Simone Biles has gained international recognition for her gravity-defying feats in gymnastics. She has also brought attention to the beauty of adoption through her incredible story of overcoming adversity and rising to worldwide stardom. Biles has not spoken about her personal views on Life issues until now.
In a surprising post on social media, Biles insisted that she was not Pro-Life. Biles originally asked her almost seven million followers on Instagram to submit “unpopular opinions.” She responded to one which stated “abortion is wrong.” Replying to the Pro-Life position, Biles wrote, “I already know this is going to start the biggest argument & may even lose followers BUT I’m very much pro-choice.” She added, “Your body. your choice.”
As so often happens, Biles frames her position as one of “choice.” What is ignored is the choice of the preborn child. The baby in the womb, who suffers deadly consequences in an abortion, there is no choice. The “pro-choice” position is actually pro-abortion, arguing for killing through abortion to be one of the options on the table. Given that there are at least two lives in every abortion decision—more if there are twins or triplets—ensuring that everyone has a choice is clearly not the concern of the anti-Life position.
The reality is, especially in elite sports, the arena in which Biles, 24, has spent her entire adult life, abortion is also not a choice for mothers. Athletes are under tremendous pressure to perform, and pregnancy can be viewed as a career setback. In recent years, female athletes have opened up about undergoing coerced abortions after which they have grieved their lost children.
Addressing the fact that mothers in difficult circumstances can place a child in a loving adoptive family, Biles said dismissively, “Also for everyone gonna say ‘just put it up for adoption’ it’s not that easy & coming from someone who was in the foster care system TRUST me foster care system is broken & it’s TOUGH especially on the kids & young adults who age out & adoption is expensive … im just saying.”
From this statement, Biles seems to suggest that the gift of Life is outweighed by the difficulty and expense of adoption. As she states, she is someone who was adopted from the foster care system, and, despite the obvious challenges in the system, has achieved tremendous success and attained international recognition. Her remarks seem to suggest that some children would be better off dead than placed in foster care or adopted. Understandably, Biles’ statement provoked backlash.
On Twitter, Biles tried to backtrack, writing, “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…”
She continued, “I have forever & will continue to support foster kids. AS I WAS ONE.” Biles has worked to raise awareness about unmet needs in the foster care system and encourage children. However, by stating that a child in foster care could have been aborted, she does not help her cause. Children in difficult circumstances deserve to hear that their lives have meaning and purpose and that they are truly a gift.
No matter the circumstances, Life will find a way. That is why Biles’s story has resonated with so many people around the world. Despite tremendous adversity, Biles beat the odds and has become one of the greatest gymnasts of all time. Whether or not she intended to devalue the children she has tried to help, that is what she has done by saying that children do not have the Right to Life. No child decides the circumstances into which she is born, but every child deserves the right to be born.
Biles, who is the most decorated female Olympic gymnast with four gold medals from the Rio Olympics in 2016, was expected to take gold in several more events in Tokyo this year. After withdrawing from multiple events for mental and physical health reasons, Biles garnered even more widespread media coverage. Unfortunately, amid that media frenzy Biles has voiced her pro-abortion views which undermine the Pro-Life message of her life and accomplishments.