Following a Supreme Court decision that upheld state laws protecting women's sports, former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines and Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner have issued a call to action for fellow elite athlete Simone Biles. The appeal comes more than a year after a public dispute between Biles and Gaines regarding transgender athletes' participation in women's sports.
Skinner, a former teammate of Biles on the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team, expressed her motivation for joining the advocacy, stating that Biles' prior public stance against Gaines had a significant impact on her. "Just being able to try to find my voice and how I could use my voice after Simone had come out against Riley, it had really affected me," Skinner said. She articulated her desire to preserve athletic opportunities for her own young daughter, emphasizing the importance of ensuring future generations have access to the same experiences she did as a record-breaking college athlete and Olympian.
"I want her to have the opportunities that I had," Skinner said. "And so this, for me, was a way that I felt like this is the time for me to come up and stand for what I believe in, stand with Riley, and to join in on this fight."
Skinner directly addressed Biles, suggesting it would be impactful for the renowned athlete to lend her support. "I think it would just be really cool to see Simone stand with us. She’s one of the best athletes in the world," Skinner stated. She hopes to see more prominent female athletes, including Biles, join Gaines, XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey, and others in advocating for the preservation of women's sports.
Gaines, who gained prominence after her experience at the 2022 NCAA championships, reiterated her previous calls for Biles to align with the movement. She also extended the invitation to current prominent athletes such as Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham. Gaines described the Supreme Court's ruling as a source of vindication. "I feel, of course, excited, I feel optimistic about the future. But I think the feeling that I feel the most of is vindicated," Gaines said.
Biles' public disagreement with Gaines began in June 2025, following Gaines' commentary on a transgender softball player's participation in a Minnesota girls' championship. Biles' social media posts at the time criticized Gaines, which later led to an apology from the gymnast. Skinner also shared her past experiences with Biles, noting instances where she felt belittled. Skinner has since become an ambassador for XX-XY Athletics, aligning with Gaines and other activists in the women's sports advocacy space.
Both Gaines and Skinner believe Biles' initial public statements reflected her genuine views, with Gaines suggesting Biles' subsequent apology appeared to be a response to public pressure. Gaines stated she has accepted Biles' apology and remains open to collaboration. She also posited that the public reaction to Biles' comments might indicate a broader societal shift in perspective on the issue.
The Supreme Court's decision does not mandate that all states or schools ban transgender athletes from participating in women's sports, as the court did not address the specific question of whether schools can permit biological males identifying as female to compete on such teams. However, for Gaines and Skinner, the ruling represents a significant legal victory and an opportunity to engage with high-profile athletes on the issue.