Olympics star MyKayla Skinner reignites Simone Biles rivalry with explosive anti trans women’s sports alliance

Former Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner has joined XX-XY Athletics, an anti-trans sports advocacy group. This move follows a public dispute with Simone Biles and Skinner’s stated desire to champion women’s sports. Skinner aims to be a role model for young female athletes, emphasizing the importance of speaking out in the ongoing gender debate within sports.

MyKayla Skinner, the former Team USA Olympic gymnast and Tokyo silver medalist, has officially joined XX-XY Athletics, an anti-trans athletic brand that openly campaigns to stop biological males from competing in women’s sports. This move comes months after her public feud with Simone Biles, where she accused Biles of bullying and said she was mistreated during her time on the team. Skinner confirmed her partnership in an interview with Fox News, saying she wants to “protect women’s sports” and use her voice for young female athletes.

MyKayla Skinner and Simone Biles feud reignites after years of silent tension

MyKayla Skinner and Simone Biles were teammates at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. Simone withdrew from key events due to the “twisties”, while MyKayla went on to win silver in vault, the biggest achievement of her career. But their relationship turned cold in 2024, when Skinner said on YouTube that the new Team USA gymnasts lacked “work ethic.” Simone Biles reacted indirectly on Threads by writing, “not everyone needs a mic and a platform.” Soon after, Simone, along with Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee, and Jade Carey, blocked Skinner on social media.

The tension got worse when MyKayla defended former swimmer Riley Gaines, who campaigns against trans athletes. Simone Biles called Gaines “sick” and a “bully” in a viral X post, but later apologized. MyKayla Skinner then went public on One America News claiming Simone “belittled and ostracized” her behind the scenes and said she stayed silent for years out of respect for the sport.

MyKayla Skinner’s move to XX-XY Athletics aligns her with Riley Gaines and Nancy Hogshead

MyKayla Skinner has now signed with XX-XY Athletics, a new sportswear company that is openly anti-trans. The brand is backed by Riley Gaines, and also includes three-time Olympic gold swimmer Nancy Hogshead, who founded Champion Women and leads a petition with over 500 signatures to protect female sports. MyKayla Skinner said she wants to be a role model and is doing this “for her young daughter.” She said there is “no training for moral courage” and that female athletes must speak up.

This signing confirms that MyKayla Skinner is officially taking a public stand in the political and sports gender debate, while her fractured relationship with Simone Biles continues to draw attention.