Simone Biles calls out conservative group’s petition criticizing her Uber Eats commercial campaign with Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness
Gymnastics legend Simone Biles is hitting back at a conservative Christian group for spearheading a petition calling on Uber Eats to pull its commercials featuring Biles and Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness.
This all started last month when Uber Eats rolled out a series of commercials featuring the pair where the openly gay Van Ness, who identifies as nonbinary, shows off his gymnast talents while wearing the same leotard as Biles with the tagline: ‘Anything Simone Biles can do, Jonathan Van Ness can do … in his own, amazing way.’
In response, the One Million Moms group, a division of the American Family Association, claimed the ads are ‘pushing the LGBTQ agenda on families.’
Simone Biles hit back at a conservative Christian group, One Million Moms, for spearheading a petition calling on Uber Eats to pull its commercials featuring Biles and Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness
In support of its petition, the group wrote about how Uber Eats is ‘attempting to brainwash viewers with an agenda instead of focusing on providing a helpful service, especially during a pandemic.’
They go on to mention how potential customers have other food delivery options to choose from and that Uber Eats and its parent company Uber ‘are actually pushing consumers to the competition with their propaganda.’
The group added, ‘Instead of making audiences lose their appetite by glamorizing a LGBTQ lifestyle, Uber Eats should focus on what it does and remain neutral on controversial issues.’
Taking a stand: Biles, 23, took to Twitter and gave her support for the Queer Eye star and the LGBTQIA community as a whole
New campaign: Uber Eats rolled out a series of commercials featuring the pair where the openly gay Van Ness, who identifies as nonbinary, shows off his gymnastic talents
Beaming: Biles kicks-off the Uber Eats ad by doing a signature tumble
Biles, who’s the most decorated American gymnast with 30 Olympic and World Championship medals, got word of the petition and called the conservative group out.
‘The world we live in makes me sad,’ she started in a tweet in response to an NBC News report.
‘But I’d do x1000000 more commercials with you [Van Ness] just to piss everyone off!’
Simone added that all ‘LGBTQIA will always have my support and feel welcome on my socials.’
Hilarious: Van Ness, 23, follows Biles and pulls off an amazing gymnastics’ move across the room while wearing the same leotard as Biles
The One Million moms petition call on Uber Eats to pull its commercials
Conservative group’s push: In support of the One Million Moms petition the group wrote: ‘Uber Eats should focus on what it does and remain neutral on controversial issues
Uber Eats shared Biles’ sentiments about the petition.
‘At Uber Eats, we’re unapologetically committed to representing the flavor spectrum,’ a spokesperson said in a statement to People.
‘From tacos to talent, we like it spicy. JVN and Simone serve gymnastic prowess and ferosh self-confidence, qualities millions of moms everywhere can—and do—support.’
According to the One Million Moms website, the goal of the group is to ‘stop the exploitation of our children especially by the entertainment media.’
At last check on Wednesday night, November 4, the petition had garnered over 7,200 signatures.
Standing tall: Uber Eats came out in support of Biles, Van Ness and the commercial campaign
Legendary heights: Biles is the most decorated American gymnast with 30 Olympic and World Championship medals in her career