Simone Biles hits out at critics ‘misconstruing’ her views on abortion
‘I’m done because you’ll twist my words however it feels fitting to spew hate,’ Ms Biles writes after being attacked on social media for sharing her pro-choice views
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Your support makes all the difference.Simone Biles has hit out at a Twitter troll for “twisting” her words after she candidly shared her pro-choice views on social media.
Fresh from winning two medals at the Tokyo Olympics, Ms Biles went on Instagram Live to ask people to share their “unpopular opinions”.
Fans offered responses ranging from disliking ketchup to hating The Office.
When one person wrote “abortion is wrong”, Ms Biles responded to say she supported women being allowed to make their own choices.
“I already know this is going to start the biggest argument and may even lose followers BUT… I’m very much pro-choice. Your body. Your choice,” Ms Biles wrote.
DO NOT misconstrue my words. That is not at all what I implied. I did NOT say I support to abort rather than to put them through the foster care system. What I did imply is that you should not control someone elses body/decision. Let’s be real what you care about is control… https://t.co/IWVz0ydpXi
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) August 10, 2021
I have forever & will continue to support foster kids. AS I WAS ONE. I’ve been an advocate for foster kids and the system but you wouldn’t know that because you don’t follow me, you just like to open your mouth.
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) August 10, 2021
“Also for everyone gonna say ‘just put it up for adoption’, it’s not that easy and coming from someone who was in the foster care system TRUST me … foster care system is broken and it’s tough, especially on the kids and young adults who age out, and adoption is expensive, I’m just saying.”
In a tweet that has since been deleted, Twitter user “youngbluewoollyjumper” wrote: “Thoughts with all the kids in the foster care system today being told by @Simone_Biles that their lives are worth nothing and are better off dead.”
Ms Biles shot back: “DO NOT misconstrue my words. That is not at all what I implied. I did NOT say I support to abort rather than to put them through the foster care system. What I did imply is that you should not control someone else’s body/decision. Let’s be real what you care about is control…
“I have forever & will continue to support foster kids. AS I WAS ONE. I’ve been an advocate for foster kids and the system but you wouldn’t know that because you don’t follow me, you just like to open your mouth.
“Also if you have a fake account don’t even talk to me. Y’all p*** me off to no end. I’m done because you’ll twist my words however it feels fitting to spew hate. Also if anyone is seeing this just know I support you doing whatever feels fitting for YOU.”
Ms Biles is widely recognised as being the greatest gymnast of all time, winning a total of 25 Olympic and World Championship medals, including 19 golds.
She withdrew from the individual all-around and team competitions at the Tokyo Games after experiencing a “medical issue”, before returning to win bronze on the balance beam.
She later revealed she’d been suffering from the “twisties”, a condition when gymnasts lose control of their bodies as they’re spinning through the air.
“I had no idea where I was in the air,” Ms Biles said at the time.
“I could have hurt myself.”
She later revealed her aunt had died unexpectedly during the Games.
After her withdrawal, Ms Biles became a target of right-wing media, with conservative pundit Charlie Kirk labeling her a “shame to the country”.
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