Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines defiantly reveals pregnancy with a baby girl while facing continued attacks from Olympic gymnast Simone Biles over women’s sports advocacy, proving that protecting female athletes’ rights extends to future generations.
Key Takeaways
- Riley Gaines announced her pregnancy with a baby girl at the Young Women’s Leadership Summit, using the moment to reinforce her stance on protecting women’s sports
- Simone Biles previously attacked Gaines with personal insults, calling her a “sore loser” and making body-shaming comments before later issuing an apology
- Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner defended Gaines, revealing she was also “belittled, dismissed and ostracized” by Biles during their time as teammates
- The conflict highlights the ongoing conservative-supported battle for maintaining biological distinctions in women’s athletics, now championed by President Trump
A Pregnancy Announcement Amid Sports Controversy
Conservative women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines has announced she is 26 weeks pregnant with her first child, a baby girl, in the midst of an ongoing public dispute with Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles. The former NCAA swimmer shared the news during the Young Women’s Leadership Summit on June 14, combining her personal joy with her continued advocacy for protecting women’s sports from transgender participation. Gaines, who married her husband Louis Barker in 2022, has been a prominent voice against biological males competing in women’s sports since her collegiate swimming career.
The announcement came with emotional significance as Gaines told the audience, “Oh my goodness, this has been the hardest secret in the world for me to keep,” showing her baby bump to enthusiastic applause. The timing appears strategic, coming shortly after a heated exchange with Biles on social media that centered on transgender athletes in women’s sports. Gaines later shared her pregnancy news on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), featuring ultrasound photos and countryside family portraits with her husband, making clear that her advocacy now carries additional personal motivation.
The Biles-Gaines Feud Intensifies
The conflict began when Biles harshly criticized Gaines on social media, calling her “truly sick” and a “sore loser” for her stance against biological males in women’s sports. Biles escalated with body-shaming comments, writing: “Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male,” and adding “One thing’s for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!” The gymnastics star later apologized for getting personal in her attacks, but maintained her position supporting transgender inclusion in sports. Gaines accepted the apology while standing firm on her advocacy work.
“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 people feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!! But instead… You bully them… One thing’s for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!,” Said Simone Biles.
Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner stepped into the controversy, defending Gaines and revealing her own negative experiences with Biles. Skinner claimed she was “belittled, dismissed and ostracized” by Biles during their time as Olympic teammates, and that she faced pressure to remain silent about these experiences. Her public support of Gaines marks a significant moment where multiple high-profile female athletes have challenged the narrative on transgender participation in women’s sports, despite potential backlash from progressive figures in athletics.
Defending Women’s Sports Across Generations
Skinner elaborated on her support for Gaines in a lengthy statement that cut to the heart of the fairness issue. “As an athlete who has dedicated years to a sport, I’ve always believed that true competition should elevate us — not diminish others. That’s why it’s deeply troubling to see Simone Biles publicly label a fellow female athlete a ‘sore loser’ — simply for expressing valid concerns about fairness in women’s sports,” Skinner stated, highlighting the principle that protecting athletic opportunities for biological women shouldn’t be controversial or subject to personal attacks.
“belittled, dismissed and ostracized,” Said MyKayla Skinner.
Gaines’ pregnancy announcement has added a powerful dimension to her advocacy work. By revealing she’s expecting a daughter, Gaines has effectively communicated that her fight to maintain biological distinctions in women’s sports isn’t merely political but deeply personal. The timing of her announcement, coming after Biles’ public criticism, transforms what could have been just another chapter in the transgender sports debate into a statement about protecting opportunities for future generations of female athletes. President Trump’s administration has solidified protections for women’s sports, but advocates like Gaines continue to face significant pushback from progressive athletes and media.
