Over the weekend, Simones Biles surprised many people by spontaneously calling out a right-wing transphobe named Riley Gaines. Riley was a college swimmer who competed one time against a group of swimmers, one of whom was a trans woman. That one swim competition radicalized Riley into a right-wing grifter/talking head whose sole issue is “bullying transgender people, especially trans children.” After Riley posted a photo of a kids’ team, attempting to target one trans child on the team, Simone had enough. Simone tagged Riley and said in part: “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.” Simone also tweeted: “bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male” at Riley directly. Well, Simone is too nice. A few days later, she posted this message:
I wanted to follow up from my last tweets. I’ve always believed competitive equity & inclusivity are both essential in sport. The current system doesn’t adequately balance these important principles, which often leads to frustration and heated exchanges, and it didn’t help for me to get personal with Riley, which I apologize for.
These are sensitive, complicated issues that I truly don’t have the answers or solutions to, but I believe it starts with empathy and respect. I was not advocating for policies that compromise fairness in women’s sports. My objection is to be singling out children for public scrutiny in ways that feel personal and harmful. Individual athletes—especially kids—should never be the focus of criticism of a flawed system they have no control over.
I believe sports organizations have a responsibility to come up with rules supporting inclusion while maintaining fair competition. We all want a future for sport that is fair, inclusive, and respectful.
Xoxo Simone
I still stand with Simone and her comments bring even more nuance to what was clearly her position all along: the start of these conversations should be empathy, respect, fairness AND inclusion. There are going to be flaws in the situation, but the answer isn’t using a public forum to bully, target and attack children. The one thing I don’t like is that she apologized to that ghastly bigot Riley Gaines. It only took one day for Riley to show her whole ass about this situation:
Gaines: I accept her apology and see this as a really big win. You have this famous public figure now issuing a groveling public apology and backtracks after tweeting pro-trans propaganda, if you will. pic.twitter.com/RVE34hiYEK
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 11, 2025
Yeah, I’m going to need Simone to come online again and say “On second thought, this bigot can kiss my ass, I meant every word I said before!” Don’t ever give these people an inch. “Groveling public apology” shut your f–king mouth.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Fox News screencap.
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- Paris, France. 30th Jul 2024. Simone Biles USA Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Olympische Spiele, Olympia, OS Artistic Gymnastics Women s Team Final Olympische Spiele 30.07.2024 *** Paris, France 30th Jul 2024 Simone Biles USA Paris 2024 Olympic Games Artistic Gymnastics Women s Team Final Olympic Games 30 07 2024,Image: 894316706, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Moritz Mueller / Avalon
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- PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 1: Simone Biles of United States poses with her gold medal after her victory during the Women s All-Around Final on day six of the Olympic Games, Olympische Spiele, Olympia, OS Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 1, 2024 in Paris, France. Paris Bercy Arena France *** PARIS, FRANCE AUGUST 1 Simone Biles of United States poses with her gold medal after her victory during the Women s All Around Final on day six of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 1, 2024 in Paris, France Paris Bercy Arena France Copyright: xJustPictures.ch/DanielaxPorcellix jp-en-EuSpIm-20240801-_DP16156,Image: 895013826, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Daniela Porcelli / Avalon
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- Simone Biles ( USA ) celebrates with her medal during the 2024 Artistic Gymnastics Olympics Games at Arena Bercy on August 01, 2024 in Paris, France. ( Photo by federico pestellini / DPPI / Panoramic ) -,Image: 895029949, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Federico Pestellini / Panoramic / Avalon
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- Paris, FRANCE – Simone Biles clinched gold in the Artistic Gymnastics final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, delivering a performance that reaffirmed her status as one of the sport’s greatest athletes. Pictured: Simone Biles BACKGRID USA 3 AUGUST 2024 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Hollywood, CA – The cast and creators of ‘Simone Biles Rising’ gathered at the Hollywood Athletic Club for Netflix’s FYSEE Emmy FYC event. Pictured: Simone Biles BACKGRID USA 3 JUNE 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
Riley Gaines did not lose to Lia Thomas. She tied her – for 5th. They both lost (or with the 4th losers, if you want to look at it that way). She acts like she had a medal taken from her, which is absurd.
Taylor Ruck
Isabel Ivey
Kelly Pash
Lilly Nordmann
ALL finished BEFORE Lia Thomas & Riley Gaines in that race but that doesn’t suit Riley’s grift so she has erased them and claimed their glory for herself.
It was actually a really excited race between Taylor and Isabel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thtX33M2nrM
Let’s see whose career accomplishments and advocacy efforts are still being discussed in two years.
One of these two can get on any news outlet that she wants, any time. The other is relegated to reactionary propaganda spouters to whom history will not be kind.
History never favors those who hate and bash others. Gaines will be lumped in with her nazi friends and forever be known as the sore loser who targeted kids to suck up to a monster. What a empty, angry, bitter life she must have.
Let’s see which one of these in two weeks that people can still remember their names.
Ewwwwwww. Go away.
PROTECT THE DOLLS.
I viewed Simone’s apology as apologizing for comparing Riley to a man which was unnecessary although hard to resist bc you know it got to Riley. I didn’t take it as an apology for the rest. Riley is repulsive to me in everything she says.
That’s how I took it too. She made a personal jab at Riley’s appearance. She thought about, realized it was petty and beneath her and detracted from the overall argument. So she apologized for that but none of her other points.
This week the world learned of the existence of someone named riley gaines. So you could say riley has achieved worldwide success in being transphobic. congrats riley.
I am so sick of these hateful MAGA Barbies.
Overdone makeup, pile of fake blonde hair, whiney I’m-so-persecuted racist & bigoted views…her audition for a spot on Fox News should be just about complete by now, shouldn’t it? What an insufferable little b*tch (with a face to match sorrynotsorry)
She’s already a regular Fox commentator.
Gaines is the blonde version of Candace Owens — no real career prospects – becomes the Fox news poster girl for trans hate.
One thing the right is doing is that EVERYONE stays on script — if a legitimate conversation regarding LGBTQ+ happens to break out – every right pundit immediately leaps to “protect women’s sports” — it does not matter if the initial discussion includes a trans person, the pundit always steers it back to this one issue. Be it Riley Gaines, Scott Jennings, POTUS, anyone in the administration….everyone is in the same playbook.
Same with immigration – every single discussion will come back to gangs, human trafficking, MS 13 — they are co-opting any discussion of issues with these messages and it is working.
People need to be educated on the “protect women’s sports” front. Republicants do not believe that Title IX should exist. I suspect that the only Title IX actions they this administration will bring or get involved in will be lawsuits in which men claim that Title IX is harming them. Republicants DO NOT care about women’s sports, and somehow we need to do a better job of getting that message out there.
Case in point: This adminstration wasted no time declaring that Title IX does not apply to name, image and likeness (NIL) deals. They almost immediately rescinded the Biden administration’s guidance that schools must equitably distribute direct payments to male and female athletes.
THIS! ⬆️ They’ve detested Title IX since the start.
I want to know who is paying Gaines. She graduated 3 years ago and has no job.
Her job is being a right wing “commentator” on Fox, online and at conferences like cpac. She’s made more with the grift than she ever would’ve as a mediocre swimmer.
She was apologizing because a ton of people said Simone was a bigot for calling Riley Gaines a man. She’s a bitter AH who entire life seems to be going after transkids.
I learned through this exchange that Riley Gaines is not a man. I guess I was thinking of Rowdy Gaines, for which I offer him an apology.
This is the problem: Everything is divided into “winners” and “losers” and right wings want everyone else to be “losers” all the time.
Then it doesnt even matter what the context– its all just “WE WON HAHA” no matter what terrible thing has actually just happened…..
It’s so childish. I understand why Simone apologized, but Riley Gaines missed the point entirely and is taking this as some kind of victory for anti-trans bigotry when it isn’t.
Riley is only relevant because she’s a bigot.
She has no notable achievements and no reason to be in the public eye other than she’s the type of blonde bigot that MAGA loves to platform. And if she was liberal (not on their side), they’d want to inspect her genitals.
I live in Canada and didn’t know who Riley was until a few weeks ago when John Oliver talked about her in a segment. She’s Fox News next generation.
The audacity of this white woman to characterize the GOAT’S statement as “groveling.” What a racist bitch.
RG shouldn’t be allowed to be in the same conversation as Simone. Gaines’ only achievement is bigotry. Simone could cover a wall with her gold medals.
“Groveling”? I flinched when I read that. The only good thing about her very nasty, likely racist, public comment is that for the rest of her miserable little life, no one will ever, ever apologize to her again.
lol: People will be like: “I’m really sorr….. Nope. ‘Cause I remember how she did Simone.” I’m sure she’ll enjoy her remaining 5 minutes or so of relative fame and infamy.
Riley is a forever bitch. Accept the apology (that Simone didn’t need to write) with grace, you cow.
I’m from TN, and we had to suffer through Marcia Blackburn campaign ads featuring this made-up sow talking about how Marcia “supported women’s sports”. I think she’s hoping for a career just like MB, and she may get one.
I don’t think that’s the apology she’s thinking it is…
Has this Riley chick been accused of doping cause that’s a huge jawline for a woman?
Compare and Contrast.
Comparison: They’re both human?
Contrast: In sports, one is the most winningest competitor in her sport; the other is a loser.