Simone Biles rails against ‘sore loser' conservative activist over trans athletes
Olympian gymnast Simone Biles on Friday night clashed with conservative activist Riley Gaines over a transgender athlete's participation on a Minnesota high school's softball team.
Gaines railed against a post on social platform X from the Minnesota State High School League that celebrated Champlin Park High School's first softball state championship win.
'Comments off lol,' Gaines wrote, referencing MSHSL's X settings. 'To be expected when your star player is a boy.'
The pitcher on Champlin Park's team identifies as transgender and pitched a shutout, delivering a 6-0 win over Bloomington Jefferson High School on Friday.
'You're truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race,' Biles responded to Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer, calling her a 'bully' and a 'straight up sore loser.'
Gaines, a student athlete turned political pundit, has become a vocal critic against the participation of transgender athletes in girls and women's sports. Her rise on the right came after tying for fifth place in the 2022 NCAA Championships with transgender swimmer and LGBTQ advocate Lia Thomas.
'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 sport,' Biles continued in her thread on Friday. 'Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!!
Earlier this year, Gaines joined President Trump at the White House when he signed an executive order barring the participation of trans athletes in sports that align with their gender identity. This order prompted an investigation into the Minnesota high school sports governing body and the state's federal funding, which the North Star State is fighting in court.
The former University of Kentucky swimmer responded to the 11-time Olympic medalist's defense of the young athlete, calling her remarks 'disappointing.'
'It's not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces,' Gaines wrote on X. 'You can uplift men stealing championships in women's sports with YOUR platform.'
'Men don't belong in women's sports and I say that with my full chest,' she added.
Last month, a conservative group on behalf of three softball players sued the North Star State over its 2015 transgender athlete policy, local outlets reported.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
43 minutes ago
- USA Today
UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs. O'Malley 2 watch-along live stream with MMA Junkie Radio
UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs. O'Malley 2 watch-along live stream with MMA Junkie Radio UFC 316 goes down Saturday night with two championship fights atop the bill, and MMA Junkie Radio's "Gorgeous" George and "Goze" will host a live-streamed watch-along right here at 8 p.m. ET. In the headliner, bantamweight champion champion Merab Dvalishvili (19-4 MMA, 12-2 UFC) takes on challenger and ex-champ Sean O'Malley (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in a rematch. In the co-feature, women's bantamweight titleholder Julianna Peña (13-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) meets Kayla Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), a two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time PFL $1 million champion who is one of the biggest title challenger betting favorites in UFC history. UFC 316 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Check out the watch-along in the video above.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Riley Gaines and Simone Biles Beef Online Amid Trans Athlete Debate
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and former collegiate swimmer and conservative activist Riley Gaines have exchanged barbs on social media amid a debate over transgender athletes in sports. Newsweek reached out to press representatives for Biles and Gaines via email on Saturday. Why It Matters A national debate about transgender athletes escalated during the 2024 presidential election cycle, as President Donald Trump pledged to minimize transgender athletes' participation in sports that don't match their biological sex. One of his first executive orders mandated that the government only recognize the existence of two sexes—male and female—which he said are "not changeable." Biles, 28, is the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history, with 11 medals, including seven gold. She has also earned dozens of world championship medals and complex gymnastic moves have been named after her. She is a prominent voice in both sports and mental health. Gaines, 25, a former collegiate swimmer for the University of Kentucky, has been outspoken in her opposition to transgender policies in sports and is the host of the Gaines for Girls podcast. What To Know On Friday, Riley Gaines reposted a message from the Minnesota State High School League on X, formerly Twitter, of the Champlin Park High School's championship win, writing "comments off lol. To be expected when your star player is a boy." Her comment follows reports that Marissa Rothenberger, a 17-year-old member of the team, is transgender. Newsweek has reached out to the school for comment via email on Saturday. Biles reshared Gaines' post, calling her "truly sick." @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... — Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 6, 2025 The post continued: "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!!!!!" In 2022, Gaines tied for fifth place in a competition with swimmer Lia Thomas, a transgender athlete during a collegiate competition. In another post Biles said to Gaines "bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male." Gaines wrote in response: "This is actually so disappointing. It's not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces. You can uplift men stealing championships in women's sports with YOUR platform. Men don't belong in women's sports and I say that with my full chest." (L): Simone Biles, of the United States, holds up her medals after the women's artistic gymnastics individual apparatus finals Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (R):Former collegiate... (L): Simone Biles, of the United States, holds up her medals after the women's artistic gymnastics individual apparatus finals Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (R):Former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines stands following a news conference after the House passed a measure that would ban transgender women and girls from school sports programs aimed at female students on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, in Washington. More AP Photo/Charlie Riedel/Mark Schiefelbein In a separate post she added, "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." In a third post, Gaines wrote, "And the subtle hint at "body-shaming" ???? Plzzzz I'm 5'5." Early into Saturday, Gaines began posting about Biles and the sexual abuse of former Team USA doctor Larry Nassar. Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison in 2017 over child pornography charges, and in 2018 plead guilty to criminal sexual conduct in Michigan. Gaines shared a clip of Biles testifying about Nassar's actions next to her X post to Gaines, with the caption: "Simone Biles when she had to endure a predatory man Vs Simone Biles when other girls have to endure predatory men." Gaines has continued to share various generated images jabbing at Biles. What People Are Saying Alex Cole, an influencer on X with over 300,000 followers, wrote on X: "Simone Biles has 11 Olympic medals. Riley Gaines has 11 Fox News appearances complaining about people who actually win medals." Payton McNabb, former high school volleyball player and sports ambassador at Independent Women, told Newsweek in an email Saturday: "Female athletes train hard, sacrifice, and compete with heart. They deserve a level playing field, not a rigged system that favors male strength and biology." Brandon Wolf, press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, said in an X post: "Simone Biles is the GOAT. Riley Gaines is the poster child for turning failure into grift. And that's that on that." President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post earlier this week: "A Biological Male competed in California Girls State Finals, WINNING BIG, despite the fact that they were warned by me not to do so. As Governor Gavin Newscum fully understands, large scale fines will be imposed!!!" White House spokesperson Harrison Fields told Newsweek on Tuesday: "President Trump is protecting women in sports and restoring common sense. Those who choose to violate federal law will be held accountable." What Happens Next The Trump administration has launched multiple investigations into whether sports governing bodies and educational institutions have violated federal antidiscrimination laws, particularly under Title IX.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
The world is celebrating Pride in Washington, against the backdrop of Trump's White House.
Marching bands, floats and revelers festooned in rainbows and sparkles are expected to fill the streets of Washington on Saturday for one of the world's largest L.G.B.T.Q. festivals. The city holds a local Pride parade annually. But this year's event will be much bigger, as Washington hosts the WorldPride Parade, which attracts visitors from around the world. Sydney hosted it last time, and Amsterdam is up next. This year's location was decided before the 2024 election that brought Donald J. Trump back to the White House, which sits less than half a mile from where the parade's route will culminate on Saturday. The parade is not expected to attract as many people as organizers had hoped, with some international L.G.B.T.Q. groups deciding not to participate. Momentum for the event began to slow shortly after Mr. Trump's inauguration. Mr. Trump has issued executive orders restricting gender identities on travel documents and barring transgender people from serving in the military. He has also pushed the federal government to end its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and many private companies have followed his lead. He took over the Kennedy Center, demanding that the Washington-based arts venue stop hosting drag shows. Just this week, Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, ordered the Navy to consider removing the name of Harvey Milk, the gay rights icon, from one of its ships, arguing that the name may not reflect the nation's 'warrior ethos.' Some corporate sponsors of previous Pride parades pulled their funding this year or did not renew their financial support. Ryan Bos, the executive director of Capital Pride Alliance, said that corporate funding reached about only half of the fund-raising goal for WorldPride and that some sponsors who did offer funding asked that their logos not be prominently displayed. Even amid this climate, the WorldPride parade, which begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday, is expected to be a joyful affair, according to its organizers. The day is scheduled to end with a performance on the Capitol Concert Stage by the actress and singer Cynthia Erivo. The parade has named three grand marshals: the actress and trans activist Laverne Cox, the lesbian performer Reneé Rapp and Deacon Maccubbin, who helped organize the city's first Pride parade 50 years ago outside his L.G.B.T.Q. bookstore, Lambda Rising. Peaches Christ, a drag queen from San Francisco, has been at WorldPride this week to host a performance by the International Pride Orchestra (which was originally set for the Kennedy Center but moved to the Music Center at Strathmore in Maryland). She said the energy at WorldPride has been 'electric.' 'The vibe this year is that Pride is a protest,' she said. 'The community is fired up and ready to fight.'
