Jesse Watters' Dig At Simone Biles Hits A New Low — And It's ‘Incredibly Damaging'

Yahoo

15 hours ago

Fox News host Jesse Watters recently shared his two cents about a public dispute between Simone Biles and right-wing activist Riley Gaines — and he decided to take a shot at Biles' mental health in the process.
During a segment of 'The Five' on Wednesday night, Watters chided Biles as 'mentally weak' in a conversation about the gymnastics star, who recently criticized Gaines for bullying a teenage softball player, who is transgender. Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer, shared a picture on X, formerly Twitter, of the teenager posing with her team. Gaines misgendered the young athlete and complained that the comments on the photo were turned off.
Biles, the most decorated gymnast of all time, responded on X by calling Gaines 'truly sick' and a 'sore loser' — a reference to Gaines tying for fifth place in a 2022 NCAA Division I national championship race against swimmer Lia Thomas, who is transgender. Gaines was among more than a dozen athletes who sued the NCAA in 2024 for Thomas' inclusion in the national championships.
The Olympic gold medalist said that Gaines should be 'uplifting the trans community' and trying to make sports more inclusive.
'Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male,' Biles wrote in another post.
Gaines, for her part, referenced Biles' sexual abuse case against disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar (who was convicted of sexually abusing female gymnasts) before writing in a post: 'Yet [Biles] believes women should be forced to strip naked in front of men to validate the man's feelings.'
Biles, not Gaines, later apologized for getting personal in the online clash.
On 'The Five,' Watters mocked Biles for the apology, comparing it to Elon Musk's recent change of tune after engaging in an explosive online spat with President Donald Trump last week.
Watters jeered that he would refrain from criticizing the gymnastics icon too much in the event she decides to compete in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. 'I just want to lay back and hope she trains for L.A.,' he said.
'If we start messing with her head, she's mentally weak — remember the one time she...' he continued, while moving his finger in a circular motion by his head — a common gesture used to criticize someone's mental state.
Biles has become an advocate for mental health awareness after she withdrew from several competitions at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, citing concerns for her mental and physical well-being. The gymnastics star shared that she was struggling with a disorientation issue that gymnasts sometimes experience, known as the 'twisties.'
Watters' dismissal of Biles' efforts to focus on her mental health is 'incredibly damaging,' said Monica Cwynar, a licensed clinical social worker with Thriveworks, who specializes in trauma and coping skills.
'It undermines her strength and courage in addressing these issues,' she said. 'Mental health struggles are complex and often invisible, and equating them with weakness perpetuates harmful stereotypes that frankly just aren't true. This is the type of narrative that prevents people from seeking help.'
Cwynar said that Biles faces heightened challenges as a Black female athlete in a predominantly white sport.
'For Black athletes, the pressure to perform can be compounded by societal expectations and biases,' she said. 'Biles' experience with 'twisties' highlights that prioritizing mental well-being is essential for performance, and it should be seen as a strength rather than a flaw.'
Cwynar, a former gymnast herself, also emphasized how dangerous it would have been for Biles to compete while experiencing such disorientation. 'It could have ended with an injury that could have ended her career,' she said.
Comments like what the Fox News host spewed on TV are likely to make people 'less likely to seek help or share their own struggles,' Cwynar said.
And for Biles, these remarks can exacerbate any feelings of 'isolation or shame' that she may have experienced — 'especially considering the added scrutiny she faces as a Black athlete in a field that often overlooks the mental health needs of marginalized individuals,' she said.
Watters' attacks on Biles help to create a 'culture where being vulnerable is seen as a weakness, which can have negative implications for mental health awareness,' Cwynar added.
It's a 'common tactic in debates that rely on personal attacks,' Cwynar said. 'This approach deflects from the actual topic and shifts focus to character criticism.'
Cwynar also said that 'given the racial dynamics at play,' Watters' remarks could reflect an underlying bias, since 'Black individuals often face heightened scrutiny.'
'This tactic aims to delegitimize her struggles and could perpetuate the idea that Black athletes are less competent or resilient, which is another insidious stereotype,' she said.
Cwynar explained that she would encourage anyone who faces scrutiny or mockery for their mental health struggles to 'engage positively with their mental health journey through support networks or professional help can empower them.'
As for Biles, Cwynar commended the gymnastics star for drawing attention to mental health awareness.
'She has helped many people get into treatment,' she said, 'and that's a win for us all.'
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