Gymnast Simone Biles said she supports abortion on Monday because “the foster care system is broken” and “adoption is expensive.”
Biles shared her opinion on her Instagram while taking “unpopular opinion” prompts from her followers. She later walked back her post after taking heat online for appearing to support aborting a child over putting it into foster care.
“I already know this is going to start the biggest argument & may even lose followers BUT,” Biles’ response began, “I’m very much pro-choice. Your body. Your choice.”
“Also for everyone gonna say ‘put it up for adoption,’” she continued, “it’s not that easy & coming from someone who was in the foster care system TRUST me [the] foster care system is broken & it’s TOUGH. Especially on the kids and young adults who age out.”
“& adoption is expensive … im just saying,” she added.
Biles then took a shot at people who are refusing to abide by renewed and continued mask mandates. “& don’t even come at me if you couldn’t keep a mask on. or refused to wear one,” Biles added.
.@Simone_Biles says she’s “very much pro-choice” as “someone who was in the foster care system.” pic.twitter.com/z5I8E0Gsxf
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) August 10, 2021
Biles’s stance sparked some backlash online. Live Action president and pro-life advocate Lila Rose said that Biles’ message to her followers is “incredibly sad and awful.”
“Simone Biles just announced on Instagram that she is very ‘pro-choice’ because ‘the foster care system is broken.’ Incredibly sad and awful. To have overcome a broken system as triumphantly as she has — yet wish death for other kids bc they may face foster care is beyond fathoming,” Rose wrote.
Biles took to Twitter Tuesday to deny allegations that she supported abortion over putting a child into foster care. She claimed her critics were misconstruing her words.
“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 [sic] body/decision. Let’s be real what you care about is control,” Bile said.
“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,” she continued. “also if you have a fake account don’t even talk to me. Y’all piss 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.”
Biles won a bronze medal for her individual performance on the balance beam at the Tokyo Olympics. Biles, who entered the Olympics at the top of her sport, pulled out of much the gymnastics competition after getting the “twisties,”
“My mind and body are simply not in sync,” Biles later explained.
Biles’ exit left room for Team USA gymnasts Sunisa Lee and Jade Carey to win gold medals in the individual all-around competition and in the floor competition, respectively.