Simone Biles and Riley Gaines Clash Over Trans Athletes in Sports
Olympic legend Simone Biles and conservative activist Riley Gaines are at the center of a heated online debate about transgender athletes in women’s sports.
The conflict began when Riley Gaines criticized Minnesota’s high school softball team, implying a transgender player was involved: “Comments off lol. To be expected when your star player is a boy.” The comment sparked backlash, with Simone Biles firing back on X, calling Gaines “a sore loser” and accusing her of bullying trans athletes.
Biles emphasized inclusion, saying Gaines should focus on creating fair competition instead of targeting individuals. Her response drew both praise and criticism. Supporters called her brave, while critics accused her of being disrespectful and abandoning her role model status.
Gaines responded by accusing Biles of body-shaming, referencing a deleted tweet and highlighting what she saw as hypocrisy. She defended her stance as a fight for fairness in women’s sports, stemming from her experience competing against trans swimmer Lia Thomas.
The debate escalated with figures like former NFL player Jay Feely and NASCAR’s Danica Patrick supporting Gaines. Feely claimed Biles wouldn’t have won medals if she faced trans athletes, while Patrick called trans inclusion “irrational.” The clash reflects a deeper national divide over gender identity, fairness, and the future of women’s sports — with Biles and Gaines symbolizing two powerful sides of the debate.
