Simone Biles Wins ESPYs Amid Transgender Athlete Debate, Texas Flood Tributes

Simone Biles was a major winner at the 2025 ESPY Awards, taking home Best Championship Performance for her 2024 Olympic all-around gold medal and Best Female Athlete in Women’s Sports. During her acceptance speech for Best Championship Performance, Biles acknowledged the victims of the recent Texas floods and thanked her support system, but sparked controversy with a comment about winning in a category dominated by men and her statement endorsing the “power of she.” This stirred backlash on social media, with critics tying her remarks to a recent public feud with Riley Gaines over transgender athletes in women’s sports. Despite the criticism, Biles emphasized the importance of support through both victories and struggles and expressed pride in sharing the award with her team. Fans also debated Biles' win over Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who had an exceptional season in 2024, though many still regard Biles as the greatest of all time. The discourse highlighted ongoing tensions around gender in sports, particularly regarding transgender participation and representation.