Simone Biles Discusses BLM In Vogue Cover Story

Simone Biles has been known to speak out about injustice, including bravely sharing her story about sexual assault in gymnastics.

Now, the decorated Olympian is showing her support for the Black Lives Matter movement. During a Vogue cover story interview, the Biles says that change needs to happen quickly.

“We need change,” she said. “We need justice for the Black community. With the peaceful protests it’s the start of change, but it’s sad that it took all of this for people to listen. Racism and injustice have existed for years with the Black community. How many times has this happened before we had cell phones?”

Then Biles got more specific.

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“With everyone speaking up and the traction that Ahmaud (Arbery) and George (Floyd) are getting,” she said “Breonna (Taylor) will be remembered. She’s going to find justice. They’re already reopening her case. I’m happy for that. But I just don’t understand. She was sleeping. How do you feel threatened when you’re a police officer and they’re sleeping? Come on now.” 

She continued: “We tried peaceful protesting. Then Colin Kaepernick—he lost his job. He lost his career. They took his whole entire career away from that poor man. And look at us now, discussing how some were debating the techniques used by protestors. It’s working. You just have to be the first and people will follow.”

Biles has previously voiced her support of Colin Kaepernick. In 2018, she wrote a tweet slamming USA Gymnastics president Mary Bono, who criticized Nike for including the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback in an ad campaign.

“*mouth drop*,” she tweeted. “don’t worry, it’s not like we needed a smarter usa gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything.”

Bono eventually resigned.

Read the full Vogue cover story here.