ATLANTA – The Georgia Senate Select Committee to Protect Women’s Sports held its first hearing on Tuesday.

Georgia state lawmakers are examining sports policies at schools, colleges and universities.

They say it is an attempt to ensure fairness in women’s sport.

“What we stand for and what we are talking about here today is a message that is clearly for women. It is for justice. It is for safety. It is common sense,” Riley Gaines told reporters after the hearing.

Gaines and four other women testified during the hearing, describing the mental anguish they endured while competing against transgender athlete Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

They sharply criticized Georgia Tech and the NCAA for allowing a biological male to participate in women’s sports and change in the women’s locker room.

ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 18: Swimmer Lia Thomas of the University of Pennsylvania and swimmer Riley Gaines of Kentucky react after placing 5th in the 200m freestyle final during the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 18, 2022 at McAuley Aq

A Georgia Tech spokesperson responded to the women’s comments in a written statement, saying, “As is customary with NCAA championships, the event was administered by the NCAA. We have worked with the committee and will continue to do so.”

The NCAA also issued a written statement saying, “The NCAA will continue to promote Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women’s sports and ensure fair competition for all student-athletes at all NCAA championships.”

“There is nothing perverse about existing as your authentic self,” said Noel Heatherland, spokesperson for Georgia Equality.

She spoke out in support of transgender athletes and pointed out that the NCAA had revised its policies to address this controversial issue.

“There are already guidelines in place to ensure a level playing field,” Heatherland said.

Gaines said she could not imagine a scenario in which men would compete in women’s sports.