Former Roanoke College swimmer Lily Mullens, who publicly opposed a transgender athlete joining her women’s team, is voicing her concerns after Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger’s administration withdrew a proposed regulation intended to protect female-only sports and private spaces. Mullens, along with Hungarian Olympian Réka György and former teammate Carter Satterfield, formally petitioned the Virginia State Board of Health to enact the regulation.
“Up until recently, thanks to Governor Youngkin’s leadership grounded in truth, Virginia was making significant progress toward safeguarding females by keeping men out of women’s sports and spaces,” Mullens told OutKick. “Under the new leadership of Governor Spanberger, that progress has stalled.”
Mullens accused Governor Spanberger of failing to be transparent with the public about her decision, indicating that she lacks concern for female athletes in the state. Mullens expressed her disappointment, stating, “As a woman, I hoped she would understand the importance of this issue, but I have been proven wrong.”
Mullens reflected on the current situation in Virginia, questioning Governor Spanberger’s leadership and choice to prioritize gender ideology. “The truth is that men and women are biologically different. Virginia once had a leader who understood this and acted to protect women,” she said.
Mullens and her Roanoke College teammates gained national attention in 2023 by opposing a transgender student joining their women’s swimming team. Though the transgender swimmer eventually withdrew, Mullens, Satterfield, and György filed a petition in April 2025, seeking to prevent biological males from participating in female-only sports and entering female-designated spaces.
The petition gathered significant support, with over 2,300 public comments, prompting the Board of Health to unanimously vote for regulatory change. The Youngkin administration subsequently approved a Notice of Intended Regulatory Action, receiving further public comments.
However, the regulation was withdrawn by the State Board of Health on July 30, six months after Spanberger succeeded Youngkin as governor. The decision was made without a public announcement, with an official notice stating, “Upon review of statutory authority, the State Board of Health is not proceeding with this regulatory action.”
Réka György has also criticized this withdrawal. Reflecting on her experience competing against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the 2022 NCAA Championships, György highlighted her motivation to advocate for sex-separated sports.
Governor Spanberger, during her 2025 campaign, mentioned an existing process for evaluating transgender athletes’ participation that considered factors like age, sport, and competition level. Her office has not responded to requests for comment.
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