2023 Pan American Games Event Finals Day 2 MAG VT/PB/HB WAG BB/FX (Wednesday, October 25)

[MaryClare]

The whiteness of the fans have nothing to do with it? It’s really cool to see the possibility of an all POC team regardless of the race of the person noticing that it would be cool.

That’s just it. why is it “cool”. Elite gymnastics in the US ceased to be a white dominated sport a decade ago. Arguably longer- the mag 7 could have easily been cast by the people who picked the kids for Barney The Dinosaur.

Is it not time to stop framing an athlete’s achievements in the context of their racial and ethnic heritage?

 

[makam]

Is it not time to stop framing an athlete’s achievements in the context of their racial and ethnic heritage?

I think when it happens enough to not be notable, people will not notice. Nobody comments on the racial makeup of the Chicago Bulls or the Patriots anymore because it is common enough to not be notable. When the US Supreme Court has 7 women judges often enough, it will stop being notable as having 7 male justices would be for the last 200 years. If an NHL hockey team was all (or majority) POC, that would be notable because it doesn’t happen in that sport. You just gotta work through the stages til it becomes commonplace.

 

[irichluck21]

I think when it happens enough to not be notable, people will not notice. Nobody comments on the racial makeup of the Chicago Bulls or the Patriots anymore because it is common enough to not be notable. When the US Supreme Court has 7 women judges often enough, it will stop being notable as having 7 male justices would be for the last 200 years. If an NHL hockey team was all (or majority) POC, that would be notable because it doesn’t happen in that sport. You just gotta work through the stages til it becomes commonplace.

Perfectly said and 100% accurate.

It also goes for the same people that complain when an athlete decides to come out of the closet.
It won’t matter when it doesn’t matter anymore, but still there is a lot of discrimination and bigotry to LGBTQ+ community and especially the Transgender part of the community.

Representation matters.

 

[Hatsumomo]

I think when it happens enough to not be notable, people will not notice. Nobody comments on the racial makeup of the Chicago Bulls or the Patriots anymore because it is common enough to not be notable. When the US Supreme Court has 7 women judges often enough, it will stop being notable as having 7 male justices would be for the last 200 years. If an NHL hockey team was all (or majority) POC, that would be notable because it doesn’t happen in that sport. You just gotta work through the stages til it becomes commonplace.

Very well put.

When the USA WAG team will likely be majority, if not completely, Black/WOC and next year is a Presidential election year in the States…shit’s gonna get stupid. I can already envision the “Gymnastics gone woke” articles that will be written once the USA WAG team is announced, especially if neither Carey or Roberson are selected.

 

[rlayt]

It wasn’t all ours/theirs to be taken away and yet POC had that lesser-than condition for a long time. It’s okay to be excited IMO. It’s a celebration of achievement. There probably will be backlash because people who have had something a long time regard it as theirs and change makes them feel like theirs was taken away.

It was a very satisfying Pan Ams. And it will help these athletes who competed so well in their run ups to trials.

 

[navyblue]

Anyone have eyes on a WAG FX EF replay?

 

[makam]

Anyone have eyes on a WAG FX EF replay?

Someone (on reddit?) said not to expect videos from the official organizers for at least a week. There might be fan taken videos though.

 

[Rich]

I think when it happens enough to not be notable, people will not notice. Nobody comments on the racial makeup of the Chicago Bulls or the Patriots anymore because it is common enough to not be notable. When the US Supreme Court has 7 women judges often enough, it will stop being notable as having 7 male justices would be for the last 200 years. If an NHL hockey team was all (or majority) POC, that would be notable because it doesn’t happen in that sport. You just gotta work through the stages til it becomes commonplace.

It was not too long ago that an Italian gymnast said they could wint by wearing black make up.

 

[jenifer9]

Perfectly said and 100% accurate.

It also goes for the same people that complain when an athlete decides to come out of the closet.
It won’t matter when it doesn’t matter anymore, but still there is a lot of discrimination and bigotry to LGBTQ+ community and especially the Transgender part of the community.

Representation matters.

I 100% agree that representation matters, and it’s something that has changed radically in my lifetime (I’m in my early thirties). I remember when it was pretty unthinkable for an athlete to be out as gay or lesbian. It’s incredibly moving for me as a lesbian to see how that has shifted in just the past couple of decades.

I do have to gently challenge the idea that any “segment” of the “LGBTQ+ community” can easily be said to have it harder than others, though. That’s a pretty big claim and not really supported by data. A lot of us also don’t really favour the concept of LGBTQ+ all being rolled into one because - although it certainly can be helpful for political and organisational purposes (e.g. campaigning for same-sex marriage, or the right for trans people to change their legal gender) - it is a very “big and baggy” grouping when, in reality there are a lot of significant differences between our experiences.

Not trying to get political or anything! Just speaking from my personal experience of being a lesbian and therefore having, also, many lesbian, gay, bi, trans, etc, friends. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: