Last year for February, we looked at black women throughout the history of sports and dance. This year, we want to honor a different group of young women of color blazing new trails in competitive sports today. 

In 2021, when the Summer Olympics finally happened in Japan after being shut down due to the spread of COVID-19, 24-year old gymnast Simone Biles made headlines when she removed herself from the competition. After experiencing a phenomenon known as the “twisties,” she decided to stop competing. Her decision sparked a new discussion around mental health and competitive sports?  

Prioritizing Mental Health

There has always been a complicated relationship between mental health and sports. Some people firmly believe that you need to push through the pain and do everything you can. Others stood by Biles and her decision expressing that we need to do more to prioritize mental health, especially for young athletes. 

Because Biles is a young black woman, we began an exploration into what it means for black athletes to recognize the cultural expectations and the physical ones. Empowering young black women to say “No” when institutions have not always granted them that privilege is an essential evolution. 

Naomi Osaka, Tennis, and Mental Health Awareness

Before Biles stepped away from the Olympics, Tennis star Naomi Osaka made headlines for prioritizing her mental health ahead of major tournaments. The Japanese and Haitian tennis star who plays for Japan was highly ranked as she entered the French Open. Before the matches, she missed several mandatory media assignments and did not conduct a press conference after she won her first match. She was fined $1500 for skipping the presser and was threatened with additional fines and expulsion. The next day, she announced her withdrawal from the tournament. 

Her decision was analyzed and discussed, and much like with Biles, there were detractors. But her example of prioritizing mental health has become a touchstone for how we can better approach the subject for young athletes. 

Venus Williams Becomes Mental Health Champion 

In the wake of the Osaka and Biles stories, another famous black athlete spoke out to support their decisions. Venus Williams, a successful entrepreneur and decorated tennis star, became the lead pitch person for BetterHelp.Com’s service aimed at providing support for athletes through their easy-to-use online portal. In this interview with Forbes, she shares her self-care routine and encourages others to adopt their own. 

At Ladybug for Girls, we know that wellness encompasses our entire bodies, including our mental health. We believe in the importance of mental health awareness for girls of all ages. We are grateful that these young women made their struggles public so girls can see how critical self-care is in sports and life.