Simone Biles Responds to Backlash After Celebrating New Title
Olympian Simone Biles isn't backing down from critics after proudly embracing a new title.
Dubbed the 'most decorated gymnast of all time' due to her unparalleled achievements in sports, the Ohio native has earned the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All Time). This recognition has sparked admiration from fans and inspired calls for further celebration of her impact.
Advertisement
As she continues to break barriers, Biles recently received a new title, further cementing her mark in the world of sports.
On Monday, the 28-year-old received an honorary degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Wearing a green doctoral robe, she delivered a heartfelt acceptance speech after being awarded the title of Doctor of Humane Letters.
The 11-time Olympic medalist also took to social media to highlight her recent achievement and encourage her followers.
'Call me Dr. Biles from now on,' she captioned the TikTok post.
Amid the wave of fans congratulating the gymnast on her new title, others reacted negatively, questioning whether the honor was truly deserved.
Advertisement
'Sorry, I'm not calling you doctor,' one wrote.
'Respectfully, you're kind of making the rest of us look bad, Dr. Congratulations!' a follower added.
A fan expressed a strong opinion on the title and commented, 'Can we stop with the honorary degrees already? They're disrespectful to those who actually earned their doctorates.'
'This is a slap in the face to those who actually work hard to receive the degree,' a TikTok user chimed in.
''Dr. Biles' yeah, that's funny. Save the Dr. title for the real ones out here please. They earned it just like you earned your medal!' another added.
The recognition continues to draw mixed reactions, with some fans arguing that it was overly self-promotional.
Advertisement
'Meanwhile, we actually stressing and paying hella to get the real degrees,' a commenter wrote.
The same goes for another user who said, 'And you're not a doctor lol. Like you have no knowledge to teach anyone. Maybe if it's a PhD in gymnastics, then you got it, but if not, you don't deserve it, idc who you are, I work hard for my degrees.'
On the other hand, while critics questioned her use of the 'Dr.' title, the gymnast wasted no time in setting the record straight.
Simone Biles of the United States during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games. Jack Gruber-Imagn Images
Biles clarified that an honorary doctorate recognizes individuals who have made meaningful contributions to a specific field or to society, even if they haven't followed the conventional path of earning a doctoral degree.
Advertisement
'It's literally just an honor, kind of like an award,' she responded in one of the comments, adding, 'It isn't the same as an actual degree and we recognize that! God forbid I speak at the graduation.'
Related: Simone Biles' Latest Move 'Inspired' by Meghan Markle
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Cynthia Erivo and The Vivienne among ‘LGBT+ changemakers' in 2025 Pride List
Wicked actress Cynthia Erivo and drag queen The Vivienne are among the stars who feature on a list 'celebrating the most influential LGBT+ changemakers of the past year'. The Independent's Pride List for 2025 also includes retired Olympic diver Tom Daley, actor Bella Ramsey, artist David Hockney, comedian Joe Lycett and author Juno Dawson. Erivo, 38, who won a Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (Glaad) Award earlier in the year, was placed at number four on the top 10 list while The Vivienne, the drag alter-ego of the late James Lee Williams, is seventh. The Vivienne, who won the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK and spoke publicly about prejudices faced by LGBT+ people and by the drag community, died in January at the age of 32 and is a posthumous inclusion on the list. Topping the 2025 Pride List is Victoria McCloud, a lawyer, former judge and transgender woman who announced she would take the Government to the European Court of Human Rights over the Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of a woman. Dr McCloud said: 'I'm delighted and honoured that The Independent has included me in its Pride List this year. 'In 2025, more than ever before, amidst increasing oppression and segregation at home, with court and state against us, people from the trans community yearn to be bathed in rainbow light. 'These are uniquely dark times but we will challenge those who wish to marginalise us, be they Government or activists with money and the odd mega-yacht to spare. 'We have been here for centuries; we will be here for centuries to come. The quiet majority walk with us.' In April the UK's highest court unanimously ruled that the terms woman and sex in the Equality Act 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex'. Chloe Hubbard, UK editor of The Independent, said: 'We are proud to champion our most influential LGBT+ changemakers once again on our annual Pride List in a year where the community has been further marginalised on both sides of the Atlantic. 'Visibility and pride within the queer community feels more vital than ever and we are dedicated to continuing to occupy our unique place in the media on LGBT+ issues.' In 2023, The Independent relaunched its Rainbow List as the Pride List, to recognise 50 extraordinary 'LGBT+ changemakers'. The 2024 list included Doctor Who and Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa, commentator and former England footballer Alex Scott, Wicked and Bridgerton actor Jonathan Bailey and screenwriter Russell T Davies. To mark the publication of its Pride List, The Independent will host an event at Queer Britain on June 11. This year's top 10: 1. Victoria McCloud, former judge of the King's Bench2. Juno Dawson, author3. Bella Ramsey, actor4. Cynthia Erivo, actor and singer5. Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care6. David Hockney, artist7. The Vivienne, drag artist, singer and television personality8. Joe Lycett, comedian, television presenter and artist9. Tom Daley, Olympic gold medallist and television personality10. Yasmin Benoit, model and activist
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
She Thought Her Best Friend Came Over to Hang Out. Then She Played Her Own Funeral Montage (Exclusive)
Alexis, who works in the funeral industry, made a 24-minute video to be played at her own memorial — and debuted it at her best friend's house The emotional and hilarious moment went viral after Jasmine posted the clip to TikTok with the caption, 'Having a morbid best friend… is not for the weak' Alexis says her motivation is love, not morbidity: 'I just want to be prepared — and make sure I look good doing it'It was supposed to be just another night in for Jasmine and her best friend of 11 years, Alexis, filled with comfort food and familiar banter. Instead, Alexis showed up with a laptop and a 24-minute funeral montage she made for herself — complete with emotional music, carefully selected photos, and a vision for how she wants to be remembered. 'I made my funeral montage,' Alexis told Jasmine as she connected the laptop to the TV. 'I was like, girl, get this out of my house,' Jasmine tells PEOPLE. The moment, which was captured in a TikTok clip that quickly went viral, showed Alexis hitting play on her carefully curated farewell video. The caption read: 'Having a morbid best friend who works in funeral and cemetery services is not for the weak.' For Alexis, who's spent over six years in the cemetery and funeral industry, this kind of planning is second nature. 'I've always just been a little morbid and creepy myself,' she admits, adding that her Mexican-American upbringing helped her embrace death rather than fear it. Their friendship, Jasmine says, has always felt fated. 'We've always been kind of connected,' she shares. 'Like we were meant to meet. We would have met somehow.' The inspiration for Alexis's montage came after Jasmine's cousin's motorcycle accident left everyone unprepared for the worst. 'He's a young man, so he had no will, he had no nothing,' Alexis says. 'That was one of the questions I was asking: does he have anything like a power of attorney? Who's making the decisions here?' Thankfully, he didn't die, but that experience, along with the loss of another relative, motivated Alexis to take control of her own story. 'I'm really particular, and I don't trust anybody to do things the way that I want to do it,' she says. 'If this happens to me, you make sure I'm right. Don't have me looking all crazy with two different-shaped eyebrows. I got to have my nails done. I want a specific color of flowers.' She laughs about wanting only the 'hottest photos' in her montage, but her motivation is deeply practical. 'By pre-planning and getting your affairs in order and even doing stuff like this, you're unburdening your family from having to do this,' Alexis explains. 'I've been in this situation where I've had to put this together at the time of somebody's passing, and you're just miserable.' Jasmine remembers the night vividly. 'She comes over to my house with a laptop and says, 'I need to screen play onto your TV.' I'm like, 'what did you do?' And she's like, 'I made my funeral montage.' I was like, girl, get this out of my house.' But Alexis insisted, and soon the video was playing — sad music, special montages for Jasmine's kids and all. The tears came quickly, but so did the laughter. 'We were both crying watching it. I'm right here, what am I doing?' Jasmine says. 'They're looking at us like, what's the matter with you guys?' For Alexis, humor and honesty are essential parts of coping with life's hardest moments. 'I just want everybody to be miserable without me,' she jokes, but she also wants her loved ones to have something to smile about when the time comes. The TikTok's success was a surprise to both. Jasmine originally posted it to her private Instagram, thinking it was just another silly video between friends. 'It just so happened to go viral,' she says. 'At the time, I wasn't thinking about that. But I was like, let me show all the people that follow me what this dummy's up to today. Because it's always something with her.' The internet's reaction was immediate and divided. Some people worried Alexis was 'manifesting' her own death, while others praised her for being so prepared. 'What's the difference between doing this and making a will?' Jasmine says. 'You're not manifesting your own demise. You're just being prepared.' Alexis's approach to death — and life — has even changed Jasmine's perspective. 'I used to be super afraid of death. Like, don't even talk about it,' Jasmine admits. 'But being friends with her, going through my own medical traumas and things, I've learned to cope with it through comedy, laughing, and accepting it. We all know we're going to pay taxes, and we're all going to die. None of us know when.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Their friendship, Jasmine says, is built on honesty, laughter and a willingness to tackle even the toughest topics together. 'If you have people in your life that care for you the way we care for each other, hold on to them. Say sorry when you mess up,' Alexis says. 'Nothing's ever that serious in life. Even death isn't that serious.' Every detail of Alexis's final wishes is planned out — from who gets her favorite Darth Maul t-shirt to the color of her funeral flowers. 'I have my power of attorney. I have my last will. It literally goes down to the t-shirts that I have,' she says. 'This is the last time I'm going to see that video because I won't be there when they play it.' Read the original article on People
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Ex-NASCAR driver Danica Patrick weighs in on Riley Gaines and Simone Biles' social media feud over trans athletes
Former IndyCar and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick proudly confessed to taking the 'red pill' as the racing star publicly backed political activist Riley Gaines in her ongoing feud with decorated Olympian Simone Biles over transgender athletes competing in women's sports. 'This issue has a shelf life. I truly believe common sense will prevail,' Patrick, 43, said on Instagram Sunday. 'But until then, I am grateful for people like Riley Gaines who are making sure no one gets away with it. Not to mention the fact that she actually lived it.' 4 Danica Patrick defended Riley Gaines in her ongoing feud with Simone Biles over transgender athletes. Getty Images Advertisement 'Defending men in women's sports is the woke mind virus and/or another issue that requires therapy. Either way, it is so irrational,' she added. Patrick's comments are the latest in an ongoing war of words between anti-trans activist and former University of Kentucky swimmer Gaines and Olympic gymnast Biles that broke out Friday – a spat that has seen cheap shots taken by both sides. The sparring began when Biles targeted Gaines with a seemingly unprompted tweet amid controversy over a Minnesota trans high-school softball pitcher's shutout in the state finals Thursday that helped secure the championship. Advertisement '@Riley_Gaines_ You're truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race,' 28-year-old Biles tweeted, referencing Gaines' tie during a race with trans University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA championship. 4 Simone Biles called Riley Gaines a 'bully' for her social media posts about transgender athletes. Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency / '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!!' Biles wrote. 'bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male,' she later added. Advertisement Gaines, 25, fired back. '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,' Gaines said. Gaines alluded to Biles' efforts to take down former Team USA gymnastics doctor and prolific sex criminal Larry Nassar. 'All the horrific sexual abuse @Simone_Biles witnessed and spoke out against caused by one man, yet [she] believes women should be forced to strip naked in front of men to validate the man's feelings,' Gaines wrote in another tweet. Advertisement 4 Riley Gaines pulled no punches in her bitter online feud with celebrated Olympian Simone Biles. Getty Images Gaines also unearthed an old comment of Biles and used it against her in the widening dispute. 'ahhhh good thing guys don't compete against girls or he'd take all the gold medals !!' Biles wrote in the 2017 tweet, apparently responding to the men's division results at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. 'Oop don't you hate it when your past self completely undermines your current nonsensical argument?' Gaines wrote sarcastically, retweeting Biles' post. 'How has 2025 Simone reconciled with the fact 2017 Simone was a 'truly sick bully' by her own standard?' 4 Danica Patrick said she cast a vote for the first time in her life in the last election when she pulled the lever for Donald Trump. Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images Patrick's position comes after she announced she would be voting for President Trump in the last election. Last October, at a campaign event with now Vice President JD Vance Patrick announced that she would be voting for the first time at the age 42. 'I just want to say I've never voted before, but this time around, I have to vote,' Patrick said, sharing the stage with Vance. 'It's that important.' Advertisement She said she would be voting for 'the good guys.' 'I just want to be clear, I want to get on record — you're voting for us, right?' Vance then asked. '1,000%,' Patrick replied, joking that if she 'could vote twice,' she would. Patrick retired in 2018 after the 2018 Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500.
