Aly Raisman says blaming leotards for sexual abuse is victim-shaming
Aly Raisman is tired of victim-shaming over clothing choices.
The U.S. Olympic gymnast tweeted on Sunday that "Leotards r not the problem," calling out critics of the gymnastics uniform for victim-shaming and "implying survivors should feel it's their fault."
SEE ALSO: Aly Raisman sues U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics for how they dealt with Nassar abuse
Raisman, an outspoken activist for survivors of sexual assault, also called out enablers of abuse against children and young people, saying, "The real problem is the pedophiles out there and the adults who enable them."
I was recently asked if gymnasts should continue wearing leotards. Leotards r not the problem. The problem is the many pedophiles out there & the adults who enable them. By saying clothing is part of the issue, u are victim shaming/implying survivors should feel it's their fault.
— Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) March 25, 2018
Raisman has fiercely campaigned and continually spoken out against against systemic sexual abuse in the sport of gymnastics. The two-time Olympian testified against former USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar, who abused Raisman and hundreds of other female gymnasts under the guise of medical treatment. Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for sexual assault. After the sentencing, Raisman released a list of demands for the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics, calling for transparency during its investigation into how the abuse happened.
On Sunday, she encouraged her Twitter followers to learn more about victim-shaming, posting links to Flip the Switch, an organization dedicated to preventing sexual abuse in sports.
For those of you who do not understand what victim shaming is and why it's so dangerous I urge you to educate yourself. Adults can work together to prevent child sexual abuse. Please #FlipTheSwitch with Darkness to Light https://t.co/cZb5qZkY5U
— Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) March 25, 2018
As one Twitter user pointed out, gymnasts wear leotards for safety, not just for aesthetic reasons during performance.
Wearing leotards in gymnastics is essential to safety & injury prevention; Tight fitting clothes allow instructors to gauge the alignment of athletes' hips & spine w/ neck and knees. Misalignment = catastrophic injury (ex. ACL tear)
— a doctor to be. (@tobemd99) March 25, 2018
Others on social media argued that some gymnasts may be more comfortable in less revealing clothing. One reminded them that although athletes should have a choice in attire, many people were missing the point of Raisman's tweet: Children should be able to train in a safe space where they're protected against abuse and encouraged to speak out against sexual predators.
Choice for personal comfort is great! As long as the options are safe for performance. But its not what stops abuse. Creating a place where athletes feel safe to speak up, are treated like people and where adults don’t tolerate any bad behavior w/ kids is what stops it.
— Abra Bacon (@abra_bacon) March 26, 2018
Sadly, it's not the first time Raisman has dealt with victim-shaming for clothing choices — she even battled it from her own teammates.
In November, Raisman tweeted that women "are allowed to feel sexy and comfortable in their own skin." Fellow USA Gymnastics teammate Gabby Douglas received some heavy backlash when her response to Raisman appeared to victim-shame women for their clothing choices. In a now-deleted tweet, she said, "It is our responsibility as women to dress modestly and be classy. dressing in a provocative/sexual way entices the wrong crowd."
shocks me that I’m seeing this but it doesn’t surprise me... honestly seeing this brings me to tears bc as your teammate I expected more from you & to support her. I support you Aly 💕 & all the other women out there!
STAY STRONG pic.twitter.com/CccTzhyPcb— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) November 17, 2017
Olympic gold medalist and fellow Team USA gymnast Simone Biles posted a screenshot of the tweet, commenting that she wasn't surprised by her teammate's remarks.
"Honestly seeing this brings me to tears bc as your teammate I expected more from you & to support her," Biles wrote. Douglas later apologized for her comment, and wrote that "regardless of what you wear, abuse under any circumstance is never acceptable."
Since then, Raisman has been a staunch advocate for women wearing what they want — in February, she posed for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition with the words "women do not have to be modest to be respected" written down her body, and "survivor" written across her chest.
Thank you to the @SI_Swimsuit team pic.twitter.com/SbTkGmg5Tr
— Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) February 13, 2018
"The female body is beautiful and we should all be proud of who we are, inside and out," she wrote in a note.