Riley Gaines and Simone Biles engage in a heated debate over the participation of transgender athletes in female sports competitions.
Trading Barbs: Biles and Gaines Lock Horns Over Trans Athletes
Gymnastics legend Simone Biles didn't mince words when she called out conservative sports commentator Riley Gaines this weekend. The five-time Olympic gold medalist took a swipe at Gaines for her staunch opposition to transgender athletes competing in women's sports.
Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer, has become a vocal advocate for excluding transgender women from women's competitions since tying with a transgender swimmer at the 2022 NCAA Swimming Championships. Recently, she's been criticizing young female teams for encouraging inclusivity. On Friday, Gaines posted a comment mocking a children's softball team's moderators for turning off post comments, stating, "Comments off lol. To be expected when your star player is a boy."
Biles quickly clapped back, slamming Gaines' comments as "sick" and advocating for a more inclusive environment in sports. She urged Gaines to "find a way to make sports inclusive" rather than bullying transgender athletes. Biles further criticized Gaines, saying, "One thing for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!"
Gaines hit back hard, dismissing Biles' advocacy for mental health and safety in sports as empty rhetoric. She insinuated that Biles should compete in men's gymnastics due to her views on transgender athletes. "Maybe she could compete in pommel horse and rings in 2028," Gaines replied.
Battling Strongly Opposing Views
Gaines gained notoriety following her fifth-place finish at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. Earning the reputation of an anti-trans activist, she has testified before Congress, joined a lawsuit against the NCAA, and even founded an advocacy center dedicated to fairness in women's sports. Gaines often allies herself with conservative political figures, such as former U.S. President Donald Trump.
On the other hand, Simone Biles has consistently advocated for athlete well-being throughout her career. Biles is an advocate for mental health awareness and championed a shift in the conversation following her withdrawal during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics due to the Twisties [1]. Additionally, as a prominent survivor of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal, Biles regularly uses her platform to call for accountability and establish safe environments in women's sports [1].
Despite their contrasting views and monumental successes within their respective sports, these two remarkable women, Biles and Gaines, stand on opposite sides of the issue of transgender athlete inclusion in women's sports [1].
Forbes- In the News: Forbes reports on the Fisk University decision to discontinue its HBCU gymnastics program in 2026.- Did You Know: Simone Biles and Riley Gaines have recently sparred over their differing views on transgender participation in women's sports. Biles has advocated for inclusivity, while Gaines has been a vocal opponent. Biles accused Gaines of being a "sore loser," while Gaines accused Biles of being a "male-apologist" [1].
[1] Forbes, "Enrichment Data"
Simone Biles and Riley Gaines, both prominent figures in sports and pop-culture, have been engaging in a heated debate on social media about transgender issues in sports. Biles, an Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics, has been advocating for inclusivity, while Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer, has been known for her opposition to transgender women competing in women's sports.
Gaines' criticism of young female teams encouraging inclusivity and her mocking comments towards a children's softball team with a transgender player did not sit well with Biles, who called out Gaines' remarks as "sick" and urged her to promote inclusivity instead of bullying transgender athletes.
In response, Gaines dismissed Biles' advocacy for mental health and safety in sports as empty rhetoric and suggested Biles compete in men's gymnastics due to her views on transgender athletes. This exchange escalated the controversy surrounding the issue of transgender athlete inclusion in women's sports.
Entertainment and sports communities have been following this tense standoff closely, with celebrities and fans weighing in on both sides. The debate has taken on even greater importance in the context of transphobia and ongoing discussion around transgender rights in pop-culture and entertainment.
