gaines, who has been at the center of outrage and disappointment by many for being selected as the commencement speaker. There also have been those who applauded the college’s choice for welcoming Gaines, a 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer at the University of Kentucky with five Southeastern Conference (SEC) titles, to campus.
Gaines now advocates against transgender women competing in women's sports. Her criticism of transgender women being allowed to compete in women’s sports began in March 2022 after she tied for fifth place with University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas in the 200-yard NCAA freestyle championship.
In those same championships, Thomas became the first openly transgender woman to win an NCAA Division I national championship when she won the 500-yard freestyle.
With her sights set on attending dental school after college, Gaines’ life changed, Adrian College President Jeffrey Docking said, when she found out she would be competing against a biological male — Thomas — at the women’s swimming championship “that created an unfair advantage.”
From March 2024: Critic of transgender women in women's sports to be Adrian College commencement speaker
Since that day, Docking continued in his introduction, Gaines has made it her mission to advocate for upholding competitive fairness for women in sports, and to preserve the spirit of Title IX. The comment received applause from many in attendance.
Gaines also “serves as a role model for courageously speaking out against an issue that could forever change women’s sports in America,” Docking concluded.
As she approached the podium, Gaines received applause and cheers. She delivered a speech that lasted just under 15 minutes titled, “Daring to Speak Up: Finding Your Voice and Standing Your Ground.”
Courage, faith and freedom
Three topics made up Gaines’ commencement address: courage, faith and freedom, specifically the freedom of speech.
Gaines, who dedicated 18 years of her life to the sport of swimming, said she is using her platform and her campaign against transgender women in women’s sports as a means for defending sex-based protections both in a Biblical and objective sense.
She is the SEC record holder in the 200-yard butterfly making her one of the fastest swimming Americans of all time; a two-time Olympic trial qualifier; and the SEC Community Service Leader of the Year. Her success is because of a lifelong journey, she said.
“I didn’t want to be seen as disrespectful. I wanted to be liked. I thought twice before I spoke to an issue that was deemed controversial,” she said. “...But I chose to be courageous. Courage is a virtue that’s often misunderstood, commonly being conflated with fearlessness. But make no mistake, these words are not synonymous, and they are not interchangeable. Being fearless means you lack fear. But being courageous is quite the opposite. Having courage means you are willing to do the right, fair, just and moral thing despite the fears that you face. It is the strength to confront adversity and to pursue your dreams with unwavering determination.”
Faith, the second point of her speech, is central to all that she does, Gaines said.
“Above anything else, I want to live a Christ-like life,” she said. “As I toured campus today, I was delighted to see (Herrick) Chapel in the center (of campus) exactly where it should be as a beacon of hope and eternal love for everyone.”
At the beginning of her advocacy journey, she said she often asked God, “Why me? I’m not equipped for this.”
“I came to understand, pretty quickly, actually, that I was wrong in my thinking, that God calls those who are already equipped" she said. "Our God equips the called."
When it comes to freedom and freedom of speech, it is important, she said, for people to speak freely but also to listen to another person’s point of view.
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“By opening our lives to those we disagree with, we grow, and we learn, and we evolve, and we refine our arguments for and against our points of view," she said. "By speaking freely and listening to others, we can also find much common ground, which allows us to reconcile some of our differences or accept them and live together."
During her advocacy journey, Gaines said she has faced and endured resistance, censorship and violence by those wanting to silence her.
Law enforcement presence
It was evident that Adrian College was prepared for any sort of disruption that may have taken place during the ceremonies.
Law enforcement with Adrian College Campus Security, the Adrian Police Department, the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office and Michigan State Police patrolled the campus before and during the graduation exercises.
Gaines said she has been verbally and physically attacked by those who do not agree with her advocacy against transgender women in women’s sports. There were no such signs of unrest or major protests throughout Adrian College’s campus that put a pause into the ceremony.
When visiting San Francisco State University last year to speak about her campaign, demonstrators both inside and outside the room in which she was speaking protested her message. After she finished speaking, Gaines was escorted by law enforcement officials to shelter in a classroom where she stayed for hours while protesters continued to demonstrate.
As part of Sunday’s speech, Gaines made note of an online petition urging Adrian College to disinvite her from being the 2024 spring commencement speaker. The petition , started on March 12 by Safe Place , Adrian College’s student organization advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community, has surpassed 2,000 total signatures as of Sunday night.
“I ask you who oppose my presence, ‘What are you so afraid of?’” she said. “Having your perspectives challenged? Being encouraged to engage in independent thought? The freedom of thought and expression should be cherished by all in a world where ideas are increasingly polarized, and dissent is often met with hostility. Never underestimate the power of your voice to spark change and challenge the status quo.”
— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at bheineman@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: www.twitter.com/LenaweeHeineman .
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Riley Gaines urges 'courage, faith and freedom' during Adrian College commencement speech
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