WAG Discussion of abuse in USAG - Nassar

[bogwoppit]

I am wondering what would be said about a gymnastics coach who wished a know physical woman abuser well and then brags about how great they are.... Because a very big politician just did that on national TV... today.... yep I know.. no politics but this is absolutely connected.... A culture exists... And the people at the top FEED it. If you want USAG officials out of a job then the same standard should set for our politicians....

We should set the same standards for all people, regardless of position. That is where society has gone wrong.

 

[sce]

I am wondering what would be said about a gymnastics coach who wished a know physical woman abuser well and then brags about how great they are.... Because a very big politician just did that on national TV... today.... yep I know.. no politics but this is absolutely connected.... A culture exists... And the people at the top FEED it. If you want USAG officials out of a job then the same standard should set for our politicians....

Could not agree with you more. Deep seeded problems exist that go way beyond USAG.

 

[RGmomLV]

GK is pro USAG and Aly is not for the current USAG. I would turn down too because it is rediculius to be stand along Nastia and Laurie who are basically all silent in criticizing USAG. GK undermines the movement by inviting Nastia and Laurie.

I am wondering what would be said about a gymnastics coach who wished a know physical woman abuser well and then brags about how great they are.... Because a very big politician just did that on national TV... today.... yep I know.. no politics but this is absolutely connected.... A culture exists... And the people at the top FEED it. If you want USAG officials out of a job then the same standard should set for our politicians....

FYI.... This is what was posted on Gk’s Facebook page in response to someone asking why no Aly Leo..
“Thank you for your inquiry. All of our athletes were given the opportunity to participate in this charitable program. Respectfully, Aly chose not to participate, but we continue to engage with her in an effort to provide her support in a manner in which she wishes. - Girisha, CEO Elite Sportswear“

 

[GymFan96]

I am wondering what would be said about a gymnastics coach who wished a know physical woman abuser well and then brags about how great they are.... Because a very big politician just did that on national TV... today.... yep I know.. no politics but this is absolutely connected.... A culture exists... And the people at the top FEED it. If you want USAG officials out of a job then the same standard should set for our politicians....

I have given up (for now) on expecting our politicians to set an example.

Our PRESIDENT bragged that he feels entitled to grab women by the p***y because “you can do that when you’re famous.” Isn’t that exactly how Nassar felt?? Smh.

 

[GymFan96]

GK is pro USAG and Aly is not for the current USAG. I would turn down too because it is rediculius to be stand along Nastia and Laurie who are basically all silent in criticizing USAG. GK undermines the movement by inviting Nastia and Laurie.

Yes. Nastia and Laurie have something weird going on. They walked out of that event in October together and absolutely CACKLED when asked about McKayla’s statement. They’re not obligated to say anything, but giggling and smirking makes them look extremely uncaring and insensitive.

 

[JessSyd]

Laurie is very young - still a child really.

I do not think it is particularly weird that she has no idea how to respond when doorstopped by the media on a very sensitive issue. Many 17 year olds would flounder under that circumstance.

Look to the adults to do the right thing in this situation, but don't turn on the kids just because they aren't doing any better than some of the adults.

 

[GymFan96]

Laurie is very young - still a child really.

I do not think it is particularly weird that she has no idea how to respond when doorstopped by the media on a very sensitive issue. Many 17 year olds would flounder under that circumstance.

Look to the adults to do the right thing in this situation, but don't turn on the kids just because they aren't doing any better than some of the adults.

True she is a kid. When asked if they ever witnessed anything with Nassar she replied “No we did not!” I sincerely hope for her sake that that’s the truth. However it might be a little more sensitive to just decline to comment.

Gabby was questioned moments later, and declined to answer.

 

[kecks]

who cares. they are not that important. important is a cultural change in usag not gossiping about past and current elite athletes.

 

[PRY9]

Laurie is still a child who really cannot be expected to handle intrusive media questions in a savvy manner. What if she herself was abused? Why would we expect an abused child to blurt it out because she is asked on camera? Certainly there many more victims - hundreds even, possibly - who have not spoken out. Why should we expect this particular one to? Just because she's an Olympian? I hope she is not, but each survivor should be given the space to handle this in their own way and in their own time. Surely she has looked up to Nastia for a long time. Maybe she was following her lead? Not wanting to get herself blackballed by the powers that be since she intends to go for 2020?

Nastia, on the other hand, is an adult spokesperson and media commentator. She is her own brand in the gymnastics world. She has said she is not a Nassar victim and hasn't witnessed any other abuses at the Ranch. As an adult and someone that is not healing from abuse herself, much more can be expected from her. Her responses across the board have been just awful.

 

[Taxidriver]

Laurie is still a child who really cannot be expected to handle intrusive media questions in a savvy manner. What if she herself was abused? Why would we expect an abused child to blurt it out because she is asked on camera? Certainly there many more victims - hundreds even, possibly - who have not spoken out. Why should we expect this particular one to? Just because she's an Olympian? I hope she is not, but each survivor should be given the space to handle this in their own way and in their own time. Surely she has looked up to Nastia for a long time. Maybe she was following her lead? Not wanting to get herself blackballed by the powers that be since she intends to go for 2020?

Nastia, on the other hand, is an adult spokesperson and media commentator. She is her own brand in the gymnastics world. She has said she is not a Nassar victim and hasn't witnessed any other abuses at the Ranch. As an adult and someone that is not healing from abuse herself, much more can be expected from her. Her responses across the board have been just awful.

Whilst I agree with what you say I feel when we get too bogged down by how other gymnasts are responding we miss the real issue, how are the leadership of USAG and other organisations dealing with what has come out, what are they going to change, how are they responding.

 

[profmom]

Clearly anyone who wants to be a leader at this time has to deal seriously with the cultural issues. Adults who can't or won't render themselves irrelevant. I think we should all be sensitive to the very difficult position inhabited by senior elites and soon-to-be senior elites as they try to figure out how to move forward and continue to train as their national sanctioning organization looks to be going up in flames. I also believe that Nassar's victims are entitled to privacy as they work out their own paths toward healing, and that speculation about people who have chosen not to go public is harmful.

And 150% what Taxidriver just said.

 

[RGmomLV]

Why there isn’t a campaign to pull Nastia down from the athelets representative position. She clearly shows more loyalty toward USAG than the interests of athelets. Is the position named by USAG anyway so this is just a puppet position? I feel bad for Aly, Jamie, Dominique because they stand up and criticize USAG and they will be shunned and have been shunned by the organization. They will and had lost a lot of fianicial oppotinutnies offered by USAG or its affiliated organizations. Even though change is on the way I still don’t believe USAG as they historically show to say the opposite of what they are doing/ have done.

Laurie is still a child who really cannot be expected to handle intrusive media questions in a savvy manner. What if she herself was abused? Why would we expect an abused child to blurt it out because she is asked on camera? Certainly there many more victims - hundreds even, possibly - who have not spoken out. Why should we expect this particular one to? Just because she's an Olympian? I hope she is not, but each survivor should be given the space to handle this in their own way and in their own time. Surely she has looked up to Nastia for a long time. Maybe she was following her lead? Not wanting to get herself blackballed by the powers that be since she intends to go for 2020?

Nastia, on the other hand, is an adult spokesperson and media commentator. She is her own brand in the gymnastics world. She has said she is not a Nassar victim and hasn't witnessed any other abuses at the Ranch. As an adult and someone that is not healing from abuse herself, much more can be expected from her. Her responses across the board have been just awful.

 

[Seeker]

who cares. they are not that important. important is a cultural change in usag not gossiping about past and current elite athletes.

Who cares? I care. My child cares and is watching. She is a bit younger than Laurie and not famous, but it absolutely matters how we discuss, educate and teach our girls/young women to handle these sorts of situations. Speaking of it publicly is absolutely not a requirement regardless of who you are, but it is also extremely disrespectful to laugh and joke about it. Laurie is young, but Nastia isn't. Both are old enough to make a simple “no comment” or “I prefer not to discuss it” statement. They are certainly capable of having a basic understanding of the difficulty of the situation for the victims and at the very least be a tad sensitive to their former teammates. Not doing so just creates another generation that thinks they’re immune, they don’t matter/won’t be listened to or expects someone else to deal with the problems.

It’s a bit disingenuous to say the actual athletes and how they respond, react and interact doesn’t matter. It absolutely matters.

 

[RGmomLV]

I bet whoever says who cares did not watch the video clips. It is really insulting to watch they laugh and joke and in the mean time says they are a family all the time. Nastia is not a sincere person for sure.

Who cares? I care. My child cares and is watching. She is a bit younger than Laurie and not famous, but it absolutely matters how we discuss, educate and teach our girls/young women to handle these sorts of situations. Speaking of it publicly is absolutely not a requirement regardless of who you are, but it is also extremely disrespectful to laugh and joke about it. Laurie is young, but Nastia isn't. Both are old enough to make a simple “no comment” or “I prefer not to discuss it” statement. They are certainly capable of having a basic understanding of the difficulty of the situation for the victims and at the very least be a tad sensitive to their former teammates. Not doing so just creates another generation that thinks they’re immune, they don’t matter/won’t be listened to or expects someone else to deal with the problems.

It’s a bit disingenuous to say the actual athletes and how they respond, react and interact doesn’t matter. It absolutely matters.

I

 

[duyetanh]

Who cares? I care. it absolutely matters how we discuss, educate and teach our girls/young women to handle these sorts of situations.

It’s a bit disingenuous to say the actual athletes and how they respond, react and interact doesn’t matter. It absolutely matters.

HELL yes it does!

 

[Muddlethru]

The demeanor of Nastia Luikin and Laurie Hernandez may appear insensitive at that moment. But I would hate to pass judgment on them. Often times our reaction to situations, questions and statements are dictated by our current state of mind, mood and situation. They look like they were headed to a party or happy event and were in a good mood. It is hard to switch from a very happy state of being to something so serious at a blink of an eye. While Gabby seemed a little more serious, I think that is her natural personality. I'd give them a little leeway. If they were in a formal interview or a more serious event and were expecting serious questions, I would perhaps "judge" them differently.

 

[LGnyc]

Now this is a condemnation...

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/larry-nassar-usoc-olympics-russia_us_5a81f5dfe4b0580d3d6d5fbb

 

[sce]

Now this is a condemnation...

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/larry-nassar-usoc-olympics-russia_us_5a81f5dfe4b0580d3d6d5fbb

A ban hurts the athletes the most though. Even with Russia those that were clean could petition to compete at the Olympics. Here the athletes were not the issue and should not be punished.

 

[skschlag]

A ban hurts the athletes the most though. Even with Russia those that were clean could petition to compete at the Olympics. Here the athletes were not the issue and should not be punished.

Thank you for wording this. I was trying to figure out how to say just this, and I could not.

 

[Flyaway]

A ban hurts the athletes the most though. Even with Russia those that were clean could petition to compete at the Olympics. Here the athletes were not the issue and should not be punished.

I agree. These situations are not the same at all. To compare them is ridiculous. These women and girls did not choose to be violated. There are other ways to punish the organization without further punishing the gymnasts.