How Athletes Affect Our Lives
We admire the athletes in our lives because of their amazing talents, but do we ever stop and think about the other roles they play as well? Regardless of one’s physical abilities, the world of sports has grown to be more intersectional over time, allowing a diverse range of role models to inspire and motivate us as individuals.
For instance, after dropping out of the 2021 Olympics, Simone Biles brings awareness to the importance of mental health and self-care. The reason for her withdrawal was because she was experiencing the “twisties,” which means her mind was struggling to be connected to her body. This is extremely unnerving for many athletes as it puts them at risk of injuring themselves. Biles elaborates on this by saying, “I’ve spent so much time working on my physical self, I’ve tried to use this time to focus on my mental wellbeing.” With this decision, she shows others that it is okay to prioritize one’s limits and well-being, rather than losing sight of those in order to win your way to the top. Being your best is taking care of yourself and listening to what your mind and body need.
A great example of female of color empowerment is Serena Williams, an extremely skilled tennis player with a drive for activism. In a project she did with British Vogue in October of 2020, she uses her platform to motivate and advocate for women of color: “The narrative has to change... but someone in my position can show women and people of color that we have a voice…” Williams continues by talking about body image and the struggles she faced when her career first began. She said that it was extremely rare to see people in the media like her, “who were thick.” However, she has made it part of her mission to change that story and embrace her body. As a black woman with a platform, it is important to her to speak out about racial justice issues, which is why she concludes her interview by talking about the Black Lives Matter movement and how the media and technology are important aspects to giving people like her a voice today. Despite the criticism and judgement thrown her way, Serena Williams remains strong and inspires resilience.
Another example of an influential athlete is Chelsea Wolfe who encourages further empowerment within the LGBTQIA+ community as the first transgender athlete to ever qualify for the Olympics on behalf of the USA in 2021. After her transition in 2014, she has received hate about how she proposes disadvantages on the playing field due her gender and sex assigned at birth. Regardless of comments like those meant to bring her down, she has continued to persevere. This has allowed her to earn a platform in which she serves as a role model for other LGBTQIA+ people who don't see enough representation of their community in the media or sports world. Wolfe’s effort is not only to be a skilled athlete, but to help build a more accepting and diverse world as she says, “I kept fighting because I wanted to change the world … to help create a world where everybody has access to opportunity and is celebrated and supported to chase their dreams, no matter who they are and what those dreams may be.” She is one one of many more future LGBTQIA+ leaders to make an impact.
To conclude, these athletes are just a few out of all of the many more rising and making an impact on our lives. Being an athlete is not just about being successful at your sport dedication, but also being a source of change and representation. Be like an athlete. Be who you are and embrace it.
