Anti-trans activist Riley Gaines is bragging about how Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles apologized to her in their days-long social media disagreement over trans rights.

Earlier this week, Biles apologized to Gaines for getting “personal” in her comments to Gaines where Biles defended trans people’s participation in sports. Some of those comments included telling Gaines that she’s “truly sick” and that she’s as big as a man.

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That is, Biles did not change her opinion on the issue and just apologized for her personal insults. But Gaines ran to Fox News to claim it as a win on the merits.

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“I accept her apology. I see this truthfully as a really big win,” Gaines said on Fox News. “You have this really famous public figure who is now issuing a groveling and backtracks after, again, tweeting pro-trans propaganda, if you will, this scenario would have been unthinkable a year, certainly two years ago.”

“Whether it’s sincere or not, I think that’s a different question, but nonetheless, she learned we are not living in 2020 anymore,” Gaines concluded. The mention of 2020 is likely a reference to the protests that occurred after George Floyd died that year, which many conservatives see as the high point of progressivism.

Over the weekend, the iconic gymnast called Gaines out after Gaines bullied a high school girls’ softball team for allowing a trans girl to play with them.

Biles replied with disdain, telling Gaines, “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!!!!!”

Gaines expressed hurt, saying that it was “so disappointing” that Biles wouldn’t take her side in mocking the high school students.

“It’s not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces,” she said. “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.”

Simone then responded, “bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.”

This week, Biles apologized. “I’ve always believed competitive equity & inclusivity are both essential in sport. The current system doesn’t adequately balance these important principles, which often leads to frustration and heated exchanges, and it didn’t help for me to get personal with Riley, which I apologize for.” 

“These are sensitive, complicated issues that I truly don’t have the answers or solutions to, but I believe it starts with empathy and respect,” Biles continued. “I was not advocating for policies that compromise fairness in women’s sports. My objection is to be singling out children for public scrutiny in ways that feel personal and harmful. Individual athletes—especially kids—should never be the focus of criticism of a flawed system they have no control over.”

Biles has won 11 Olympic medals over the course of her career. Gaines tied for fifth place with a trans woman at a college swim meet and built a career on her resentment for having to share the spot with her.

On X, people noted that Biles’ apology was not “groveling” and was only about Biles’ personal attacks, not an admission that Gaines was right on the larger issue. Some people argued that this is why there is no sense in apologizing to people like Gaines, who earn a living demonizing historically oppressed minorities.