On Friday, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines went back and forth on X over the issue of male athletes masquerading as women in women’s sports.
It all started when Gaines posted a photo of a high school softball league that won a state championship. Gaines noted that the “star player” on the squad is a boy who thinks he is a girl.
“To be expected when your star player is a boy,” Gaines said in response to the post about the team.
Comments off lol
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) June 6, 2025
To be expected when your star player is a boy https://t.co/2qY2onUhNW
“Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male,” Biles said to Gaines in response.
“This is so disappointing," Gaines wrote. “My take is the least controversial take on the planet. Simone Biles being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls’ dreams? Didn’t have that on my bingo card.”
“Maybe she could compete in pommel horse and rings in 2028,” Gaines added. “And the subtle hint at ‘body-shaming’ ???? Plzzzz I’ m 5’5.”
And the subtle hint at "body-shaming" ???? Plzzzz I'm 5'5" 😂😂😂😂
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) June 6, 2025
Biles added, “[Riley Gaines] You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser. You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!! But instead… You bully them… One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!”
Taylor Silverman, another female athlete who lost out on awards to a man, chimed in.
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“If Larry Nassar came out as “trans” would you want him moved to a women’s prison?” Silverman said, referring to the disgraced former physician for the United States women’s national gymnastics team.
If Larry Nassar came out as “trans” would you want him moved to a women’s prison?
— Taylor Silverman (@tmsilverman) June 7, 2025
Gaines followed up with pointing out that Biles had to witness sexual abuse from Nassar, but believes that female athletes should have to share locker rooms with male athletes.
All the horrific sexual abuse @Simone_Biles witnessed and spoke out against caused by one man, yet believes women should be forced to strip naked in front of men to validate the man's feelings.
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) June 7, 2025
You know how many gold medals you'd have if your "inclusive" dream came true? Zero. pic.twitter.com/VycE1BvAMP
To make my position on both topics very, very, very clear:
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) June 7, 2025
- I hope Larry Nassar spends the rest of his life rotting away and miserable in prison. Gymnasts were failed by a system that protected an abusive man at the expense of the girls' safety.
- men don't belong in women's…
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