This was written by Myla, one of our student interns. The opinions expressed herein do not reflect those of Civitas other than respect for the value of open dialogue.
Simone Biles is a seven-time Olympic medalist. According to the New York Times, she has the most world championship medals (25). Biles is the most decorated gymnast in history. She is arguably considered the greatest gymnast of all time. Biles has dominated gymnastics for the past eight years. She hasn’t lost an all-around title since 2013. However, her level of excellence has become a threat to other competitors. Judges have penalized her for incorporating difficult skills in her routines. According to NBC, this was an effort by the International Gymnastics Federation to dissuade other athletes from attempting difficult skills for the sake of their own safety.
“Am I in a league of my own? Yes. But that doesn’t mean you can’t credit me for what I’m doing,” Biles stated after learning that her skills would be underscored. She has always had an imminent amount of pressure on her shoulders. This obviously took a toll on her mental health. Between being a sexual abuse survivor, being underscored, and having people prey on her downfall, Biles broke down. As a result, she made the decision to withdraw from the all-around competition and the team final at the Tokyo Olympics. Biles put her mental health first. After spending all of these years pleasing her coaches, teammates, fans, and the world, she finally made the decision to prioritize her well-being. A decision that came with backlash from many including the Texas Deputy Attorney General Aaron Reitz. In a now-deleted tweet, he called Biles a “national embarrassment.” After receiving heavy backlash, he apologized to the athlete on Twitter.
Surprisingly, Biles decided to return to the competition. After missing vault, uneven bars, and floor exercise, she competed on the balance beam. At the end of her Olympic Games, she won a bronze medal.
“My mental and physical health is above all medals that I could ever win…And I wasn’t expecting to walk away with the medal. I was just going out there doing this for me,” Biles told ESPN.
As a perfectionist, I applaud Biles for her decision. I know how hard it can be to prioritize one’s mental health. When you spend years striving for perfection, you sacrifice a lot. Most of the time, you put your happiness aside for accomplishments, accolades, a lengthy resume, and pleasing others.
In a telephone interview about a week before the Tokyo Olympics, Biles was asked to name the happiest moment of her career. “Honestly, probably my time off,” she said. Biles could’ve referred to any of her gold medals, extraordinary skills, or history-making moments, but she emphasized her free time instead. Now, she understands that not having time to yourself can create a bad mental headspace.
Over time, your own needs become less significant. No one ever asks, “How are you doing?” but they love to ask, “Can you do me a favor?” But there’s one statement that is even worse: “I need you to do something for me.” Within that statement, there is no question and no consideration for your needs. While I grumble and complain about how others tend to pull on me. I still have a burning desire in me to help others. Similar to Biles, I still have this need to make a huge impact on the world around me. Which is a blessing and a curse.
As a Black woman, I strongly identify with Biles. Black women are expected to take on many roles. We are constantly told to break down barriers, lift as we climb, and tone down our blackness to fit in. Recently, I read an opinion piece published by CNN called “All the Black Women in us are tired.” The author, Lisa Respers France highlights the problems that female Black athletes face including racism and sexism. She emphasized how Black women, in general, struggle to prioritize their mental health.
“We are supposed to save relationships, families, elections, communities, democracy, and basically the world all while exhibiting “Black girl magic,” but y’all mad when we save ourselves?” France said. “Welcome to a new day.”
It is definitely a new day in America for Black women. We are slowly learning how to put ourselves first. More often than not, we constantly sacrifice our well-being for our families, friends, and our communities. For Biles to realize that her mental health is more important than her gold medals is a step in the right direction for Black women.
When I self-reflect, I realize how worried I’ve been over my accomplishments. I’ve always been hard on myself. I have spent years being a perfectionist. However, I have started to take self-care and mental health more seriously. Life has truly shown me that if you don’t choose a day to take a break, your mind and body will choose it for you.
Simone Biles has reminded me of how important it is to prioritize yourself regardless of how others feel. I am so thankful that she used her platform to bring awareness to mental health. Although Biles did not leave the Olympics with a gold medal, she is still a champion in my eyes!
