Stronger Than Ever

Getting Personal With Gymnast, Abuse Survivor And Activist Aly Raisman

by

Ever since bursting onto the Olympic scene at the 2012 Summer Games in London, Aly Raisman has been a force to be reckoned with.

As both a team member and the captain of the 2012 and 2016 U.S. Women's Gymnastics teams - known as the Fierce Five and the Final Five, respectively - Raisman earned a total of six medals and won the affections of fans worldwide.

Today, the three-time Olympic gold medalist continues that winning streak. Her 2017 memoir, "Fierce: How Competing for Myself Changed Everything," became a New York Times best-seller, and Raisman, 24, has established herself as both a sought-after motivational speaker and a fearless advocate for survivors of sexual abuse. In July, she joined more than 100 fellow athletes and sexual abuse survivors in receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs.

Listening to Raisman, who was born and raised in Needham, Massachusetts, speak at colleges and other venues across the country, it's obvious she has found her voice. She talks openly about body shaming and how she was often teased by boys at her elementary school for having strong arms. She now strives to promote body positivity and encourage women of all shapes and sizes to learn to love themselves and their bodies.

"I wish more people would be kind and realize everyone they encounter is battling something," says Raisman, who admits that, while she's active on social media, she avoids reading the comments. "You can post a beautiful photo online, and there's always someone who will say something nasty."

While such negativity might once have bothered Raisman, it doesn't anymore. She exudes confidence both in her voice and when tackling issues she considers paramount. After revealing she was one of 332 victims of former USA Gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar, Raisman became an advocate for other young athletes who may have been sexual assault victims.

"The #MeToo movement has provided a good starting point against sexual assault and sexual harassment, but we still have a long way to go," she says. "It's horrible to still see women being victim shamed and blamed for dressing a certain way or not being believed when they come forward to report sexual abuse."

Raisman believes that, in order to solve the problem of sexual abuse, it needs to be discussed openly rather than ignored. To that extent, she has partnered with Darkness to Light, a nonprofit committed to empowering adults to prevent child sexual abuse.

"I launched the Flip the Switch campaign that offers a training program to help adults recognize the signs of childhood sexual abuse," she says. "Red flags can include things such as an adult taking numerous photos of a child or frequently giving them gifts for no reason."

Although the program is focused on young athletes, Raisman says the materials are applicable to everyone. The course can be taken for free at fliptheswitchcampaign.org, using the code FLIPTHESWITCH.

The campaign is part of a larger effort to build a culture that listens to and supports survivors of sexual abuse.

"I'd like to see a shift in our culture," Raisman says. "To let sexual assault survivors know they aren't alone and it's not their fault and for people to report any inappropriate behavior."

Mastering The Art Of Self-Care

Raisman is doing her part to cement that culture by traveling across the country, speaking to thousands of people on college campuses and other venues. And, while it can be rewarding, the Boston area resident says that touring can take its toll.

People often come up to her after speaking engagements to share their own stories of abuse, and, while she always listens with compassion, Raisman admits she frequently finds herself reliving her own trauma.

"Some days, I will find myself with literally no energy at all, and I know that means I need to make time to recover," she says. "I've found that it's important to listen to both my body and my mind and to take care of myself."

Although she no longer adheres to the six-day-a-week exercise regimen she followed when training for the Olympics, Raisman makes it a priority to regularly see her therapist and nurture her mind, body and soul.

"I meditate at least once a day, and I try to do something every day that makes me happy," she says. "I know that, if I want to be an advocate for change, I also need to practice self-care and have balance in my life."

When she's traveling, that might mean hitting the hotel gym for a treadmill workout or taking a boxing or cycling class when she's home.

"I don't obsess over how I look in the mirror," Raisman explains. "It's more about how I feel energized after a workout."

She also tries to eat a clean, plant-based diet whenever possible.

"It can be hard sometimes when I'm traveling to eat vegan, but, when I'm home, I use Purple Carrot, a plant-based food delivery service," says Raisman, who is a spokesperson for the brand.

Since going vegan, she admits she has more energy and is enjoying trying out new recipes with her family and friends.

"I started cutting out chicken, pork and steak last April and have been incorporating more plant-based meals into my diet," she says.

Some of her favorite vegan foods include berries, cashew-based dairy alternatives, zucchini noodles and soups.

Looking To 2020

Of course, the question Raisman is asked the most is whether she plans to compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics.

With the demands of her ongoing activism, she admits she isn't sure what the future holds. Although she loves gymnastics, a sport she's competed in since the age of 2, she hasn't decided if she'll be joining Team USA in Tokyo.

In the meantime, Raisman plans to continue her advocacy work. In addition to her speaking engagements, she has teamed up with the clothing retailer Aerie to promote body positivity and act as an Aerie Role Model. Another memorable moment came last May when she made a cameo appearance in the Maroon 5 music video "Girls Like You," which also starred Cardi B, Ellen DeGeneres, Gal Gadot and many other notable women.

"I'm very grateful that I'm being given opportunities to be heard," Raisman says. "If I can help one person decide to share their story or help someone be supportive of a survivor, then I hope I can do that." O