Former Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner has recently made headlines by publicly expressing her disagreement with fellow gymnast Simone Biles regarding comments about women’s sports, particularly involving transgender athletes. Skinner, who earned a silver medal in vault at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, has taken a firm stance on the issue of protecting women’s sports from participation by biological male transgender athletes. This development comes as Skinner joins forces with activist sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics, a company dedicated to advocating for fairness and safety in women’s sports.
XX-XY Athletics, founded by Jennifer Sey, is a sportswear brand with a clear activist mission: to protect the integrity of female sports by ensuring that biological males do not compete in women’s categories. The brand has attracted several prominent voices in women’s athletics who share these concerns, including Skinner and former Olympic swimmer Nancy Hogshead. Both athletes have signed on as ambassadors for the brand, using their platforms to support a cause they view as essential for preserving fair competition in female sports.
MyKayla Skinner spoke with Fox News Digital about her decision to partner with XX-XY Athletics. She emphasized the personal journey of finding her voice as an athlete and woman, noting that it was not an easy or straightforward process. “Finding my voice has been hard — there’s no training for that,” Skinner said. She highlighted the importance of moral courage and positivity, qualities she believes every female athlete should develop. Skinner also revealed that much of her motivation comes from wanting to be a positive role model for her daughter and future generations of female athletes.
Skinner’s alignment with XX-XY Athletics follows her earlier public disagreement with Simone Biles. In June, Biles posted on social media about a transgender softball pitcher who won a Minnesota girls’ state title, which sparked a heated debate. Biles’s comments drew criticism from Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer and host on OutKick, who voiced concerns about fairness in women’s sports. Skinner publicly sided with Gaines, criticizing Biles for labeling Gaines a “sore loser” and for using her platform to demean another female athlete.
In a June statement, Skinner elaborated on her position, stating: “As an athlete who has dedicated years to a sport, I’ve always believed that true competition should elevate us — not diminish others. That’s why it’s deeply troubling to see Simone Biles publicly label a fellow female athlete a ‘sore loser’ — simply for expressing valid concerns about fairness in women's sports.” Skinner also shared that throughout her career, she experienced being belittled and ostracized behind the scenes by Biles, framing the disagreement not just as a difference of opinion but as an issue of respect and support among female athletes. She stressed the importance of lifting each other up rather than tearing one another down for speaking hard truths.
Alongside Skinner, Nancy Hogshead is another prominent Olympian championing the cause of protecting women’s sports. Hogshead is a decorated swimmer with three Olympic gold medals and one silver medal to her name. Beyond her athletic achievements, she is an influential advocate for women’s sports. Hogshead founded Champion Women and the Women’s Sports Policy Working Group, organizations focused on maintaining fair competition in female athletics. She has also authored a petition supporting strict eligibility standards for women’s sports, which has garnered over 500 signatures from Olympians and Paralympians.
Hogshead has joined XX-XY Athletics as the brand’s first Olympic gold medal ambassador. She underscored the necessity of strict eligibility criteria to ensure that women’s sports remain fair, safe, and respectful, saying, “Only strict eligibility standards for girls' and women's sports can guarantee fair, safe and respectful competition for us.” She praised the growing movement of athletes advocating for a level playing field, noting that those who have experienced the dedication and sacrifices required to succeed understand the importance of protecting future generations.
The partnership between these athletes and XX-XY Athletics is highlighted in the brand’s new campaign, “The Gold Medal Collection.” This campaign features several Team USA athletes beyond Skinner and Hogshead, including taekwondo competitor Jaycee Bassett, triathlete Shannon Grady, and swimmer Réka György. These athletes collectively represent a unified front advocating for fairness in women’s sports.
Jaycee Bassett, a Taekwondo athlete and part of the new campaign, expressed admiration for Skinner and Hogshead, calling them trailbl