### Simone Biles and Riley Gaines Clash Over Transgender Athletes

Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles is confronting Riley Gaines, a former college swimmer and vocal critic of transgender women competing in female sports. Biles, known for her historic achievements in gymnastics, condemned Gaines in a heated post on X, labeling her as "sick" and a "sore loser."

Biles, 28, urged Gaines to support the transgender community and consider creating an inclusive sports environment or new categories for transgender athletes. "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," Biles wrote. She added, "Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!!"

In contrast, Riley Gaines, 25, has built a career in conservative media, actively opposing the inclusion of transgender women in female sports. Gaines argues that their participation is unfair and potentially unsafe for other competitors. Gaines' stance gained significant attention following her tie for fifth place with Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer from the University of Pennsylvania, in 2022.

The clash intensified when Gaines posted an image of a Minnesota girls high school baseball team featuring a transgender player, mocking the player by referring to her as a boy. This act provoked Biles' sharp response. Gaines quickly retaliated to Biles' criticism, expressing disappointment. "This is so disappointing. My take is the least controversial take on the planet," Gaines wrote on X. "Simone Biles being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls' dreams? Didn't have that on my bingo card."

The debate over transgender athletes in female sports has become a major issue in the United States. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February aiming to prohibit transgender women and girls from competing in female sports. Prior to this, at least 27 states had already implemented laws or policies banning transgender students from participating in sports according to their gender identities, according to the Movement Advancement Project, an LGBTQ think tank.