Key Highlights
- MyKayla Skinner joins Riley Gaines-backed brand XX-XY Athletics after speaking out against Simone Biles.
- The partnership marks a significant move in the ongoing debate over fairness and inclusion in women’s sports.
- Skinner’s comments about declining talent among gymnasts, particularly comparing it to Simone Biles, led to a public feud with the latter.
- XX-XY Athletics aims to advocate for protecting women’s sports based on biological sex, aligning with Skinner and other athletes who support similar views.
The Feud Between MyKayla Skinner and Simone Biles
Former Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner’s relationship with Simone Biles took a dramatic turn in June 2024 during the Paris Olympics selection process. In a viral YouTube video, Skinner suggested that the depth of talent among gymnasts had declined compared to previous generations, making an exception only for Biles. Her comments sparked controversy and led to a public dispute when Team USA secured gold at the Paris Olympics.
Simone Biles responded on Instagram with a pointed caption celebrating the team as “lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions,” directly referencing Skinner’s earlier remarks. The situation escalated further with both gymnasts blocking each other on social media platforms and Skinner claiming she faced cyberbullying and threats to her family.
MyKayla Skinner’s New Partnership with XX-XY Athletics
In a statement, Skinner revealed that she had “endured being belittled, dismissed, and ostracized behind the scenes by Simone” throughout their nearly decade-long overlap as teammates. She expressed support for Riley Gaines’ advocacy work and criticized Biles for using her platform to shame other female athletes.
On October 21, 2025, XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey announced Skinner’s partnership with the brand through a post on social media platform X. “At @xx_xyathletics we are proud to welcome @mykaylaskinner to our team of pro women athletes! An athlete near & dear to my heart, MyKayla was a gymnast & competed in the 2021 Olympics, winning silver in vault,” Sey wrote.
Skinner joins the brand as part of its “Gold Medal Collection” campaign, which features multiple generations of Olympic athletes. She will be working alongside other prominent female athletes like Nancy Hogshead and Riley Gaines, who were among the first ambassadors when XX-XY Athletics launched in March 2024.
The Purpose and Impact of XX-XY Athletics
XX-XY Athletics was founded by Jennifer Sey, a former U.S. Women’s All-Around National Gymnastics Champion, with the explicit goal of advocating for protecting women’s sports based on biological sex. The brand positions itself as unique in its stance, aiming to influence culture through its products and messaging while providing high-quality athletic gear that competes with major mainstream brands.
The company’s mission resonates strongly with athletes like MyKayla Skinner and Riley Gaines, who are vocal about their support for the cause.
By aligning themselves with XX-XY Athletics, these athletes hope to contribute positively to discussions around inclusion and fairness in women’s sports.
As the debate over inclusivity continues to evolve in the world of professional sports, partnerships like this one highlight the growing divide between athletes who champion traditional definitions of gender and those advocating for broader inclusion. The future implications of such alliances remain to be seen but are likely to shape the landscape of women’s sports significantly.
