Simone Biles, who deactivated her X account following a high-profile exchange with former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, is once again active on the platform.
And while her posts remain frozen in time, her physical presence is anything but idle, as she’s on a tropical vacation with her husband, NFL safety Jonathan Owens, embracing calm after a stormy few months online.
The controversy began in early June when Gaines criticized Champlin Park High School in Minnesota for including a trans athlete on their softball team.
After the school turned off comments on their social media accounts, Gaines took a jab, prompting reactions from across the internet.
Biles, who has historically championed inclusion and mental health, responded with conviction. However, her comments soon sparked a back-and-forth that snowballed into a viral discourse.
“I wanted to follow up from my last tweets. I’ve always believed competitive equity & inclusivity are both essential in sport…. it didn’t help for me to get personal with Riley, which I apologize for,” Biles wrote in a final tweet dated June 10.
That message remains her last visible post on X. Her 1.9 million followers, bio, and previous tweets remain intact, suggesting Biles is neither hiding nor erasing her stance. Instead, she seems to be choosing distance and discretion, a familiar strategy in recent years.
From online chaos to beachside clarity
This isn’t the first time Biles has vanished from social media in the face of controversy. In late 2023, she found herself at the center of another internet firestorm, this time involving her husband. During a podcast appearance, Owens casually described himself as “the catch” in their relationship. What was likely meant as a light-hearted joke quickly ignited debate about gender dynamics, respect, and value in marriage. Strangers scrutinized their bond, placing Biles under an unfair microscope.
Rather than react impulsively, Biles went silent, disappearing from X while still showing up selectively on Instagram. The move was seen by many as an act of self-preservation. And it appears she’s now embracing that philosophy again, not just with her return to X, but with a well-timed escape from it all.
By July 1, Biles had made good on a playful exchange with Serena Williams. After Serena shared a serene family vacation video with the caption “Jealous?” and tagged Biles, the gymnast responded, “girllllllllllll yes just you wait.” That wait didn’t last long, as days later, Biles and Owens landed in Belize.
To announce her arrival, she posted two telling captions: “HONEY, I’M HOME” and “PRIVATE PROPERTY. NO ENTRANCE.”
The couple, still in their honeymoon phase after returning from South Africa earlier this year, seemed more relaxed than ever.
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