A group of "nasty" transgender activists crashed a storybook hour hosted by Riley Gaines and professional surfer Bethany Hamilton at a library in Springfield, Missouri, heckling speakers and mocking Hamilton, who lost an arm to a shark attack in 2003.
Gaines and Hamilton held Brave Books Story Hour last Friday but were oft interrupted by trans activists who dispersed themselves amongst the crowd, including one holding a stuffed shark toy in a dig at the one-armed Hamilton.
"How messed up is this? This protester brought a shark stuffed animal to mock Bethany Hamilton who lost her arm to a shark. Miserable, insufferable people. But oh so 'tolerant,' " Gaines posted to X, including a photo of the shark-carrying scoffer.
The story hour for kids is designed to celebrate biological female athletes. Both Gaines and Hamilton have been outspoken about biological men competing against women in amateur and professional sports. Hamilton announced in February 2023 that she was boycotting all World Surf League (WSL) events over the league's decision to allow biological men to compete among females.
"Male-bodied athletes should not be competing in female sports. Period," Hamilton, a mother of four, posted to X recently. Hamilton's life story inspired the movie "Soul Surfer."
Gaines, former swimmer at the University of Kentucky, infamously lost to trans swimmer Lia Thomas, a 6-foot-1 biological male born William Thomas, in the 2022 Division 1 swimming national championship, and has spoken out against the unfairness ever since.
Hamilton on Friday read from her book titled, "Surfing Past Fear," detailing overcoming her fear of sharks to become a world-famous surfer. That is, in between random disturbances from the trans antagonists in the crowd.
"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. "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."