‘Truth Hurts’—Lizzo & 5 Other Famous Black Women Who’ve Shared Their Mental Health Struggles - Page 4
4. Simone Biles
Source: Craig Barritt / Getty
The most decorated gymnast in history and the seven-time Olympic medalist faced an overwhelming amount of scrutiny and criticism when she left the 2020 Tokyo Olympics early after experiencing the “twisties,” which caused significant damage to her mental health.
Following her gold medal comeback at the Paris Olympics in 2024, Biles, 28, took to social media with a simple sentiment, writing, “Mental health matters,” a response to those who doubted and belittled her decision in Tokyo.
“For anyone saying I quit I didn’t quit, my mind & body are simply not in sync,” she wrote on Instagram following her Tokyo exit, per Harper’s Bazaar. “As you can see here.”
“I don’t think you realize how dangerous this is on hard/competition surface,” Biles explained. “Nor do I have to explain why I put my health first. Physical health is mental health.”
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