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The Unfiltered Truth: 5 Controversial MyKayla Skinner Comments That Shocked The Gymnastics World

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Former Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner has consistently found herself at the center of public debate, with a series of recent comments on social media and in interviews sparking intense backlash and media scrutiny. As of December 2025, the retired athlete's public statements have touched on everything from the current state of elite gymnastics to deeply divisive political issues, cementing her role as one of the sport's most outspoken—and controversial—figures.

The controversies surrounding Skinner’s remarks have dominated gymnastics news feeds, forcing her to issue public apologies and clarify her stance on multiple occasions. Her willingness to share unfiltered opinions, particularly on the 2024 U.S. Olympic team and her former teammate Simone Biles, has created a significant rift in the gymnastics community, leaving fans and commentators divided on her intentions and delivery.

MyKayla Skinner: Biography and Career Profile

MyKayla Brooke Skinner Harmer is an American former artistic gymnast known for her powerful tumbling and vaulting skills. She transitioned from elite competition to a highly successful NCAA career before returning to the Olympic stage.

  • Full Name: MyKayla Brooke Skinner Harmer
  • Date of Birth: December 9, 1996
  • Birthplace: Gilbert, Arizona, USA (sometimes cited as Mesa, Arizona)
  • Age (as of December 2025): 29 years old
  • Status: Retired from elite gymnastics
  • Olympic Achievement: 2020 Tokyo Olympics Vault Silver Medalist (competing as an individual)
  • NCAA Career: Competed for the University of Utah Utes, where she was a two-time NCAA Champion (Floor Exercise 2017, Vault 2015).
  • World Championships: 2014 World Championships Team Gold Medalist.
  • Personal Life: Married to Jonas Harmer. She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).

The 5 Most Controversial Comments That Defined MyKayla Skinner's 2024-2025 News Cycle

Skinner’s transition from an Olympic underdog story to a social media personality has been marked by several high-profile, controversial statements. These comments have drawn criticism for their timing, content, and the perceived slight against her fellow athletes.

1. Criticism of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Women's Gymnastics Team

In mid-2024, ahead of the Paris Olympics, MyKayla Skinner posted a video that immediately ignited a firestorm. She made comments that were widely interpreted as a critique of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team’s talent compared to previous years.

The since-deleted video suggested that the 2024 team lacked the same depth of talent and skill as the teams she had been a part of. This remark drew swift and widespread backlash from fans and media outlets who viewed it as unsupportive of the current generation of athletes heading to the Paris Games.

Skinner later issued an apology, clarifying that her intent was not to "shade" or criticize the gymnasts but to express her opinion on the selection process and the overall talent pool. Despite the apology, the initial comments left a lasting impression, fueling the narrative that she was out of touch with the current competitive landscape.

2. The Public Feud and "Belittled" Claim Against Simone Biles

One of the most significant controversies involved a public exchange with her former Olympic teammate, Simone Biles. This feud began when Skinner spoke out in support of conservative activist Riley Gaines, who was in a separate online dispute with Biles.

Skinner claimed that Biles had "belittled and ostracized" her during their time together on the national team, suggesting a history of mistreatment. She attempted to insert herself into the Biles-Gaines dispute, using the opportunity to air her past grievances with Biles.

Simone Biles appeared to respond to Skinner’s claims on social media platform Threads, writing a concise post: "Not everyone needs a mic and a platform." This public spat highlighted deep-seated tensions between the two Olympic medalists and led to Skinner blocking Biles on social media.

3. Stance on Transgender Athletes in Women's Sports

The context of her feud with Biles was Skinner's vocal support for Riley Gaines, a former swimmer who advocates against the inclusion of transgender women in women’s sports.

Skinner publicly echoed Gaines's position, calling for a ban on transgender women competing in female categories. She stated that she "couldn't imagine having to compete against a male and getting medals stripped." This strong, political stance on a highly sensitive issue aligned her with the "Saving Women's Sports" movement and led to her becoming an ambassador for the XX-XY Athletics organization.

Her comments on this matter polarized her audience, earning her praise from conservative commentators and fierce criticism from those who support transgender inclusion and rights.

4. Critique of SafeSport's Impact on Coaches

Skinner also drew criticism for comments she made regarding the U.S. Center for SafeSport, the independent body created to protect athletes from abuse in the Olympic and Paralympic movements.

She suggested that the strict rules and oversight implemented by SafeSport were "hindering" coaches. This perspective was controversial because many in the gymnastics community view SafeSport as a necessary and long-overdue safeguard against the kind of systemic abuse that plagued the sport for decades.

Critics argued that her focus on the inconvenience to coaches minimized the importance of athlete safety and the trauma experienced by survivors, making this another flashpoint in her public commentary.

5. Accusations of Cyberbullying and Social Media Strategy

Following the intense backlash from her various statements, MyKayla Skinner made public appeals about the cyberbullying she was receiving.

She specifically asked Simone Biles to call off her "cyberbullies," suggesting that Biles’s social media posts had incited negative comments against her. However, many social media users and commentators pointed out that Skinner herself has built a significant career on her YouTube and social media presence, often using provocative or clickbait-style content.

This led to a debate about the difference between expressing an opinion and using a platform to generate controversy for clicks, with critics arguing that she was playing the victim after intentionally making inflammatory statements.

The Long-Term Impact on Topical Authority and Public Image

MyKayla Skinner's series of controversial comments in 2024 and 2025 have fundamentally reshaped her public image. While her Olympic silver medal remains a crowning achievement, her recent public persona is increasingly defined by her role as a conservative commentator within the sports world.

Her willingness to engage in highly politicized debates, from transgender rights to the inner workings of the U.S. national team, has significantly boosted her topical authority on these specific, divisive subjects. This strategy, however, comes at the cost of alienating a large segment of the traditional gymnastics fanbase, particularly those who support her former teammates and the current direction of the sport.

The ongoing narrative surrounding Skinner is a complex one, balancing her undeniable athletic achievements with her polarizing social media presence. Her comments serve as a powerful reminder that for modern athletes, retirement from competition often means a transition to a new, often more scrutinized, public platform.

mykayla skinner comments
mykayla skinner comments

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