Riley Gaines went on X to prove she’s not as big as a man, as Olympian Simone Biles has claimed in their ongoing social media war.
Issuing a rebuke to Biles, Gaines posted video of herself being measured at 5-foot-5 – both below her listed height on Wikipedia and well shorter than most American men.
‘Figured I would whip out a tape measure to settle this debate,’ Gaines said in the clip she posted on X. Wikipedia says I’m 5-foot-9. Simone Biles, yesterday, told me to bully someone my own size and then said: ‘’Ironically, that would be a man.’’’
Gaines used Biles’ dig to remind her audience about the origin of their online beef: the debate over transgender athletes in female sports.
‘Number one, acknowledging there are differences between men and women, number two, this is my 6-foot-4 husband,’ Gaines continued, motioning towards her English-born swimmer Louis Barker.
Like her husband, Gaines was also a swimmer at the University of Kentucky, which is how she began advocating against the inclusion of transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports. It was in 2022 that Gaines famously tied for fifth place with transgender University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas in the 200-yard NCAA freestyle championship.
Issuing a rebuke to Biles, Gaines posted video of herself being measured at 5-foot-5 – both below her listed height on Wikipedia and well shorter than most American men
Olympian Simone Biles suggested Riley Gaines is as big as a man. Gaines has now responded
Referencing Thomas by her former name, Gaines claimed the ex-Penn swimmer is the same height as her husband, although online records put her three inches shorter at 6-foot-1.
Regardless, Gaines continued to make her point that she is not, in fact, as big as a man.
‘Clearly I don’t have shoes on,’ Gaines said while recording her reflection from a full-length mirror.
The outspoken conservative continued: ‘I have to stand on it or haters are gonna say we have a Republican tape measure.’
She then turned the camera toward the tape measure, revealing her height to be 5-foot-5.5.
‘Five-foot-five,’ she said, adding: ‘And a half.
‘This is for the Wikipedia people who list me at 5-foot-9, this is for Simone Biles who tells me to bully someone my own…’ Gaines said before the clip ended abruptly.
As of Saturday evening, Wikipedia was listing Gaines at 5-foot-7. It’s unclear if it was changed recently.
And if it matters: Biles is listed at 4-foot-8.
Gaines, 25, has forged a career as a political commentator for OutKick and Fox following her time as a swimmer.
On Friday, she retweeted a picture of Minnesota softball team Champlin Park, which recently won a state title with transgender pitcher Marissa Rothenberger.
‘Comments off lol,’ Gaines wrote in response to the post which wasn’t permitting any comments from the public. ‘To be expected when your star player is a boy.’
Biles attacked Gaines on X on Friday night after her latest remarks on trans athletes
It was in 2022 that Gaines (right) famously tied for fifth place with transgender University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas (left) in the 200-yard NCAA freestyle championship
It sparked a blistering response from Biles, 28, who first criticized Gaines’ view and then compared her appearance to a man. Biles wrote: ‘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. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!!
‘But instead… You bully them… One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!’
She then tweeted at Gaines again, saying: ‘Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.’
Gaines replied: ‘This is actually so disappointing. It’s not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces. You can uplift men stealing championships in women’s sports with YOUR platform. Men don’t belong in women’s sports and I say that with my full chest.’
She continued: ‘My take is the least controversial take on the planet. Simone Biles being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls’ dreams? Didn’t have that on my bingo card. Maybe she could compete in pommel horse and rings in 2028.’
Gaines then addressed Biles mocking her appearance, saying: ‘And the subtle hint at “body-shaming” ???? Plzzzz I’m 5’5″.’
Sage Steele, the former ESPN reporter who has also been a vocal critic of trans athletes, backed Gaines up with a fiery tweet of her own.
Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, also gave a savage reply to a Trump voter that wrote back to her: ‘Simone, there is a reason they have rings in men’s gymnastics, and not women’s. Male athletes have a biological advantage over female athletes. That will never changes.’
Biles wrote back: ‘Can you even read? I see we are lacking comprehension skills as well…..’
The gymnast has offered no further comment other than to retweet her original post calling Gaines ‘sick’.
