I know that you all care oh so much what my opinion on the matter is, so I figured I would chime in.
(I know you read that with as much sarcasm as I wrote it, but if not, go back and read it with deep sarcasm.) Simone Biles. I wish I had all the time in the world to write about Simone Biles and her astonishing decision to drop out of the team Olympics. I don't. So I will make this short and sweet. Maybe. She is a national treasure. She is one of a kind. She is officially my favorite athlete of all time. Done. Or not. She is my favorite athlete though. No joking about it. That woman called out a system of abuse that was taking place for decades. She performs at the highest level of all gymnasts, hitting moves that only a handful of men have the power to do. She is stunningly beautiful. She is a team minded human, even in the face of hurt, pain, and emotional discord. She has done more for the sport, and athletes throughout the Olympics, than any other human. You all know my battles with depression, anxiety, and abuse (well, maybe you don't know that last part, but it's there). For me, basketball let me feel a sense of home and security. A ball in my hand is like a hug from God himself. There's rest and peace in the gymnasium. The worst that I had it in my basketball career was a coach that threw clipboards at my head and yelled nasty things, an assistant coach that kicked me in the head and gave me a concussion, and a percentage of an experience like Ms. Biles'. (I was often penalized in recreational basketball with fouls that I did not commit because I would steal the ball from lesser players and the ref didn't think it was fair that I could steal and score on repeat. So instead of making the other girls get better, or even sending me to an older aged league, they penalized me. Not even close to the nonsense they have pulled with Simon Biles' scoring.) All in all, that means that basketball was a place of refuge for me. Can you imagine one of the biggest parts of you, that you love dearly, being corrupted with sexual abuse? Can you imagine doing your absolute best- at an insanely high output- in front of millions of people while taking any sort of abuse? Most people I know, cannot fathom what she has gone through. Lord knows I can't. Simone Biles is a role model. I am grateful to have watched this whole thing unfurl while having children. She has now taught my children that it is okay to in charge of your mental and physical health, which is something I worry about. My daughter has left classes bleeding, but she continued through the pain. She has left with bruises, scrapes, and cuts. And all the while, she believes that the teacher has her back. But I wonder. I'm sure many people still feel like she's a quitter, that she let down her team. To those I ask one question - what sport did you medal in at the Olympics and how often were you abused?
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