Abuse and Healing in Women’s Gymnastics

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Two things: 1. If you can understand what Kathy Johnson Clarke said about the fact that it's the entire environment/culture/system that allowed Larry Nasser to sexually abuse gymnasts, you can understand that it's not one "bad cop" but an entire policing system built on oppressing marginalized groups. 2. This should not be on premium. Everyone (who wants to see this) should have access to this video. These are very important conversations. These gymnasts deserve to be heard everywhere.

olga’s voice at the very beginning and when she was recounting her experience with her abuser sounded so tortured and harrowing. I hope with my whole heart this woman finds peace and healing as do all the gymnasts and all survivors everywhere.

What a great episode! So proud of all these women. They have tried to make the sport better for us for decades, all around the world, yet no one listened. Also Olga Korbut is a gem <3

Tracee is also a rock. She has been an advocate for the generations after her, speaking out way before it was cool to do so.

This whole series has made me really hopeful on the future of gymnastics because I think once the old culture of it is finally gone, the athletes can fully shine without having to go through trauma to get there

It happens at the lower levels too. HS/MS/ELEMENTARY school. When I was coming up, it was right when the sport was hitting the US, mid 70's. Gyms were scarce and many girls got their first taste and start in P.E. If you were good, you were asked to join the "club" (this was Elem and MS, no school competitions in Fairfax Co. Va.). All of us in the club talked about the weird way the PE teacher/coach spotted us for tucks and backhandsprings. It was invasive and I will leave it at that. Eventually, someone told an adult and he was fired. One day he came back on school grounds during recess and started screaming at me. I guess I had a part in his downfall, but I don't remember it. I was 9.

I LOVE that they put all those athletes on that stage at the ESPYs. If anyone wants to better understand the magnitude of the situation in a visual sense, watch that video and listen to what Aly says about how if one person had listened when they spoke up that nobody on that stage ever would have met Larry Nassar and then pause it and think about each individual person and the pain and trauma they went through.

God, my heart is with all of them. I appreciate the hardships they went through/go through. Im so proud of our girls.

There still are so many coaches that shouldn't be coaching, but are, because the people that should be listening to them aren't.

There will always be people who abuse children. They are only a problem when OTHER adults give them access to children. Let that sit for a minute. Every single one of those adults thought it couldn't happen around them, because they didn't want to believe evil exists, and they were afraid to offend, afraid to be rude, afraid to insult, afraid to rock the boat. Abusers are everywhere. If someone wants access to a minor alone in a room, say no. Be rude. Be impolite. "We don't allow that, sorry," is all you have to say. Let him be insulted, that's his problem. If he's not a bad guy he won't care. There have to be firm rules like that. They don't (usually) grow their own kids, they need access to yours. Don't let them. (Interview with McKayla Skinner who said she wasn't abused by Nassar because her coach, Lisa, thought it was weird that he wanted to treat her alone behind a curtain. Lisa didn't "know" he was doing anything wrong. It just felt wrong. She used her instincts. She wasn't afraid to offend him. It sounded wrong, so she didn't allow it. And McKayla didn't get abused.)

All hail Kathy Johnson, "It is not one bad person..." She gets it, she has always gotten it. Too bad so many other influential people in the sport could admit that, but haven't.

Has their been an investigation into the Karolyis and their abuse?.. They got away with it for years!! They and others all need to be held accountable!!!

the karolyis knew everything

This is so sad. I bought the book “Little Girls in Pretty Boxes” two decades ago. I still have it. Sadly, not much seems to have changed as far as coaches go, judging by Laurie’s coach as an example. I am glad to see more and more gymnasts speak up though.

This was an absolutely incredible series!!!

I do not understand why you would want an injured athlete competing in an international competition. I mean, I know the program and the staff have invested a lot in that athlete but they act like it's the athlete's fault if they get injured because they aren't perfect enough. I also don't get how the coaches and everyone that knew about the abuse of the athletes could put them out there when they obviously need medical treatment and to rest. It's like Larry Nassar was the "buffer" for them. By that I mean, the gymnasts hated the training camp so much and the people in it, and then you have this guy who acts like he's got their back and then totally manipulates them. It's like everyone in authority is a robot and they want to make the gymnasts into soulless automatons or something. It's so 1984. Did you hear the way they all had to respond after Marta told them all that stuff about striving for more perfection? That was so eastern European block it wasn't even funny. Plus, everyone heard Larry was a miracle worker so that just reinforced the fact that they could push them as hard as they wanted and this monster would "treat" them. They were so scared on all sides that they knew there was no way to speak up.

Love this series!

Such a powerful video. Awesome. ❤️💕

why is this video listed as "no mature content" when its literally a video about abuse wtf