MyKayla Skinner EXPOSES Women’s Gymnastics: Politics, Simone Biles, and Standing for Truth

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Isabel Brown Show

Episode: MyKayla Skinner EXPOSES Women’s Gymnastics: Politics, Simone Biles, and Standing for Truth
Date: November 6, 2025
Guest: MyKayla Skinner, Olympic Silver Medalist Gymnast

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Isabel Brown welcomes Olympic gymnast and silver medalist MyKayla Skinner to discuss the complex, often fraught world of women’s gymnastics. The conversation centers on MyKayla’s personal journey, the pressure-packed path to elite gymnastics, the impact of internal politics, the Larry Nassar abuse scandal, the challenges of speaking out as a woman in sports, and her recent advocacy for safe and fair women’s athletics. Special focus is given to the fallout from Simone Biles’s public comments about Riley Gaines and women's sports, MyKayla’s unexpected Olympic moment, and her partnership with Jennifer Sey’s XXXY athletics organization.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to MyKayla Skinner and Gymnastics Journey

• Background: MyKayla introduces herself as a lifelong gymnast from Arizona, now living in Utah with her family. She started the sport at age 5 following her siblings (03:13).
• Early Talent & Commitment: Coaches predicted Olympic potential early; by age 12, she was training 42 hours a week, pursuing the elite track to the Olympics (04:13).
  • Quote: “I was doing seven hours a day, 42 hours a week at the age of 12. So basically was my whole life.” —MyKayla Skinner [04:13]

2. The Toll and Lessons of Elite Gymnastics

• Sacrifices & Growth: Discusses intense physical and emotional demands of the sport, and how it shaped her character, commitment, and ability to be a leader (05:54).
  • Quote: "Gymnastics teaches you so many things…hard work, discipline, just how to be a good teammate, how to be a good friend." —MyKayla Skinner [05:54]
• College vs Elite: Shares how NCAA gymnastics (University of Utah) allowed more personal growth and fun compared to the rigid, high-pressure elite world (05:54).

3. 2020 Tokyo Olympics: Adversity, Opportunity, Triumph

• Coming Back After Setbacks: After being an alternate in 2016, MyKayla returned to elite competition, facing injuries, COVID-19, and doubters (13:00).
  • Quote: “A lot of people told me not to come back to elite gymnastics…they just told me that I'm a sucky gymnast… And, you know, I came back…proved a lot of people wrong.” —MyKayla Skinner [13:00]
• Unexpected Olympic Competition: MyKayla was selected as an individual event specialist and faced heartbreak after failing to qualify for her target events—but a late opportunity arrived when Simone Biles withdrew (20:23).
  • Quote: “Simone said, like, I’m not gonna do vault. You’re in. You’re going in.” —MyKayla Skinner [22:19]
• Winning Silver: Despite an emotional rollercoaster, she won unexpected Olympic silver in vault finals (23:58).
  • Quote: “When I finally got the medal, I wasn’t even crying. I was so happy.” —MyKayla Skinner [23:58]
  • Memorable Moment: MyKayla reflects on the medal not as the object, but as the culmination of a life’s dream and sacrifice shared with her family and coaches (24:32).

4. The Larry Nassar Scandal and Silence in Gymnastics

• Impact on Athletes: MyKayla describes the shock and sadness of learning what many teammates had experienced, the culture of silence, and the need for advocacy (25:48).
  • Quote: “It just made me very sad to know that my teammates were going through something like that and feeling like they couldn't have a voice or they couldn't say anything…” —MyKayla Skinner [25:48]
• Link to Current Advocacy: The atmosphere of fear and silence in gymnastics has made athletes hesitant to speak out on other issues, such as protecting women’s sports from unfair competition (28:58).

5. Women’s Sports, Vaulting into Advocacy, & Simone Biles Feud

• The Biles–Gaines Fallout: Isabel and MyKayla discuss Simone Biles’s criticism of Riley Gaines and what it signaled about division and politics in women’s sports (00:30, 28:58).
  • Quote: “I want her [my daughter] to feel safe, protected and loved… I don't want her changing in a locker room with a biological man. That's just… it’s not okay.” —MyKayla Skinner [33:30]
• Personal Stakes: MyKayla describes the fear of “cancellation” in gymnastics but says becoming a mother inspired her to use her platform and work with XXXY athletics (32:13).

6. Call to Action for Female Athletes & Next Generation

• Importance of Speaking Out: Encourages other athletes, including Simone Biles and Team USA, to unite and protect opportunities for women in sport (35:30).
  • Quote: “Those aren't the people that I want on my side…It's about fighting for what's right and what you know is right and letting girls have the same…the same freedom that we did in sports.” —MyKayla Skinner [35:35]
• Hope for Sisterhood: Hopes today’s advocacy will inspire a safer and more supportive environment for future generations (36:44).

7. Motherhood, Family, and a Fuller Life

• Motherhood as Life’s Greatest Medal: MyKayla shares her passion for family and motherhood, emphasizing that parenthood brings more fulfillment than any athletic accomplishment (37:18).
  • Quote: “The greatest medal that I could ever receive, greater than an Olympic medal, is becoming a mom.” —MyKayla Skinner [37:18]

---

Timestamps for Notable Segments

• Introduction to Simone Biles—Riley Gaines feud: [00:30]
• MyKayla’s origin in gymnastics: [03:13]
• Elite training intensity/childhood sacrifices: [04:13]
• Preparation for 2020 Olympics and overcoming adversity: [13:00]
• The moment she learned she would compete for Simone Biles: [21:34]
• Winning the Olympic silver medal (Vault Finals story): [22:19-24:32]
• Athlete A, Larry Nassar scandal, the cost of silence: [25:48-28:58]
• Advocacy for women’s sports, personal stakes as a mother: [32:13-34:59]
• Message to fellow athletes (including Biles): [35:30]
• Reflections on family and motherhood: [37:18]

---

Notable Quotes

• “I was doing seven hours a day, 42 hours a week at the age of 12. So basically was my whole life.”
  —MyKayla Skinner [04:13]

• “Gymnastics teaches you so many things…hard work, discipline, just how to be a good teammate, how to be a good friend.”
  —MyKayla Skinner [05:54]

• “A lot of people told me not to come back to elite gymnastics…they just told me that I'm a sucky gymnast… And, you know, I came back…proved a lot of people wrong.”
  —MyKayla Skinner [13:00]

• “Simone said, like, I’m not gonna do vault. You’re in. You’re going in.”
  —MyKayla Skinner [22:19]

• “When I finally got the medal, I wasn’t even crying. I was so happy.”
  —MyKayla Skinner [23:58]

• “It just made me very sad to know that my teammates were going through something like that and feeling like they couldn't have a voice or they couldn't say anything…”
  —MyKayla Skinner [25:48]

• “The greatest medal that I could ever receive, greater than an Olympic medal, is becoming a mom.”
  —MyKayla Skinner [37:18]

---

Conclusion

This episode provides a frank, compelling look inside women’s gymnastics, blending personal testimony with a sweeping critique of politics and injustice in the sport. MyKayla Skinner stands out as a voice of hope and courage, motivated by her own trials, her daughter’s future, and the conviction that young women deserve a safe, fair, and empowering environment in sport. Her invitation for other athletes to stand together for what is right serves as a passionate rallying cry to a new generation of women in athletics.

---

Transcript

[LifeLock Advertiser]

The holidays mean more travel, more shopping, more time online and more personal info in more places that could expose you more to identity theft. But LifeLock monitors millions of data points per second. If your identity is stolen, our US based restoration specialists will fix it, guaranteed your money back. Don't face drained accounts, fraudulent loans or financial losses alone. Get more holiday fun and less holiday worry with LifeLock. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit LifeLock.com podcast terms apply just a.

[Isabel Brown]

Few months ago in June, an all out war on the Internet ensued when Simone Biles, one of, if not the greatest female athletes of all time, decided to use her platform to attack and slander our friend Riley Gaines for standing up for women in women's sports. This created a massive fallout in the gymnastics world, something I have been a fan of for most of my life. Watching my sisters compete in in gymnastics for their entire childhood years. And there have been several courageous voices coming out on the aftermath of all of this to say enough is enough. Women's gymnastics is a powerful institution and there's a whole lot of internal politics preventing those who wish to speak up from using their voice. But it's not more powerful than the truth. Just one of those voices coming forward into her own spotlight and using the microphone to stand up for young girls everywhere and is Olympic gymnast and silver medalist Michaela Skinner, who just recently announced her partnership with our friend Jennifer say's organization XXXY to courageously fight for women in women's gymnastics. Today on the Isabel Brown show, we are joined by Michaela to hear about her story growing up in the gymnastics world, what it meant to receive a silver medal completely unexpectedly in the 2020 Olympics, how how the Larry Nassar scandal framed the entire background of women's gymnastics and USAG in the last several years. Why she is so inspired by Riley Gaines and so much more. Please join me in welcoming Michaela Skinner to the show. Michaela Skinner, I am so excited to have you as a guest on the Isabel Brown Show. I am a humongous fan of gymnastics. I will say, embarrassingly, I am not a gymnast myself. Both of my sisters were. I was too old by the time they started it. But I have followed your career and so many of your colleagues in USA USAG for the last several years and it is just such an honor to have you on today.

[Michaela Skinner]

Thanks. I'm so excited to be here. And hey, at least you know the gymnastics world, you kind of understand how it works even if you didn't do it. But it's such, it's such an incredible sport, and I'm so glad I got to do it.

[Isabel Brown]

So, yeah, you know, sitting through every single weekend. Da na na na na na na. Eventually, it definitely sticks with you when you're sitting in the crowd. So very, very fun to jump into the gymnastics world with you today with women's sports and everything. That's next in your career as we're just getting started. For those that might not be familiar with you and your experience in gymnastics, give us a little window into who Michaela is.

[Michaela Skinner]

Yeah. So I'm Mikayla. I am 28 years old and I am from Gilbert, Arizona. We live in Utah now with my husband and our little girl, Charlotte. That's two. We are expecting another one on the way, so lots of craziness going on right now. But I started gymnastics when I was 5 years old and all my siblings did it. My mom put all of us in it. I have an older brother and two older sisters, and she just fell in love with it. And. And of course, I was the only one that stuck with it as long as I did. And we just had coaches from a very young age tell my mom she's going to go to the Olympics one day. And my mom's like, are you kidding? Like, that's not going to happen. That's like one in a million, you know? And so, of course, being a little girl, it was always my dream to go to the Olympics. I love sitting on TV and watching Carly Patterson and Shawn Johnson and just, you know, all my idols and just sitting there and like, I can't wait to like, maybe be there one day with my family in the stands cheering me on, you know, like, how cool. But now never really knew what it took to get there.

[Isabel Brown]

Right.

[Michaela Skinner]

So we ended up switching gyms and I went to Desert Lights Gymnastics and kind of the rest was history. My first year there, I went one meet level nine, went level ten, made Junior International Elite all in one year. So it was kind of crazy. For those that don't really know gymnastics, level 10 is the highest, and you try to go to college and get a scholarship, and then elite is kind of the Olympic route, so it's a whole different ball game. But, yeah, at the age of 12 years old, I started training a lead and sending videos into Marta Caroly and, you know, trying to maybe make that Olympic dream a reality. So lots of up and downs, lots of trials, lots of craziness. I have a very unique story through my gymnastics journey, but, yeah, that's kind of how I got into it was just my mom was a swimmer, didn't ever do gymnastics, but she wanted us to do it. So just kind of followed my siblings footsteps and just kept plugging away and yeah, it was crazy. I was doing seven hours a day, 42 hours a week at the age of 12. So basically was my whole life.

[Isabel Brown]

You know, I think people hear that and they have this connotation associated with gymnastics that it is way too intense for a child to be participating in, even a teenager, because it really is like a full time job. I mean, you're just constantly at the gym, you're constantly working out. It certainly takes a toll on your body. Knowing what you know now. What can you say about growing up in the gymnastics world, about what it taught you in terms of character building, commitment, the athleticism of it all. Would you still make the decision to go back and do the elite level at such a young age again?

[Michaela Skinner]

It's so hard. I think about this all the time. Obviously I wouldn't trade it for the world, but it's crazy because now I have, I have 12 nieces and nephews. And so I became an aunt at 10. And, and so like kind of just watching them now, like they're doing sports but it's not, they're not, you know, grinding, you know, 32 plus hours a week. Right. They're still enjoying sports, but also having a life where I didn't really get that. And I knew like I wanted to go to the Olympics and this is what it took to get there. So like, I chose that path and my parents supported me 100% and what I wanted to do. And they're like, if you want to quit, you don't have to do it. But I knew that this is what I was really passionate about. But I mean, gymnastics teaches you so many things. I feel like even if you don't go to the Olympics or go to college, it teaches you hard work, discipline, just how to be a good teammate, how to be a good friend. And I feel like a lot too because, you know, at such a young age you're kind of like molded into this certain human being that they want you to be in gymnastics. Right. But I feel like once I got to college and, and I kind of got to like grow up a little bit and have a life and have fun. It just taught me so much about being a role model, the sisterhood and just, you know, being that teammate that you want to be. And so I feel like transitioning back, going back into the Olympics because I was an alternate in 2016. So I got fourth at Olympic trials and was replaced by seventh and eighth. So it was very sad. I was put as first alternate. And so I was kind of done with elite gymnastics at that point and wanted to go live my college dreams at the University of Utah. And so it was kind of crazy because I decided after my junior year to go back and train for the 2020 Olympic Games. And I never thought I was going to do that. And I just felt that, like, burning fire and desire of when I was sitting there, 2016, watching the girls compete, being like, I was so close. I could have been on that team. And I. I really want to have no regrets and do this one more time. And so it was crazy transitioning from, like, you know, the MARTA era and then now with everything being revamped with USA Gymnastics because of the Larry Nassar stuff and everything that went on. It was a whole different transition, going back for the better. And I just felt like I could really, like, step in and be that role model. I was kind of like the grandma of the team, which was kind of weird because we're old. Like, Ali Raisman was like, the first grandma. And then I feel like Simone and I kind of stepped in and of took that role because we had been in the MARTA era, and we kind of felt like we were the leaders and kind of knew how stuff, you know, kind of ran, just because everything was being redone and new people were coming in. And so we were trying to keep the girls together and keep things positive. And, yeah, it was just kind of crazy because I feel like college really helped me grow, and I was able to, like, grow into the person that I wanted to be. Coming back for the next Olympics and just being that leader and that example for those girls and letting them know that they have someone that they can lean on or come to if they're having, you know, a hard time or whatever they're going through. Because we. We've been there, we've done it, we've experienced it, and it is.

[Isabel Brown]

It's.

[Michaela Skinner]

Gymnastics is, I feel, like, the hardest sport there is. And, yeah, so it was. It was a crazy transition, but I don't think I would trade it for the world. I think I. I think I would do it all over again. Obviously, there's probably things I'd look back on and maybe want to change or do differently, of course, but I'm so grateful for everything that it's taught me, for every life lesson that I've learned and the trials that I've been through. It's really made me grow and become the person that I am today.

[Isabel Brown]

So back to our conversation with Michaela here in a second. But first, you guys know I am a huge advocate of making informed decisions in day to day life. The same goes for making decisions about health care. It's open enrollment season and insurance companies are betting that you will just auto renew without asking any questions. But you are so much smarter than that. If you are tired of overpriced premiums for your health care and confusing fine print, there is such a better way out there for you. Crowd Health is a community where people fund each other's medical bills directly. No middlemen, no networks, no nonsense. Stop playing the insurance game and take control of your health care. With Crowd Health, you get health care coverage for under $100 a month. And that's not some bare bones plan with a million exceptions. That includes access to a dedicated team of health bill negotiators who fight on your behalf, discounted prescriptions and lab tests that actually save you money, and a vetted database of affordable, high quality doctors handpicked by Crowd Health. If something major happens, you will only pay the first $500 and then the crowd steps in to help fund all of the rest of your medical expenses. And it's honestly what health care felt like before everything got way too overcomplicated by a bunch of corporate middlemen. A real community of real people who actually want to help each other with unexpected medical events. You are not just another policy number in some faceless corporations database. So far, Crowd Health members have saved over $40 million in health care expenses because they simply refuse to overpay for care. The system is counting on you staying stuck in the same overpriced, overcomplicated mess year after year. Do not give them the satisfaction. You guys might know I had a pretty major major kidney surgery in 2021 around Thanksgiving time. So it's been several years now, but the exact same thing happened to me that happens to so many people every single day with our ridiculous health care system. At the 11th hour, UnitedHealthcare tried to pull all of the coverage for my major surgery and it was a serious battle that my family had to fight for a very, very, very long time. It gets way too expensive for you to be able to pay for a major medical event and they want you to be dumb and uneducated about how to take ownership for your health. This open enrollment season, you can take your power back. Join Crowd Health to get started today for just $99 for your first three months using code isabel@joincrowd health.com that is join crowd health.com code isabel. Just a disclaimer. Crowd health is not insurance. You can opt out of insurance by opting into crowd health and take your power back. This is how we win. Join CrowdHealth.com I'm really glad you brought up everything going on in the background of a very, very untenable time in women's athletics and in gymnastics in particular with the Larry Nassar scandal. I do want to get back to that and ask your thoughts on everything that's been unfolding for the last couple of years. But first, let's jump into the 2020 Olympics. You went to Tokyo with the expectation that you were going to be an alternate again. And because of everything that ended with Simone Biles, one of your teammates, deciding not to compete at the last minute there, you stepped in and competed for Team usa. Tell us about that experience and what it meant for you to be able to fulfill those competition dreams, but also serve your country and provide this incredible role model experience for so many other young girls who are watching that situation all over the world.

[Michaela Skinner]

Yeah, so it was crazy because when I first came back to try to go for the Olympic Games, I had talked to the new Olympic coach, Tom Forrester, and I said, hey, because there's the two event specialists spot that they added. So it was a four man team to event specialist spot. And I was just like, hey, can I try for the event specialist spot? And Jade Carey was going for one of those spots already. And if she locked that in, they wanted someone for bars and beam because she specializes on floor and vault. And those are the two events that I'm really good at. And so he's like, no, we want you to come back and try for team, you know, to do the all around. So I'm like, okay, I'll do it. And so training was crazy. Obviously I got, I had a bone spur injury. I've never broken a bone or had a surgery throughout my whole career, which is really rare. So I've been really fortunate. Obviously little things, but I had a bone spur on the back of my heel that I had to do treatment, shockwave therapy, PRP injection, and that kind of set me back a little bit. I was able to train during COVID but I had to be in the gym by myself with my coaches. We got permission from the state and I was just grinding away. Like, I was like, okay, we get an extra year to train now that we're having Covid, because I only thought I was going to get a year. And it just, you know, everyone was going through such a difficult time during COVID You know, I wasn't the only one struggling, but felt like my whole world was crashing. And I ended up having my bone sport injury, which they thought I'd maybe need surgery to shave it down, but didn't really have time for that. So we just did all the therapy, treatment, got the inflammation down, was feeling better, and then I got Covid and was out for two weeks, and it was horrible. My whole family got it, and we were super sick, and I actually ended up getting pneumonia. I went into the gym for, like, three days, trying to, like, slowly get back into it, and I just got really sick again and ended up going to the hospital, had pneumonia, and was out for another 10 days. So for me, I was out for, like, probably a month or more, which is a lot for gymnastics. And that was hard for me because I'd never been out that long. So a lot of setbacks. Really just wanted to give up. Just. I just didn't want to do it anymore. And my coach really inspired me and told me, you know, you've. You've proved so many people wrong. A lot of people told me not to come back to elite gymnastics, that I was succeeding in college, I was breaking all these records, doing really well, and they just told me that I'm a sucky gymnast. I'm not good enough. Like, you're not gonna make the team. You didn't make it before, and all these things. And, you know, I came back within three months after going to college, coming back, and making the world's team in 2019. So I did a lot really, really fast, and proved a lot of people wrong there. My coach was like, if anybody can do it with any setbacks or anything that you've gone through, you can do it. You're the person that can do this. You know, we have faith in you, we believe in you. You're an amazing athlete. And so I just really had to take that to heart and, you know, pray about it. And I was like, this is what I'm supposed to do, and I'm going to give it my all. And even if I don't make the Olympic team, like, that's okay. Like, I'm glad that I pushed myself to do it. So, anyway, ended up getting through all of that and then made the Olympic team, but made it as an event specialist, which was crazy, because Tom told me I needed to go for the team, which I placed fourth, day one at Olympic trials, and then Day two, I was in fifth by half a tenth. And they took rank order, which was exciting because last Olympics, I didn't take rank order and I didn't make it. So I was excited for them, but thought I was going to be alternate again and luckily wasn't and made the second individual spot. And so I was like, I'm going to run with that. I'm going to take it. Like, let's go. And had to, like, totally change my mindset because I was like, well, you wanted me for team. And I was kind of sad because I didn't get to be part of the team. But, yeah, totally. At the same time, like, who cares? Like, I get to go do this for myself now, and I get to go represent our country. Like, that's just so cool. So, anyway, yeah, we get to. We get to Tokyo. And it was a crazy time because we had a coveted test every day. We didn't get to stay in a big village. So it was, like, hard to, like, stay motivated, right? In some ways. But, you know, we all were just trying to pick each other up and trying to make the best of our experience. And it was crazy because the first day is prelims, which is the most important out of everything. And that's what qualifies you into all the other competitions throughout the next, like, week or two. And floor, we started on floor and ended up doing really well, but Jade and Simone locked in the top two highest scores because it's the top two per country out of the top eight that make it in for finals. So I didn't make floor. So super devastated. Went to vault, and I had been beating Jade on vault all year, and she just went up and nailed her vaults like it was. She had the best ball day of her life. And so the scores came up, and Simone and Jade locked it in, and I didn't make it. And I remember just breaking down crying, like, just being so sad because I knew I was retiring after the Olympics. And I just was like, this is it, you know? And I was just so sad that. And bummed that I didn't maybe get to qualify for one of those. Anyway, I had to change my mindset around, and I was like, I have two more events. Anything can happen. And so I went to bars, and I just felt, like, this sense of calmness and relief. I get really nervous on those events, and I just felt like God was watching over me the whole time and was just there with me and helped me feel confident. And I went up on bars and crushed my bar. Routine, got the highest score of the season, and then went to beam and I was the last one up, which obviously our parents couldn't be there, my husband couldn't be there, and it was so empty. So it was so sad. But all the gymnasts were watching me in that session and same kind of thing. I just felt calm and confident. I like never feel that way. And went up there and crushed a beam routine and everyone was so excited, cheering me on. And I literally had the best Olympic experience that I could have asked for. And again, like my whole motto was never giving up because there were so many times I wanted to give up and things didn't always go my way. And so it was really cool to be able to be like, I went up there, I did it, and I can show all these little girls that no matter what you go through, that if you keep pushing and striving for your dreams, that it can happen. And just to be able to go up there and represent your country and just to do what you've been dreaming of ever since you were a little girl was. It was incredible.

[Isabel Brown]

So inspired by the voice of Michaela and so many others. But before we get back to our conversation, are you looking for a quick but meaningful way to help you engage more deeply with scripture every Sunday? You can check out the Breaking the Bread devotionals from the St. Paul Center. These pocket sized devotionals are stunning full cover clothbound companions for your Sunday worship. Each week features rich reflections on the gospel readings, corresponding teachings from the catechism, and sacred art that helps bring God's word to life. Whether you're reading before church, over a cozy cup of coffee in your small group, or during quiet time with God all by yourself, breaking the bread helps you to slow down, to reflect, and to truly encounter scripture in a meaningful way. You can use code ISABELLE20 to get 20% off the complete set at saintpaulcenter.com breakingthebreadset or visit the link in today's show notes.

[Michaela Skinner]

Obviously I went back to my room that night, cried a ton and was just like, why does this have to happen to me again? You know, like, I just really wanted to go and make it for Floravault finals. And we ended up talking to Tom, the Olympic coach, and he said that I could fly home, but I wanted to stay and watch the girls compete in team finals. I wanted to stay and cheer them on. So I was getting my pack, my bags packed for the next two days and eating dessert, pasta, like I was like, I'm done, you know, peace now and just enjoying myself. Everyone else, like, you know, was like, you know, going with it. They were just, you know, in the headspace of where they needed to be. And I felt bad because I was just, like, staying up till 2 or 3 in the morning doing my thing. And so, anyway, we go and we watch team finals, and it was crazy because I had this feeling like I shouldn't go home. But I was like, no, like, it's fine. Everything's fine. And my parents had that feeling, and they said, you know, you shouldn't. You shouldn't fly home. And anyway, we get to team finals, and the first event was vault, and Simone goes up and gets the twisties and ends up, you know, for those.

[Isabel Brown]

Not in the gymnastics world, real quick, what does that mean?

[Michaela Skinner]

Yeah, so the twisties. I've never had it happen, but I've had teammates. I've seen my teammates go through it. It's just this weird thing where sometimes you go and do a skill and you get lost in the air, and you open up and you get the twisties. You don't know where you're at, and sometimes your brain, like, freaks out, almost. And then sometimes you have to, like, go back, do the basics and kind of get your brain to, like, remember where you're going. You know, like, okay, I'm gonna do a full, and I'm gonna do one and a half to, like, remember how to twist. And so it is hard because, you know, at the Olympics, we don't have foam pits. We don't have our normal training facilities. So it's not like she can, like, go and practice, you know, to kind of get her mindset back to where she. To where it needs to be. So anyway, she, you know, just wasn't able to go and compete. She was done. And when we were up in the stands, my coach texts me, and she's like, hey, they're changing your flights. You're staying. And so I'm like, okay, that's fine. But I was like. I was just ready to go home, you know? I was, like, over it. I did what I needed to do. Everything was great. And then when I got to my room that night, you know, Simone said, like, I'm not gonna do vault. You're in. You're going in. And so I'm like, are you sure? Because I'm like, you don't want to try for a medal? You know, like, I was like, are you sure you want to give that up? You know, so. And I was like, there's no way. Like, she's going to go into the gym tomorrow. Everything will be fine. But, yeah, 24 hours before vault finals, they officially announced that I was going in and competing and she wasn't going to do it. And so I trained for those next two days and I was the first one up at vault on vault finals, which was so nerve wracking because I had to sit there and watch all the other seven girls compete. And the scores kept going and I was like, in first and first and first. And then Rebecca from Brazil went and she did her vaults scores come up. She ended up in first, and then I ended up in second and got to take home a silver medal, which, wow, I didn't even think was gonna happen. I was like, well, maybe I'll get third. Like, maybe I'll place the top three. I don't know, you know? So to take home the silver medal was incredible. And I had cried so much just from, like, all the ups and downs and everything we were going through. And I was so tired of crying that when I finally got the medal, I wasn't even crying. I was so happy.

[Isabel Brown]

I was just so excited. Smiling ear to ear, right?

[Michaela Skinner]

I was like, I can't believe this happened. And, you know, God knew that this was my glory moment that I got to have. And after everything I'd been through and being alternate so many times and all the politics that are involved with gymnastics, obviously I can go on and on for hours about everything that I went through, but it wasn't when I got that medal. Like, it just sits in a drawer, right? I don't. I don't really ever look at it unless I maybe need to take it somewhere. But for me, like, when I was standing on that podium, all I could think about was like, that little Michaela.

[Isabel Brown]

Yep.

[Michaela Skinner]

That dreamed of this moment becoming a reality and knowing that all that hard work paid off and everything that I sacrificed, that my coaches, my family, my parents, my husband for the last couple years, like, that's what that medal was about.

[Isabel Brown]

And again, so powerful, Truly, I think it speaks volumes into the headspace that the whole team was at during that time, too. You keep saying we were all going through a lot, and certainly I don't think the world at large necessarily understood what the entire gymnastics world was going through at that time. But in the following years, since 2020, we've gotten, you know, a pretty clear window into everything that all of you young women were facing at that time. The Athlete A documentary has really exposed quite a bit of this in the last few years, produced by our Mutual friend Jen say, who's an amazing woman. And I'm curious to hear your experience not necessarily being as directly impacted by all of what we know was happening behind the scenes with Larry Nassar, but how did that impact your mentality? The young women in this world, knowing that so many were directly impacted by this and knowing that they had to get up and have that smile on their face and stand on podiums and represent their country in the midst of such tragedy?

[Michaela Skinner]

Yeah, it's. It's really sad because I just remember in 2016, I was never affected by Larry, thank goodness. I never was really injured much. There are a few instances where my coach noticed some weird things, but she was always there to make sure that that didn't happen, and so I'm really, really grateful. And so back in 2016, when stuff kind of was being said to us, that stuff was going on, stuff's gonna come out. Things aren't looking good. I had. I didn't. I didn't have any idea, because my teammates, you know, we weren't sitting there talking about it. It's not just something we would talk about together, you know, And I know some of them probably did have those conversations that were being affected. And so when everything came out, it. I just. Like, my jaw just dropped to the floor, and I was just. I mean, it kind of made sense just knowing Larry and the person he was, but it was like my teammates had to go through that, and they had to experience that, and that was happening. Like when we were at camps and, you know, traveling, like, he was with us at Worlds, and things were happening, and I didn't even know, and I felt like I couldn't even help, you know? Like, I just felt it was just. It was a really hard time. And then I had left college, or I left the Olympics, went to college, and all that stuff just was coming out, and things were going on, and it just made me very sad to know that my teammates were going through something like that and feeling like they couldn't have a voice or they couldn't say anything, or people tried to say something, and it got shut out. You know, like, they had to keep quiet. And to me, that's just really, really sad. And that is one of the reasons why I've wanted to be an advocate or to be an advocate and to use my platform, obviously, you know, protecting women's sports, that's really huge for me. It's something I've always believed in and have been too scared because I feel like in the gymnastics world, we've never been able to advocate for ourselves, which is really sad. And it's. It's always kind of been one of those things, like, if you say anything or you do anything wrong or you don't do what we want, you know, we're not going to want you, we're not going to use you. And so they use that against us. Like, oh, well, you know, if you say this, like, we're not going to put you on the Olympic team, like, it's just. It's just very. I don't know, it's a very touchy subject, very hard and very sad. And so being kind of through that with my teammates and seeing everything that happened, and then the feud that happened with me and Simone last year, that was really hard to go through. And then when she, you know, Simone went and attacked Riley Gaines, it kind of gave me that. That fire and that drive to want to, like, use my platform and be like, I don't care what people have to say. Like, I want to do something that I'm passionate and believe in, and I want to give the future gymnast and future girls of any sport to be able to feel comfortable enough, to be able to stand up and fight for what they believe in and to have a voice. So there's a lot of things that, you know, play into all of this that's super devastating. But I feel like it's finally my time to have a voice and be able to help these girls and give a voice to those who feel like.

[Isabel Brown]

They don't have one. Right. I mean, you linked that so beautifully that of course the two are connected. And it's honestly shocking to me, in the wake of everything that we now know about the rampant sexual abuse that was happening against young girls in the gymnastics world, how many people are remaining silent about men being naked in women's locker rooms and taking advantage of so many women in different sports potentially at some point. I mean, we haven't really seen it on a national scale yet, but potentially even gymnastics in the upcoming years, and to see people not be able to connect the dots between those two things, and especially watching Simone go after Riley Gaines, and you saw that whole conversation happened several months ago. It was so fun flooring to me, because I can't understand how so many people, especially women, are failing to recognize that this really is an exploitation of women situation. And we need to be outspoken now more than ever before. It's November, which means the holidays are here, which also means your calendar is probably packed with hosting duties, shopping lists, and endless to dos. When life gets this hectic, sleep often takes a backseat, but that is exactly when you need it the most. Quality rest is what helps keep you energized for holiday prep, help you stay patient with your family, and lets you actually enjoy this season instead of just surviving it. And here's the truth. If your mattress is not giving you the deepest, most comfortable sleep that your body craves, you are starting every single day at a major disadvantage. That is where our friends at Helix come in. Finding the right mattress doesn't have to be guesswork for you. Helix makes it so simple with their sleep quiz. It asks about your sleep preferences and your sleep style and and then matches you with the mattress that is actually right for you. And they're not just making promises. Helix is the most awarded mattress brand out there with glowing reviews from Forbes, Wired and other trusted experts. The best part is they deliver straight to your front door with free shipping so no hauling anything yourself. Plus, with their Happy with Helix guarantee, you'll get 129 to try it out and a limited lifetime warranty. So if it's not working for you, returns and exchanges are totally seamless. It's basically a risk free way to finally get the sleep that you deserve, especially when you need it the most. When I had my gigantic box of my sleep mattress from Helix show up on my front door, it literally felt like Christmas morning. We've had it for the last several months and it has made a total game changer for our family when it comes to getting beautiful rest. Especially as new parents when we don't have a whole lot of sleep in the middle of the night. You guys can go to helixsleep.com isabelle for 27% off site wide that is helixsleep sleep.com isabel for 27% off site wide make sure you enter our show name into your post purchase survey so that they know that we sent you from the Isabel Brown Show. Again, that's helix sleep.com Isabel Riley is an amazing leader in this movement and a dear, dear friend of mine. I know she's been incredibly inspiring to you and she's done amazing work with an organization called XXXY started by again our mutual friend Jennifer say also from the gymnastics world. At some point you just recently announced that you are engaging in a new partnership with them. Can you tell us a little bit about that and what your advocacy for girl sports is going to look like in the future?

[Michaela Skinner]

Yeah, I'm so excited. I'm like wearing merch all the time. I love it. I'm so excited. I had gotten connected with Jen kind of after the feud between Simone and Riley happened, and just trying to figure out how I can use my platform, how can I use my voice. Got connected with Jen and she is incredible. Obviously, she was an elite gymnast, amazing in her time, really looked up to her and everything that she's done with XXXY athletics, incredible. And same with Riley. I remember her team had reached out to us a few years ago. And of course, being in the gymnastics world and not having a voice and being scared to speak up, they had reached out asking if we wanted to be a part of her movement. And right away I told my husband, like, yeah, let's do it. I want to do it. And then we had to, like, sit and think about it and we're like, I don't know, like, yeah, you know, I don't want to be canceled or, you know, everything that can come with it, which is sad because I shouldn't have to worry about that. Like, we should be able to have a voice and talk about what we believe in. And so we had said no. And then just as the years have gone on and things have gotten so bad and now having a daughter, I don't want that for my daughter. And thankfully, gymnastics has been my safe split, my safe place and a safe space for me. But I, you know, I don't know if my daughter's going to do gymnastics. Yes, it's not rapid in gymnastics yet could get there. Right. But in any sport that she might want to do one day, it's just, I just don't want that for her. I want her to feel safe, protected and loved and kind of, I want her to have the same experiences that I got to have as an athlete. And I don't want her changing in a locker room with a biological man. Like, that's just. It's not okay.

[Isabel Brown]

It should not be a controversial thing to say. Right. And here we are where you've had to be worried about that for so many years. So to see you be willing to speak up about it even now is so inspiring and so, so important.

[Michaela Skinner]

Thanks. Thanks. And it, it has been scary, but if anything, the outcome has been incredible. The amount of DMs, the amount of parents, and I feel like once you become a parent, it definitely hits closer to home because your child is growing up in this world, you know, that's so scary. And so just being that advocate for them and just showing these other girls that they can have a voice, too, and that it's okay to not Want to have to compete against a biological man. So, yeah, anyway, it's. It's been. It's been great. It's been scary. I'm still learning and Jen has really helped me. Riley, you know, inspires me every day and they're doing amazing things. And so I'm just so grateful to be working with XXXY athletics and to continue this journey. And I can't wait to see what else is to come.

[Isabel Brown]

Do you, in our last few minutes together, have a message, maybe pointedly, for someone like Simone Biles or other female athletes out there on the responsibility that they have to give a voice to young women and this next generation of girls who want the same magical experiences, to compete safely and joyfully and experience that real sisterhood that you guys had growing up. How can more people have that courage? How can they pursue the truth and be unafraid of the backlash if and when that ever comes?

[Michaela Skinner]

Yeah, I mean, for me, definitely not worrying about the backlash. You know, it's. It's gonna happen. It's gonna be there. But those aren't the people that I want on my side, in my corner. Those people don't matter. It's about fighting for what's right and what you know is right and letting girls have the same. The same freedom that we did in sports. Right. But if anything, yeah, I just encourage, you know, my Olympic teammates like Simone, Team usa, anybody with any sport, I would love to see them come together, rally together, to really think about this so that these girls can have the same playing field as we did and had the same opportunities. I just really hope that I've been able to inspire them at least a little bit and can continue to, and that they can really think about how much this is affecting athletes, women athletes all over the world. And I just want them to have that same safe space that we've had. So it'd be really cool to see them step forward and maybe come out and even connect with us with XXXY athletics, I think, would be really cool. So I think the biggest thing is just hopefully I've been able to inspire them to do the same.

[Isabel Brown]

Last fun question for you before we let you go back to your beautiful family, is about your family. I think there's such a huge pressure for young women right now to feel like marriage and children are somehow going to hold you back. And I know that certainly is the type of language that's used in the elite athlete world that that will ruin the rest of your career. It's never something that you should strive for at Least put it way, way, way. You're married and you have a beautiful two year old daughter who you've shared a little bit about on the episode today. What has that experience been like for you? And do you have a words of encouragement for other young women thinking about marriage and family?

[Michaela Skinner]

Yeah, it's incredible. I mean, I have 12 nieces and nephews and I became an aunt at 10, so all I could ever think about was being a mom. I just, I love kids. And my college coaches, when they were recruiting me, they asked me, hey, like, what do you want to go to school for? And I'm like, I don't really want to go to school. I don't know what I want to be. I just want to be a mom. And they just start laughing, you know, and I'm like, I know I need to get a degree, that's important and I want to go to college. But there is literally no greater thing or greater accomplishment than being a mom. Like, I always like to say, like, my, my, the greatest medal that I could ever receive, greater than an Olympic medal, is becoming a mom. Like, it seriously brings me so much joy. Don't get me wrong, being a parent, it's hard, right? We have hard days. But totally, if anything, like, Charlotte picks me up and carries me through and she is my greatest joy of the day. It's been a blast. Yeah. I just, it does make me sad seeing people not wanting to get married, not wanting to have a family. And that's something that I've always been passionate about, believed in, you know, watching all my siblings get married and have kids. And it was just something that I wanted to have. And seeing, you know, like having my mom there with me through thick and thin and through all the sports and I wouldn't have been able to be there without my parents. Right. And so it's just a beautiful thing. And I can't wait to take the lessons that I've learned and share that with my daughter and to help her be the best person that she can be, even if she does sports or not. But yeah, just taking the life lessons that I've learned and implement, implementing those into her and yeah, being a parent, it's great. I know people say, I don't want to have a kid, I don't ever want kids. And they end up getting pregnant and they literally say, I can't believe I didn't want kids. Yeah, I, you know, like, once you have your own baby, there's just nothing like it. Yeah. Until you've been there and done it. Like, it's hard to explain it, but it's incredible. And I would encourage anyone and everyone to have kids. It's the most beautiful thing in the connection and the love between your spouse and your children and that bond, like, there's just nothing like it, and it just makes life more fun.

[Isabel Brown]

Amen.

[Michaela Skinner]

You know, it just makes everything better. You know, holidays are more fun. You get to, like, feel like you're in the spirit again, and you're like a little kid at Christmas and just seeing the world through their eyes and how so smart they are and seeing how they're going to step into the world and educate the world and hopefully go and do great things. So, yeah, it's. It's beautiful. I love it. It's. It's great. God's greatest gift.

[Isabel Brown]

Amen to that. Michaela Skinner, thank you so much for your voice, for your courage, for the beautiful message that you are giving to young women all over our country and the world. We are so excited to have had you on. We'll definitely have you back very soon. And I, for one, just cannot wait to see how many people you inspire with your bravery and continuing to stand up for women, even when it's crazily the least popular thing to do in our country. So thank you very much.

[Michaela Skinner]

Yeah, thanks for having me and letting me share my message. I appreciate it so much.

[Isabel Brown]

Absolutely.