Amidst a social media spat with US Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, former swim athlete and women’s advocate Riley Gaines announced that she and her husband, Louis Barker, are expecting their first child. Gaines was attending a Turning Point USA event when she briefly discussed the feud. Biles had called Gaines “truly sick” after Gaines criticized Champlin Park High School in Minnesota’s state championship win while allowing a boy to be the team’s pitcher. “You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser,” Biles said of Gaines. “You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!! But instead… You bully them… One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!” She also said that Gaines should “bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.”

Biles has since apologized for getting “personal” with Gaines. “I was not advocating for policies that compromise fairness in women’s sports. My objection is to be singling out children for public scrutiny in ways that feel personal and harmful. Individual athletes—especially kids—should never be the focus of criticism of a flawed system they have no control over,” said Biles. Gaines brought up the comparison to being built like a man at the TP USA event, stating, “How many men do you know that have this?” while showing of her belly bump to a cheering crowd. Barker also joined Gaines on stage, where he shared that the couple are expecting a baby girl. “The next generation that our little girl is going to be a part of, that is who you all are fighting for and who Turning Point is fighting for. And so from a father-to-be, thank you, keep fighting… and thank you,” he said.

The couple also made a joint statement on Instagram to announce the pregnancy. “surprise! we’re 26 weeks pregnant!” wrote Gaines alongside an image of her and husband standing with the ultrasound image of their new baby.  “God is SO good all the time.” Barker and Gaines have been married since 2022. Gaines wrote on X that having a girl is “providential.” “There’s something so special and providential about having a little girl,” wrote Gaines. “She’s everything I’ve been fighting for & the little girl we’ve prayed over for years [sic] praise God!”