Why What Simone Biles Just Did Matters So Much To Black Women Like Me

"One study shows that 63% of Black people don’t 'believe in' mental illness, dismissing it as a weakness or something on which white people spend their time and money."Simone Biles during the artistic gymnastics women's team final on July 28 during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo.I’d considered watching Track and Field just to see Sha’Carri Richardson literally run circles around her competition.

Simone Biles was saying, “No. I’m not going to push myself any further. And while it may be inconvenient timing, I’m out. I just need to let the girls do it and focus on myself.”It’s a fact worth underscoring as our nation’s health care system has a terrible track record when it comes to treating our communities of color, especially women.

And in my friend groups where I was the only Black one, I felt an extra incentive to be close-lipped. I didn’t want anyone conflating my race with whatever this was ― this defectiveness. I was determined to represent strong, Black women proudly. Famously shy and soft-spoken, Osaka revealed that she had been dealing with anxiety and depression since bursting into the limelight by winning the U.S. Open in 2018, the first of her four Grand Slam titles.

Why is it so hard for us to accept that our athletes are human? Why do we as a society place so much value on them pushing themselves through injuries, mental and physical? Michael Jordan was lauded after playing through the stomach flu in the 1995 NBA finals and bringing The Bulls to victory. The late Kobe Bryant received cheers and chest bumps after receiving four bags of IV fluids during Game 6 against the Denver Nuggets in 2012.

I don’t know if it’s a coincidence that both Biles and Osaka stole the Olympic headlines on the same day during BIPOC Mental Health Month . But I hope that their courageous actions will have a long-lasting impact, not just on The Olympics but also on society.

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Why most Black office workers are dreading the return to officesA new poll says 97% of Black knowledge workers are not ready to return to offices riddled with racial microaggressions, discrimination and glass ceilings. - NBCBLK NBCBLK 🤣🤣🤣 NBCBLK It's nice to be able to blame your problems on outside forces. I do not have such privilege. NBCBLK whitepeoplebad
Source: NBCNews - 🏆 10. / 86 Read more »

Why The Black High-Waisted Jean Is Arguably the Most Versatile Wardrobe HeroThe elevated staple pairs well with nearly everything—plus, it’s incredibly flattering. Not for pear shaped women.
Source: VogueRunway - 🏆 705. / 51 Read more »

With Employee Exhaustion At 85%, Improve Your One-On-One ConversationsAs per the TINYpulse State of Employee Engagement Q2 2021, research over more than 40 countries shows that remote employees experience the highest level of employee exhaustion at 85. To avoid underestimating the “Great Resignation,” leaders should plan for more one-on-one conversations. 주님께서 잠시 지체하시는 것은 당신이 회개하기를 원하시는 주님의 오래 참으심입니다 EternalBlissInHeaven
Source: Forbes - 🏆 394. / 53 Read more »

'Cars into caskets': New study confirms police bias towards Black driversPolice officers speak to Black drivers in a more disrespectful tone during traffic stops than the way they speak to white drivers, according to American Psychological Association study. The interactions I've had with police during traffic stops consisted of those cops being pricks. I can't imagine how much worse it is for Black people. Create more hate media!
Source: NBCNews - 🏆 10. / 86 Read more »

Scarlett Johansson sues Disney, claims 'Black Widow' streaming cut into box office profitsThe actress, whose pay was tied to theatrical ticket sales, claims she was misled about the Marvel blockbuster's simultaneous release on Disney+. Wish we had her problems $$$! There’s more to life! isn’t she making millions… girl there are people in poverty
Source: TODAYshow - 🏆 389. / 55 Read more »

How a forgotten Black activist fueled a California city's racial reckoningEllen Garrison Jackson Clark, the daughter of a runaway slave, was a 19th century Rosa Parks, an early civil rights activist whose work was largely forgotten. Then historians discovered she was buried in an unmarked grave in Altadena.
Source: latimes - 🏆 11. / 82 Read more »