U.S. Women [#2]: The Unbearable Lightness of Beijing

[Carolla5501]

It’s really scary to me that the entire US Olympic team (every athlete for all sports) could be flying to Beijing on one plane. 1961 world figure skating championships team fight, anybody?

Luckily safety has come a long way since 1961. I wouldn’t be too worried

I don't think this is correct. There isn't a plane big enough to hold all of the athletes, coaches, support personnel and Team USA officials. Beyond that, a couple of skaters (Jason & Ashley) have explicitly said they aren't leaving until the 30th or 31st.

Yeah we have enough athletes coaches etc. that one plane is not going to get it. They’re just doing publicity for one as part of the program.

 

[saturdaysun]

According to Karen's IG stories, she's boarding the plane to Beijing as we speak! Safe travels to all the athletes. https://www.instagram.com/karebearsk8

Mariah is posting unrelated stories, so it doesn't seem like she's on this flight (plus the "four days from now" math doesn't add up.) Nothing from Alysa yet.

 

[toddlj]

According to Karen's IG stories, she's boarding the plane to Beijing as we speak! Safe travels to all the athletes. https://www.instagram.com/karebearsk8

Mariah is posting unrelated stories, so it doesn't seem like she's on this flight (plus the "four days from now" math doesn't add up.) Nothing from Alysa yet.

I'm entertained by Alysa's elusive persona. Sometimes she overshares, other times she's radio silent.

 

[Karen-W]

I'm entertained by Alysa's elusive persona. Sometimes she overshares, other times she's radio silent.

She's quite the teenager!

 

[Rubies]

I'm entertained by Alysa's elusive persona. Sometimes she overshares, other times she's radio silent.

Has her IG said she/they for awhile now?

 

[Sylvia]

Has her IG said she/they for awhile now?

Yes, since at least May 2021.

 

[Trillian]

Has her IG said she/they for awhile now?

Yes, since at least May 2021.

That’s when Instagram launched the separate pronoun field in the bio section, so I’m guessing that’s exactly when she added it. I noticed it then too.

Based on what I’ve seen of Alysa’s Instagram accpunt, I wouldn’t be surprised if she listens to all the advice from adults about how to cultivate a polished and professional social media presence and then intentionally does the opposite. I kind of love it. She’s one of the few teenage skaters I’ve ever seen who actually manages to project “normal teenager” (to at least some extent) in her public persona.

 

[Lacey]

It’s really scary to me that the entire US Olympic team (every athlete for all sports) could be flying to Beijing on one plane. 1961 world figure skating championships team fight, anybody?

100% frightening to me.

 

[sk9tingfan]

Somewhere, perhaps in another thread, I believe I saw a mention of multiple flights.

 

[saturdaysun]

Guys, there's literally millions of flights a year, 70,000 planes are flying around above us EVERY SINGLE DAY, even during a pandemic. Air travel is extremely extremely safe lol.

 

[Vagabond]

Based on what I’ve seen of Alysa’s Instagram accpunt, I wouldn’t be surprised if she listens to all the advice from adults about how to cultivate a polished and professional social media presence and then intentionally does the opposite. I kind of love it. She’s one of the few teenage skaters I’ve ever seen who actually manages to project “normal teenager” (to at least some extent) in her public persona.

She candidly admits to seeing a therapist. While there should be no stigma to this, it is not a normal thing for a teenager to do.

 

[Willin]

She candidly admits to seeing a therapist. While there should be no stigma to this, it is not a normal thing for a teenager to do.

It's a very, very normal thing for people to do these days. With lowered stigma against it, lots of teens are seeking out therapy. There's whole specialties of therapy, psychology, and psychiatry practice specializing in adolescent health. Look at teen social media platforms like TikTok - lots of teens there with the means to have therapists discuss that they have one.

 

[Trillian]

It's a very, very normal thing for people to do these days. With lowered stigma against it, lots of teens are seeking out therapy. There's whole specialties of therapy, psychology, and psychiatry practice specializing in adolescent health. Look at teen social media platforms like TikTok - lots of teens there with the means to have therapists discuss that they have one.

Yep. I’ve seen a meme or tweet that’s been circulating recently about how casually younger people talk about therapy now. It’s super normalized in a lot of circles.

But when I said “to some extent” - I know no Olympic figure skater is a completely normal teenager. But the fact that most of her Instagram content is just goofy pictures with friends, pop culture stuff she likes, and political causes she cares about - that’s nice to see. Most skaters her age have tended to share much more carefully curated and polished “candid” pictures, and certainly never anything political. For all I know her social media profile might be just as calculated as any of the others, but it’s definitely not how any of the powers-that-be have ever encouraged these kids to present themselves. It’s a really irreverent approach and I like it. Skating needs more of that.

 

[Vagabond]

It's a very, very normal thing for people to do these days. With lowered stigma against it, lots of teens are seeking out therapy. There's whole specialties of therapy, psychology, and psychiatry practice specializing in adolescent health. Look at teen social media platforms like TikTok

No. It isn't. The overwhelming majority of American teens have not seen a therapist.

Look at hard data. The preview in the following link is misleading.

Products - Data Briefs - Number 381 - September 2020

Educational Attainment of Mothers Aged 25 and Over: United States, 2017

www.cdc.gov

 

[Theatregirl1122]

She candidly admits to seeing a therapist. While there should be no stigma to this, it is not a normal thing for a teenager to do.

Many of my students see therapists. We have a program at school where independent therapists operate in the school so that students whose families might have trouble getting them to therapy can access that in school. This program has a massive waiting list. There is nothing abnormal about people who see therapists and it is damaging to people of any age to state that it is.

 

[Trillian]

No. It isn't. The overwhelming majority of American teens have not seen a therapist.

Look at hard data.

Products - Data Briefs - Number 381 - September 2020

Educational Attainment of Mothers Aged 25 and Over: United States, 2017

www.cdc.gov

In terms of data, this is true. But for those who do - in certain circles - there is not the same stigma around talking about it. It may depend on circumstances, too. I think some reasons teens talk to therapists are less stigmatized than others now. But in some cases at least, young people are definitely having those conversations.

 

[Vash01]

According to Karen's IG stories, she's boarding the plane to Beijing as we speak! Safe travels to all the athletes. https://www.instagram.com/karebearsk8

Mariah is posting unrelated stories, so it doesn't seem like she's on this flight (plus the "four days from now" math doesn't add up.) Nothing from Alysa yet.

Does this mean Katen is skating both TE programs and Mariah is not in the TE at all?

 

[Karen-W]

No. It isn't. The overwhelming majority of American teens have not seen a therapist.

Look at hard data. The preview in the following link is misleading.

Products - Data Briefs - Number 381 - September 2020

Educational Attainment of Mothers Aged 25 and Over: United States, 2017

www.cdc.gov

Hmmmm... I think the difference is in how therapy is viewed by peers, family, etc. It is not nearly as stigmatized as it was even twenty years ago. For instance, when my younger niece was in a very serious car accident 3 years ago that left her struggling with many aspects of life, suggesting that she see a therapist wasn't something most of the family thought was a bad idea - most of us thought it was a good idea and encouraged her to do so. And, I'm quite positive that her friends from school and extracurricular activities wouldn't have attached a stigma to it. I'm sure there are plenty of mean kids who would, but there are so many more who wouldn't attach any significance to seeing a therapist.

 

[Karen-W]

Does this mean Katen is skating both TE programs and Mariah is not in the TE at all?

No idea, but it does seem like the skaters/teams who will be skating on either the 1st or 2nd day of the TE have left.

2/4 - Men's SP, Pairs SP, Dance RD
2/6 - Women's SP, Men's FS
2/7 - Pairs FS, Dance FD, Women's FS

 

[Coco]

In 2003 I was disqualified from military service (JAG) because I admitted going to see a therapist. That policy is still so crazy to me.

 

[Wyliefan]

She candidly admits to seeing a therapist. While there should be no stigma to this, it is not a normal thing for a teenager to do.

So what if she does? It doesn't make her abnormal, any more than seeing an M.D. for a physical condition would make her abnormal. And what causes the stigma in the first place is people making a big deal out of it.

 

[Willin]

No. It isn't. The overwhelming majority of American teens have not seen a therapist.

Look at hard data. The preview in the following link is misleading.

Products - Data Briefs - Number 381 - September 2020

Educational Attainment of Mothers Aged 25 and Over: United States, 2017

www.cdc.gov

And this data is much older than the trend. The trend of not only seeing therapists but talking about seeing therapists only really just started when this data was collected. It blossomed and bloomed with the pandemic and new ease of finding a therapist via telemedicine and phone apps.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

In 2003 I was disqualified from military service (JAG) because I admitted going to see a therapist. That policy is still so crazy to me.

I think that has changed now. My nephew-in-law is in the Army?/Navy? Not sure which one but armed forces and was encouraged to see a therapist for depression. The second he mentioned any kind of trouble they were getting him help.

 

[Vagabond]

Hmmmm... I think the difference is in how therapy is viewed by peers, family, etc. It is not nearly as stigmatized as it was even twenty years ago.

Which I all but said in my post that spurred all the dramatik reactions.

So what if she does?

If she does, she's not a normal teenager. "Normal" teenagers don't work with a therapist. Why are people so invested in the concept that "normal" teenagers go see a psychologist when hard data indicates that they do not? Is there some compelling need to make her "normal'?

 

[Willin]

@Vagabond Because you're wrong. Normal teenagers do see therapists. The hard data hill you're willing to die on is hard data prior to the current trend of teens actually admitting they need help and seeking it out.

You're acting like therapy is some dirty secret Alysa has. What an outdated perspective. Therapy is no longer a sign of trouble or weakness. It's a sign that you're strong enough to admit you need help and get the help you need. That is good. But if you want to besmirch Gen Z for normalizing getting help, well, it just shows how old school you are.

 

[bladesofgorey]

Why use the word normal when what you are saying is really "average". It's not abnormal for a teenager to see a therapist. It's pretty normai in fact for an elite athlete who experiences widespread media coverage along with the stresses of high level competing and training to utilize a therapist. The average teen isn't seeing a therapist (the average teen might like to but the average teen doesn't have the resources available usually), but it's completely normal for a teenager to wish to avail themselves of therapy if they are in stressful situations if they are able to.

 

[Vagabond]

The hard data hill you're willing to die on is hard data prior to the current trend of teens actually admitting they need help and seeking it out.

The hard data is from a year and a half ago.

 

[Wyliefan]

Excellent point, @bladesofgorey.

 

[VGThuy]

I think the word “normal” isn’t really helpful in terms of having people understanding each other when having this conversation/debate.

 

[Willin]

The hard data is from a year and a half ago.

Collected in 2019. The pandemic (and the rise of stars like Billie Eilish who talk about therapy and mental health) has had a huge and undeniable change on both accessibility to and use of mental health resources.