Simone Biles Critiques Riley Gaines Over Transgender Athlete Debate
On Friday, Simone Biles confronted OutKick contributor Riley Gaines regarding a controversial incident involving transgender athlete Marissa Rothenberger, who played a pivotal role in leading Champlin Park High School to a state championship in Minnesota.
The Minnesota State High School League shared a celebratory team photo online, which Gaines commented on, noting that comments on the post had been disabled.
Gaines stated, “What do you expect when your star player is a boy?” This drew a response from Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, who found Gaines’ comments “really ill.” Biles had previously said to Gaines in 2022, “It’s all about this campaign because you lost the race. Straighten the loser’s pain.”
Biles emphasized the importance of uplifting the transgender community, suggesting that the focus should be on creating inclusive sports environments. “We should probably find ways to make sports inclusive and create new pathways where trans individuals feel safe,” she said, noting the potential for a separate category for transgender athletes.
In her remarks, Biles also pointed out that Gaines’s criticisms seemed contradictory, stating, “Ironically, you’re bullying your own size.” This back-and-forth continued as Gaines responded, voicing her beliefs about men competing in women’s sports. “It’s not our responsibility as women to include men in our space,” she said, adding that men shouldn’t be allowed to compete in women’s sports.
Gaines further questioned whether Biles’s stance was compromising the dreams of young girls, remarking, “Didn’t I have that on my bingo card? Maybe she could compete in 2028 with a Pommel horse.”
Addressing body image issues, Gaines mentioned her height, stating, “And subtle hints on ‘body shaming’???? plzzzzzz I’m 5’5.” Her comments came after being criticized for her views.
Biles, in turn, pushed back against claims that trans athletes shouldn’t compete against female athletes, highlighting misunderstandings surrounding the issue. “Can you read too? We can see that we also lack understanding skills,” she remarked, suggesting that the conversation needed more nuance.
Recent research indicates that a significant majority, around 80%, of the population believes biological men should not participate in women’s sports, which adds another layer of complexity to this ongoing debate. The discussions around this topic reflect a broader societal struggle to find balance and fairness in sports.
