Simone Biles is poised to be a major attraction for spectators at this year’s Paris Olympics. But the new Netflix documentary Simone Biles: Rising goes beyond the feats that established her as a fitness legend. It explores the pressure she has performed under, the personal challenges she has overcome and offers a glimpse into the demanding reality of life as an elite athlete. The two-part documentary examines Biles’ decision to prioritize her mental and physical health by withdrawing from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It includes interviews with black athletes who came before her and were often forced to compete under similar conditions without the agency to make the choices he did. While Biles’ decision was initially met with controversy, it eventually garnered significant fan support. The response signals a positive change in sports culture: the priority on well-being is more common and black female athletes are advocating for themselves.
It wasn’t always like that. Because of misogynoir, black female athletes face a disproportionate amount of hypercriticism from viewers, commentators, and even sports bodies. Athletes like Gwen Berry, a Team USA hammer thrower, have spoken out in the past about systemic racism and bias in sports. Berry scolded harshly afterward turning away from the flag and wearing a t-shirt that said “athlete activist” during the national anthem at the 2020 US Olympic trials.
Naomi Osaka’s choice to prioritize her mental health by skipping press conferences during the 2021 French Open has sparked major backlash. She was fined and faced threats of expulsion for breaking tournament rules and Critics accused her of being unprofessional. To stack, the The French Open mocked Naomi’s state of mind on Twitter (now X).
These experiences, shared by many other black female athletes, highlight the intense pressure and scrutiny they face in the public eye — especially when they dare to speak up for themselves. It has exposed the lack of empathy for black women in sport who struggle with their mental health and highlights the problematic relationship between these athletes, the media and the governing bodies of sport which often fail to protect black women.
As Increasing details, competing in an environment that has historically been hostile to black women can be challenging — even if you’re lauded as the “greatest of all time” and even if you’re able to do what other athletes can’t. In sports, as in life, Black women’s ability to regularly excel is no protection from unwarranted criticism. “People just put you on these pedestals,” Biles shared in the documentary, “and I’m just begging to be human.”
For fans and the media, it can be difficult to separate the man from the athlete (who can push the limits of what is humanly possible). But because Biles pushed for widespread empathy, she was given the space and time she needed to make a strong comeback—in many ways, she’s a self-advocacy success story. However, Biles’ documentary shows how her predecessors were not given the same grace.
We cannot underestimate the importance of community in sports and its impact on the self-confidence, self-determination and advocacy of black women.
Black female athletes such as Dominique Dawes and Betty Okino endured physical and mental pain as young athletes. As they were forced through injuries and emotional stress, their psychological well-being was often overlooked. This issue is not unique to gymnastics. in tennis, Mardy Fish retired from the sport due to mental health struggles. At the height of Fish’s career, as recently as 2010, the public discussion of mental health was still stigmatized. This has forced many athletes to suffer in silence, a theme explored in his Netflix documentary, Untold: Breaking Point. His decision to speak out about his experience has helped show that mental health is now increasingly recognized as vital to an athlete’s overall performance and well-being.
The change in attitudes that created a safer environment for black women to stand up for themselves did not happen by itself. Although there is still a long way to go, the support from the Black community itself has helped immensely.
For example, in April 2021, Angel Reese, then a basketball star and now a WNBA player, shared her honest feelings after the match and comments following the loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes. She opened up about the death threats, over-sexualization and cyberbullying she experienced throughout the season and the emotional toll it took. She was rightly proud of herself for performing under these personal circumstances. However, her bravery was harshly criticized by commentator Emmanuel Acho, who called her cowardly and insinuated that she was childish. He said in a video posted on YouTube, “When you get an L, you just have to take it on the chin. No one mourns when the villain catches an L.”
Despite Acho’s comments, Reese received overwhelming support from other black sports commentators, celebrities and fans on social media, demonstrating a collective determination to protect and uplift black women.
Emmanuel Acho later admitted that he was humiliated, after receiving calls from the likes of Bozoma St. John, former Netflix CMO and American TV personality, Stephen A. Smith. He was reprimanded and educated about the damage caused by unfairly criticizing a black woman for speaking out about her mental health.
While the incident highlights the harmful stereotypes that force black female athletes to suppress their emotions, hopefully, it also demonstrates our community’s commitment to challenging these expectations.
There is also a strong sense of solidarity and brotherhood among black athletes, who naturally relate to each other’s experiences—a theme emphasized in Increasing. Today, there are more black women in gymnastics and many rising stars following in Biles’ footsteps, a stark contrast to when she started the sport and was often the only black girl in the gym. Biles now sees herself as a “big sister” in the sport and actively provides positive encouragement and guidance to these up-and-coming athletes.
Similarly, tennis greats Serena and Venus Williams experienced relentless racism and sexism during their careers. Despite these challenges, they spoke up and continued to perform at the highest level, earning their place among the greatest athletes of all time. They have also made a deliberate effort to mentor other black women in the sport. Players such as Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka credit them as mentors and part of their support network.
We cannot underestimate the importance of community in sports and its impact on the self-confidence, self-determination and advocacy of black women. WNBA player Ty Young and swimmer Lia Neal discussed how building a community with other black women empowered them to speak out against unfair treatment, knowing they had each other’s support. For Neil, this sense of solidarity inspired her to create Swimmers for Change, a platform dedicated to raising awareness of swimming inequities and raising money for charities that support black communities. This network gave these women the opportunity to advocate for themselves and drive meaningful change in their respective sports.
The journey to equality for black women in sports has been challenging, but self-advocacy and steadfast support from the black community has been instrumental in changing the landscape of sports.
In her documentary, Biles’ talks about the importance of having fun while competing – and as we wait to see her bid for the 2024 Olympics, her fans can only hope that her beloved sport continues to be a source of happiness her.
It’s inspiring to see how black female athletes, by speaking out, are making significant strides in improving sports culture. They remind us that as we cheer on the athletes at these Olympic Games in Paris, we all have a role to play in creating an environment where joy is at the forefront of both watching and competing.
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