‘Fighting This Battle’: Simone Biles Was Once Applauded By Award Winning Ballet Dancer For Bringing Generational Change

Simone Biles reigns supreme in gymnastics, her 30 medals solidifying her as the most decorated champion. 23 golds gleam in her collection, etching her name in history. Yet, behind the dazzling brilliance lies a narrative of overcoming adversity and a veneer of racism she’s trying hard to fight. In 2020, according to People magazine, the Olympic champion revealed, ‘I didn’t really notice racism until 2013.’

Conversely, in an interview with Vanity Fair magazine in 2020, an award-winning renowned ballet dancer and multipotentialite delves into the profound resonance she finds between the struggles faced by black dancers, the systemic oversight they face, as portrayed in her memoir/book “Black Ballerinas,” and the challenges confronted by athletes such as Simone Biles. This Time Magazine featured dancer shed light on Simone Biles’ journey, inspiring young athletes and setting a precedence to grow.

Misty Copeland unfurls tidbits about her messiah Biles

Misty Copeland reflected on Simone Biles’ experience saying hearkening back to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Biles’ admission about the weight of representation resonates deeply with Copeland, who acknowledges the frustration of feeling obligated to excel not just for personal achievement but also for the broader community. Copeland underscores the unfairness of this burden, emphasizing that not every Black dancer should bear such immense pressure, particularly considering the additional challenges and microaggressions they face daily, which their white counterparts often overlook.

In celebrating Biles as both an extraordinary athlete and a paragon of resilience, Copeland highlights the remarkable strength required to navigate societal expectations and racial barriers. She expressed, “It shows how incredible Simone Biles is. Not only is she the elite athlete superstar that she is but she’s also fighting this battle, for an entire generation and representing an entire sport.” She further added that she doesn’t understand why it’s so hard for people to see the fearlessness and strength in someone like Biles. However, despite Biles’ remarkable achievements, she has been on the receiving end of discrimination and racism throughout her career.

Simone Biles’ struggle against racial bias, decoded

The struggle of being a black athlete started eons ago. One notable instance transpired in 2013, during her emergence on the scene. Despite her stellar performance at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, where she clinched multiple medals, including a third-place finish on the balance beam, Biles faced racist remarks. Italian gymnast Carlotta Ferlito, dissatisfied with her performance, made derogatory comments implying that Biles and fellow African American gymnast Gabby Douglas were winning because of their skin colour rather than their talent and hard work.

Read More: Top 5 Lesser Known Facts on Simone Biles Ahead of Core Hydration 2024

Moreover, while promoting her partnership with the skincare brand SK-II, Biles recounted another incident of racism she encountered early in her career. She reflected on the struggle of being a young Black girl entering a sport historically dominated by white and Asian athletes, stating that the lack of representation was challenging. Although most individuals were supportive of her efforts, Biles faced a brutal instance of racism during her meteoric rise to prominence.

Watch this story: “Beat You”: Gymnastics’ Emerging Sensation Challenges Simone Biles for the Lead.