Simone Biles has become one of the most high-profile athletes to defend the right of transgender athletes to compete in sports, and the gymnast’s comments on X last week quickly led to an intense news cycle around the issue.
Last week, the seven-time Olympic gold medalist took on Outkick commentator Riley Gaines on social media over Gaines’ heckling of Minnesota’s state-champion high school softball team. The team is led by a pitcher who is purportedly a transgender girl, as argued in lawsuits filed against the state earlier this year.
Gaines mocked the Minnesota State High School League’s post congratulating the Champlin Park team on its state championship, calling the pitcher “a boy.”
In response, Biles wrote that Gaines’ attacks on the trans community stem from being a “sore loser,” referencing Gaines’ entry into activism after finishing behind transgender UPenn swimmer Lia Thomas in the NCAA championships in 2022.
Biles encouraged Gaines to work toward solutions rather than “bully” targets like the Champlin Park pitcher.
“You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser,” wrote Biles. “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!!!!!
@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… https://t.co/pjpzuZ0AlO
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 6, 2025
In response, Gaines has fired back across the conservative media ecosystem. Online, she has pointed to Biles’ involvement in the USA Gymnastics abuse scandal in an attempt to draw a parallel between what can happen when men like Larry Nassar are involved in women’s sports and what Gaines believes will happen if transgender women are allowed to compete in sports despite various studies that show otherwise.
By Monday, two prominent women in sports media came to Biles’ defense. In a USA Today column on Friday, Nancy Armour celebrated Biles’ advocacy, writing, “In a world of Riley Gaineses, be a Simone Biles.”
Elsewhere, Atlantic columnist and iHeartMedia host Jemele Hill weighed in. Hill responded to one of Gaines’ posts, writing, “Simone Biles is a far better human being than you’ll ever be. You are a trash person who can’t stop terrorizing a group of people for your own gain.”
Simone Biles is a far better human being than you’ll ever be. You are a trash person who can’t stop terrorizing a group of people for your own gain.
Weaponizing sexual abuse is disgusting and shows you lack integrity, honor and decency.
I promise you will one day need the… https://t.co/5pci2sUt2N
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 8, 2025
National polling shows most Americans do not support transgender women competing against cisgender women. An April 27 survey by NBC News found that 75 percent of respondents disagreed with the idea that transgender women should compete in women’s sports. Transgender people supporters say that misleading narratives have skewed the conversation.
While Hill and Armour are prominent figures in traditional sports commentary, the pushback against Biles received significant coverage by conservative commentators, who have dominated the national conversation.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.