I Stand with Naomi Osaka
From Elle Magazine
I stand with Naomi Osaka. What a shining example of setting boundaries and prioritizing your mental health. We have had this conversation so many times here on SBG. Anxiety is very real and should be treated as valid, not fined or punished!
If 2021 has shown us anything, it’s that mental health is incredibly important. And yet society seems unwilling to change to improve the systems that are damaging people’s mental health. It’s jarring enough that we seem to have switched to “post-pandemic” and “back to normal” within a matter of weeks, while countless are still dealing with the mental health impact of the pandemic. There are those who have lost family members and are in mourning, and others who may be dealing with PTSD from lockdown. With millions of people adopting a more flexible work model that favors the balance of work, life, and self-care, it’s no surprise that what used to pass for “the rules” is now fair game for a challenge.
What happened:
Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open after requesting to skip the press conferences and being threatened with a $15,000 fine for noncompliance. In a tweet, Osaka expressed that the press has no regard for the mental health of athletes and compared the treatment of athletes to kicking them when they are down.
“The truth is I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have really had a hard time coping with that. Anyone who knows me knows I’m introverted and anyone who has seen me at the tournaments will notice that I’m often wearing headphones as it helps dull my social anxiety”
Same, sis!
More than ever, individuals are beginning to reclaim their power and understand the importance of personal wellness and caring for one’s mental health. This is especially important for Black women, as we are often expected to go above and beyond in the workplace. We are seen as most useful because of our labor, and our humanity is rarely taken into account. In the case of Naomi Osaka, she’s speaking out against the French Open, which has a history of being biased against Black women who deviate from the rules to prioritize their health. In 2018, Serena Williams opted to wear a catsuit to improve blood circulation as a part of her postpartum care. The decision caused outrage and exposed Williams to mocking and degrading comments just because her body is not thin and white like other women’s tennis stars. Serena was not even the first to wear a bodysuit! Tennis player Ann White already set the precedent on this in 1985.
Pierre René-Worms, FMM | Serena Williams serves at Roland Garros, in Paris, on May 29, 2018.
Serena did have some words of support for Naomi Osaka:
“I feel for Naomi. I feel like I wish I could give her a hug because I know what it's like. Like I said, I've been in those positions."
When such an icon opens up about mental health it gives us the courage to do the same. You have the right to put yourself and your mental health first! Before any job, before any institution’s bottom line. Before anyone else’s comfort!