+
More

Aly Raisman and 100 other women athletes took to the ESPYs stage for a powerful moment.

On July 18, the ESPYs presented the Arthur Ashe Courage Award to a group of incredible women.

The award is presented to those whose bravery in the face of adversity "transcends sports," and recipients include the likes of Caitlyn Jenner, Muhammad Ali, Billie Jean King, and Nelson Mandela.

This year, the award was presented to more than 100 athletes who were abused by former USA Gymnastics national team doctor Larry Nassar.

With Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman, gymnast Sarah Klein, and softball player Tiffany Thomas Lopez at the helm, the "sister survivors" took to the stage to accept the award, speak about the pain of not being heard, and make clear that the abuse they'd experienced can never happen again on any scale.

Photo via ESPN/YouTube.

"The ripple effect of our actions, or inactions, can be enormous, spanning generations," Raisman said in the speech. "Perhaps the greatest tragedy of this nightmare is that it could have been avoided."

"All we needed was one adult to have the integrity stand between us and Larry Nassar," Raisman added. "If just one adult had listened, believed and acted, the people standing before you on this stage would have never have met him.”

Klein declared that protecting children and people at risk must be the priority.

"We must start caring about children's safety more than we care about adults' reputations," she said. "If we can just give one person the courage to use their voice, this is worth it."

Lopez made it clear that it was an opportunity to understand that conversations about sexual abuse must not be something society tiptoes around, that victims come from every background. "Tonight, we stand here and it feels like we’re finally winning."

The award shows that this time of reckoning is here to stay and that the way we collectively handle and discuss about sexual assault must change.

The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have been represented at the Golden Globes and The Oscars, sparking a well-spring of solidarity in the entertainment industry. The fact that it's moving outside the most mainstream awards shows is proof that the way our society — and its most visible industries — are treating sexual harassment and assault is changing for the better.

Though there's still so much work to be done, this ESPY award is a reminder that we're moving towards a future where abuse won't be tolerated. And that survivor's voices will be heard.

"We may suffer alone," Raisman said as the group of women on stage clasped hands, "but we survive together."

The speech was preceded by a powerful video that served as poignant evidence of the courage the athletes had to exhibit in order to have their voices heard and change the status quo. Watch it below:

From Your Site Articles
Pop Culture

Lebanese dance troupe delivers a breathtaking performance on 'America's Got Talent'

The Mayyas walked like the proud lionesses they are.

YouTube

10/10. The Mayyas dance.

We can almost always expect to see amazing acts and rare skills on “America’s Got Talent.” But sometimes, we get even more than that.

The Mayyas, a Lebanese women’s dance troupe whose name means “proud walk of a lioness,” delivered a performance so mesmerizing that judge Simon Cowell called it the “best dance act” the show has ever seen, winning them an almost instant golden buzzer.

Perhaps this victory comes as no surprise, considering that the Mayyas had previously won “Arab’s Got Talent” in 2019 and competed on “Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions.” But truly, it’s what motivates them to take to the stage that’s remarkable.

“Lebanon is a very beautiful country, but we live a daily struggle," one of the dancers said to the judges just moments before their audition. Another explained, “being a dancer as a female Arab is not fully supported yet.”

Nadim Cherfan, the team’s choreographer, added that “Lebanon is not considered a place where you can build a career out of dancing, so it’s really hard, and harder for women.”

Still, Cherfan shared that it was a previous “AGT” star who inspired the Mayyas to defy the odds and audition anyway. Nightbirde, a breakout singer who also earned a golden buzzer before tragically passing away in February 2021 due to cancer, had told the audience, “You can't wait until life isn't hard anymore before you decide to be happy.” The dance team took the advice to heart.

For the Mayyas, coming onto the “AGT” stage became more than an audition opportunity. Getting emotional, one of the dancers declared that it was “our only chance to prove to the world what Arab women can do, the art we can create, the fights we fight.”

Keep ReadingShow less
video
Joy

5 easy ways to practice self care

Because taking care of yourself should never feel like a chore

Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life we forget the important things: like taking care of ourselves. While binge watching your favorite show and ordering take out can be just the treat-yourself-thing you need, your body might not always feel the same. So we’re bringing you 5 easy ways to practice self-care that both you and your body will thank us for.

Keep ReadingShow less
Joy

He rescued a baby parrot with birth defects. His reaction to its first steps is priceless.

This is what pure joy looks like.

Saving the life of one small animal among the billions upon billions of living things on Earth may not seem significant in the big picture, but when that one small animal's life is in your hands, it means the world.

Yassin Elmahgoub is a medical student from Egypt who recently shared the journey of a tiny baby parrot he rescued. The parrot, who he named Mumble, was born with birth defects and wasn't able to stand or walk. With the help of a parrot behavior consultant, Elmahgoub hand-fed Mumble, nursed him to good health and helped him develop mobility.

In a TikTok video that's been viewed more than 8 million times, Elmahgoub shared Mumble's journey from his earliest days until he was finally able to walk on his own.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trending Stories