Despite the global conversation surrounding mental health opening up in sports as athletes share their struggles, many athletes of color, particularly Black women, continue to face harsh scrutiny.
Simone Biles’ decision to drop out of gymnastics competitions earlier this week was met with support from her teammates, retired Olympians, and fans. But it was also met with criticism, complaints that she is spoiled and that she let down her team and country.
Seanna C. Leath, assistant professor of Community Psychology at the University of Virginia and contributor for Psychology Today, said that scrutiny is due to a lack of space. Black women are not able to bring their whole selves to professional sports. Leath noted how Black women tend to experience more significant criticism when trying to advocate for themselves, and when they do, there is backlash for it.
“We saw this similarly with Naomi Osaka and Allyson Felix,” Leath said. “This disregard for Black women’s health and their psychological well-being.”
According to data from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, almost 63% of Black people believe that having a mental health condition is a sign of personal weakness. The study says that many members of the Black community feel they will experience shame about having a mental illness and worry about facing possible discrimination due to their condition.
Read more at Cleveland.com.
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