January 20, 2023 • 18 mins
At age 18, Paralympian Al Viney survived a serious car accident caused by a drunk driver, leaving her with lasting impairments to her left elbow, forearm and hand. Since the accident, Viney has gone on to represent Australia as an elite rower. Outside of the sporting arena, she is a vocal advocate for rainbow athletes, particularly those with a disability. When Sam Koslowski sat down with Viney at the Australian Open for a chat in the Mastercard Pride Hub, she was emotional, compelling and astoundingly honest about her journey.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
The time for talking is over.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
The match clock showing four hours and twelve minutes. All
Loves Him.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Curious METHODIV Two.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
About that, we're coming up with the Lives the Spin of.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Carencious.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
That is a ralout.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Hello and welcome to another episode of Out in the Open.
My name is Sam Kazlowski and it's pleasure to be
bringing you these conversations that we're having from the MasterCard
Pride hup here at the Australian Open. Today's guest is
Paralympian Al Viney. At eighteen, Al survived a serious high
speed car accident caused by a drunk driver, leaving her
with lasting impairments to her left elbow, fore arm and hand.
(00:54):
Now since the accident, Viney has gone on to represent
her country as an elite rower. Outside the sport Narina,
she is a vocal advocate for rainbow athletes, particularly those
with a disability. She's also a massive tennis fan. When
I sat down with her at the Australian Open for
a chat in the MasterCard Pride Hub, I found her
to be emotional, compelling and astoundingly honest about her journey.
(01:16):
Here's that chat, Alvinny, Welcome to the Pride Hub at
the Australian Open.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Thank you so much for having me. This is wonderful.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
I've seen a little tattoo on your arm.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
It says her, Yes, it does.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
What was that symbolized?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
I'm glad you think it says her because the first
time I walked outside with it, someone was like, why
do you have hot tattooed on your arm?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
And I was like, yeah, it's a reminder.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
No, it's it's in this It's in the spot where
I would wear my watch, and it's to remind me
that it's her time, and just to remind myself that
I need to think about myself and what I want
and it's my time to go out and achieve that.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
And what do you want to achieve?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Everything?
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Everything from personal goals to sporting goals to making people
in my life happy. It's just, yeah, a true reminder that, yeah,
I have what it takes to do that, and yeah,
so I got it tattooed.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
And if we work our way around the yeah, that's
the Paralympics Australia logo. If I'm not mistaken, it is correct.
Tell me about your Paralympic career, My Paralympic career.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Wow, it was a whirlwind.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I came onto the power rowing scene very quickly. Within
three months from getting in a boat, I made the
Australian team and then it was only at that point
one year until the Paralympic.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Games were supposed to take off.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
COVID obviously hit and push that back, so Lockdown's really
not knowing what to expect from a games. The hype
in the lead up wasn't really there the way it
had been years before for other people. So when it
finally did happen, you know, I hadn't seen my teammates
for nine months after being selected, and the first time
(03:01):
we saw each other was getting on a plane to Tokyo.
But once we hit the ground, it was it was incredible.
The village, the other athletes, the vibe that was around
the place, just it's hard to put into words what
you feel and what you see, and photos definitely do
not do it justice. So it's a once in a
(03:23):
lifetime experience and it just makes what you do as
an athlete even more sweet.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Was there a kind of photograph that you took mentally
from the games that sticks with you?
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah, not so much a photograph, but I have a
very calm moment that I remember. One morning, I was
a little bit jet lagged and woke up and went
out on the balcony that I had in my room
cardboard beds were actual, an actual thing, and went out
on the balcony. It was so clear, so warm, and
(03:55):
there were just other countries that were awake as well
and playing their music, and and all of the other
buildings in the village are decorated in all of the
country's flags. And it was just myself and no one
else speaking, but just noise and music and people singing,
and just being involved in that moment was just like,
(04:19):
this is so surreal, and so I have that memory.
And obviously the rest of it's quite chaotic competing, but
that was just such a perfect moment that I'll remember forever.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
At such a large event like an Olympics, did you
feel a sense of inclusivity from a pride perspective.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Yes, And it's not so much from feeling it as
it's really interesting when you're in the disabled and impaired
community because we all just see each other for who
we are. There's no limitations, there's no questions, just you
(05:01):
are upfront.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
With who you are.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
You're there because of who you are, and everyone just
gets on and celebrates that about you. It's just like
very clear vision of everyone and there's no judgment, there's
no limitations, there's no questions about what you're capable of.
You are there as everything that you are, and I
(05:23):
think that's a really beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Do you talk about your sexuality in the sporting context,
like with coaches or officials or the sporting body itself?
Speaker 3 (05:33):
I think that that really depends on the sport that
you are in and whether the sport that you're in
is about the people or if it's about the performance.
And I think that the direction that we're going for
in Australian sport is about the holistic approach of that
(05:54):
is that to get the best performance, you need to
accept the people.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
So what's a signal to you from a sporting body,
from Tennis Australia to the AOC, whatever, Paralympics Australia, whatever
body we're talking about, what's a signal to you that
they do accept the whole person?
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Good question, And part of that is just through you know,
there's a whole lot of box ticking that goes on
at the moment and we see that, and there's queer
baiting and all of these things that are popping up
in the media. But the biggest thing is active allyship.
You can say, you can put out a poster, but
(06:33):
if you are not actively engaging and having conversations and
using language that's inclusive and.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
And just welcoming, then we have.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
A stalled feeling within the community that I have to
be aware of what I'm putting forward about myself. Instead
of just walking in and feeling completely comfortable, I don't
want to walk in and have to almost look around
the room to make sure that I can be me.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
And yeah, that's where that is at.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
And part of that, I think, to me is about
going beyond that tokenistic effort and box ticking long term.
So I always look for things like is there a
ten year plan, is there a twenty year plan?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (07:28):
I find that that's really important for sport to kind
of latch onto absolutely talk to me about the pressures
of performance and professionalism and how that interacts with pride,
identity and.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Absolutely, I think if you ask any athlete, they will
tell you that the pressure that is there to be
an athlete, whether it's internal external, performance wise pressure that
you put on yourself about what you want to achieve,
the constructive feedback that you give yourself, the negative talk
(08:02):
that you give yourself because you want more. There is
so much pressure on being an athlete, and that's without
even the physical component of competing or training, and you
know the hours that you put in and the pressure
that you have to recover and be better. No athlete
is going to go out there and not want more
for themselves and that is a huge thing to carry.
(08:25):
So for anyone fronting up with that, it's not something
that you just understand it. It never goes away because
you're always looking for more.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
What can I do? What can I do?
Speaker 3 (08:36):
And when you then put upon people, whether it's disability
or whether it's your sexuality or how you choose to identify,
we're already in this high pressure bottle. And if you
start adding on pressures of I have to be monitoring
how much of myself I can put out into the world,
(08:59):
or I have to monitor how I dress or all
of those things, you can't possibly be putting all of
your energy into your performance, and then it starts to
blend and the chemical reaction that happens in that just
erupts and it comes out in different ways, whether it's
your mental health suffers, or your relationships suffer, or the
(09:21):
way that you perform. If you cannot present at training
or at a game or at a match with your
full self and your full energy, you're never going to
achieve what you're really capable of. And that's not just
a personal limitation that's put on you. It's very much
(09:42):
a societal pressure that you can only be a certain
way to be an athlete, and that's not true. And
we're very much seeing that in today's day and age,
that you can be whoever you need to be and
whoever you are, and the more that you can train happy,
better your results are going to be and the better
people are going to come out at the other end,
(10:04):
because your time as an athlete is so special, but
you're running on a knife's edge like it could change
at any point, and at that point you need to
be able to walk away with your head held high,
knowing that you're a good person and that everything about
you is okay.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Because we're always.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Scrutinizing ourselves, and it shouldn't be that you're scrutinizing yourself
based on who you love. So that's what I would
say about the pressures of an athlete. And if we
can alleviate the pressure based around how you feel about
yourself and about who you love, then we're only going
(10:43):
to make this better and Australia is going to see
some incredible athletes come out.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Of the woodwork.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
If we are actively showing that we're an inclusive and
welcoming place.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Well, talk to me about the intersectionality between disability and
LGBT issues. How important is it to have that conversation.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
It's huge for me.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
I spent eight years of my life trying to blend in.
I didn't know where I fit in for a lot
of people because I acquired my impairment. I was either
broken because they knew me as an able bodied person
or I wasn't disabled enough. And that was really challenging
(11:34):
because I was very young when my accident occurred and
I'm trying to already find out who I am and
so at that also, at that point in my life,
I was like, well, I'm different.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Now, how am I supposed to explore my sexuality? Like?
Who am I allowed to love?
Speaker 3 (11:55):
And at the same time, now I have to carry
this burden that society has put on me. I'm not
enough in one category, but I'm too much in another,
and I really struggled. And it was only quite recently
that someone actually called me a triple threat because I'm
a disabled, gay female athlete, and I was quite taken aback,
(12:21):
but I was like, yeah, I've got three great things
going for me here, and that then turned into a
conversation around well, hey, intersectionality actually is what covers me,
like that is what this is, and so I'm always learning.
There's always more to learn and have conversations about. But
it's so funny that someone who saw three brilliant things
(12:43):
about me labeled at a triple threat. But up until
quite recently, I've been just battling with the fact that
society tries to blend us in.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Or put us in a box.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
And there's nothing about having a disability or an impairment
or the way that you identify or who you love
that should be put in a box. And it's really
exciting to see that intersectionality is definitely being discussed. But
some of the places that I felt most accepted and
(13:16):
where I don't have to explain myself or justify myself
is when I've been around other power athletes, and that's
just because, as I said earlier, we front up, we're there,
and we all see each other for the incredible opportunities
that we bring to the table.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
The last topic I want to cover with you is
medical issues. We know how important it is to be
performing at your best. A lot of that is physical
in a lot of sports. Yes, but what else can
you tell me about medical identity if you want to
call it that for LGBT athletes, women, etc. Yes, that
(13:58):
perhaps we don't think about on the day today.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Basis amazing.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
So I guess what I'm kind of experiencing is that
a lot of as an athlete, we're constantly checking in
with medical teams, with support teams, sykes, physios, everyone, and
a lot of the time for me to find out
information about what is possible for me, either currently or
(14:25):
post being an athlete, I really have to ask.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
But it also means that.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
I have to come out every time I have to
recome out to a new medical professional. And that's because
the questions that are asked or the information that's there
is very heteronormative.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
And cis based information.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
And so for instance, if I would like to have
a family, I'm going to have to go down the
IVF route, and that information is like taboo. I also
struggle with trying to find out being an athlete, when
the the right time is to go and have investigative
surgery for endometriosis. So until then, I'm just battling along
as so many other people do, and the information is
(15:12):
not forthcoming. And what I would love to see develop
and be put forward is that when I turn up
to do a medical screening or when I present with
someone to someone that the information is like, would you
like to discuss egg freezing? And as female athletes, we're
putting our bodies on the line all the time, and
you know iron deficiencies and nutritional information and support. It's
(15:38):
you have to almost wait and be reactive rather than proactive.
And egg freezing is not just for people who may
be looking at having kids like right now, but it's
also for people who, you know, us are struggling to
maintain body weight and things like that. We want to
protect what we have, but we also want to put
everything on the line, and when you're pushing your body
(16:00):
to that limit, sometimes these things happen. And so the
conversation I'd love to see happen is that this information
becomes so accessible.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
That we don't have to ask for it.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
So when I say i'd like to discuss IVF, oh,
how come because I identify as being gay? That's why,
and that's my option if I want to be a parent.
It just makes things easier, It makes things more normal,
and it makes things more comfortable for athletes that we
don't have to go hunting and we don't have to
(16:34):
expose ourselves in such a way whereas a straight athlete
might not have to. So that's something that I'd love
to see happen. And then also obviously bringing in pronouns,
and obviously that can be optional because again we don't
want to put too much pressure on people if they're
still working it out themselves. They don't want to have
(16:54):
to come out before they're ready to or you know,
one day you don't even have to come out. Yeah,
that would be a dream, but until then, like having
the option other than just an X or other, I
think that that would be a really huge stepping stone
and so simple to really be put forward. It's as
(17:15):
simple as putting on a questionnaire, what nickname do you
prefer to use. For instance, please don't ever call me Alexandra,
which I hate, but al I would, I love it,
so it's almost the same thing there. But there are
two really simple things that I would I would love
to see be more accessible in the medical space for athletes.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
You said before that you're a triple threat.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
No, I didn't say it.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
I actually think. I actually think you're a quadruple threat.
Quadruple because I think you've got unbelievable things to say.
And I just want to thank you for coming on
today and I really really enjoyed that chat.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
You've stunned me a little bit. There we go. Yeah,
thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Honestly speaking with you has been a dream and I
can't believe that I'm here in the Pride Hub.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
So yeah, this is really great.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
Thank you very much for having Holbney. Things should coming, Yay,
The time for talking is over.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
The match clock showing four hours and twelve minutes. All
Loves Him.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Curious METHODIV Two.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
About that, we're coming up with the Lives the Spin of.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Carencious.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
That is a ralout.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Hello and welcome to another episode of Out in the Open.
My name is Sam Kazlowski and it's pleasure to be
bringing you these conversations that we're having from the MasterCard
Pride hup here at the Australian Open. Today's guest is
Paralympian Al Viney. At eighteen, Al survived a serious high
speed car accident caused by a drunk driver, leaving her
with lasting impairments to her left elbow, fore arm and hand.
(00:54):
Now since the accident, Viney has gone on to represent
her country as an elite rower. Outside the sport Narina,
she is a vocal advocate for rainbow athletes, particularly those
with a disability. She's also a massive tennis fan. When
I sat down with her at the Australian Open for
a chat in the MasterCard Pride Hub, I found her
to be emotional, compelling and astoundingly honest about her journey.
(01:16):
Here's that chat, Alvinny, Welcome to the Pride Hub at
the Australian Open.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Thank you so much for having me. This is wonderful.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
I've seen a little tattoo on your arm.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
It says her, Yes, it does.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
What was that symbolized?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
I'm glad you think it says her because the first
time I walked outside with it, someone was like, why
do you have hot tattooed on your arm?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
And I was like, yeah, it's a reminder.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
No, it's it's in this It's in the spot where
I would wear my watch, and it's to remind me
that it's her time, and just to remind myself that
I need to think about myself and what I want
and it's my time to go out and achieve that.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
And what do you want to achieve?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Everything?
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Everything from personal goals to sporting goals to making people
in my life happy. It's just, yeah, a true reminder that, yeah,
I have what it takes to do that, and yeah,
so I got it tattooed.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
And if we work our way around the yeah, that's
the Paralympics Australia logo. If I'm not mistaken, it is correct.
Tell me about your Paralympic career, My Paralympic career.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Wow, it was a whirlwind.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I came onto the power rowing scene very quickly. Within
three months from getting in a boat, I made the
Australian team and then it was only at that point
one year until the Paralympic.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Games were supposed to take off.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
COVID obviously hit and push that back, so Lockdown's really
not knowing what to expect from a games. The hype
in the lead up wasn't really there the way it
had been years before for other people. So when it
finally did happen, you know, I hadn't seen my teammates
for nine months after being selected, and the first time
(03:01):
we saw each other was getting on a plane to Tokyo.
But once we hit the ground, it was it was incredible.
The village, the other athletes, the vibe that was around
the place, just it's hard to put into words what
you feel and what you see, and photos definitely do
not do it justice. So it's a once in a
(03:23):
lifetime experience and it just makes what you do as
an athlete even more sweet.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Was there a kind of photograph that you took mentally
from the games that sticks with you?
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah, not so much a photograph, but I have a
very calm moment that I remember. One morning, I was
a little bit jet lagged and woke up and went
out on the balcony that I had in my room
cardboard beds were actual, an actual thing, and went out
on the balcony. It was so clear, so warm, and
(03:55):
there were just other countries that were awake as well
and playing their music, and and all of the other
buildings in the village are decorated in all of the
country's flags. And it was just myself and no one
else speaking, but just noise and music and people singing,
and just being involved in that moment was just like,
(04:19):
this is so surreal, and so I have that memory.
And obviously the rest of it's quite chaotic competing, but
that was just such a perfect moment that I'll remember forever.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
At such a large event like an Olympics, did you
feel a sense of inclusivity from a pride perspective.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Yes, And it's not so much from feeling it as
it's really interesting when you're in the disabled and impaired
community because we all just see each other for who
we are. There's no limitations, there's no questions, just you
(05:01):
are upfront.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
With who you are.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
You're there because of who you are, and everyone just
gets on and celebrates that about you. It's just like
very clear vision of everyone and there's no judgment, there's
no limitations, there's no questions about what you're capable of.
You are there as everything that you are, and I
(05:23):
think that's a really beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Do you talk about your sexuality in the sporting context,
like with coaches or officials or the sporting body itself?
Speaker 3 (05:33):
I think that that really depends on the sport that
you are in and whether the sport that you're in
is about the people or if it's about the performance.
And I think that the direction that we're going for
in Australian sport is about the holistic approach of that
(05:54):
is that to get the best performance, you need to
accept the people.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
So what's a signal to you from a sporting body,
from Tennis Australia to the AOC, whatever, Paralympics Australia, whatever
body we're talking about, what's a signal to you that
they do accept the whole person?
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Good question, And part of that is just through you know,
there's a whole lot of box ticking that goes on
at the moment and we see that, and there's queer
baiting and all of these things that are popping up
in the media. But the biggest thing is active allyship.
You can say, you can put out a poster, but
(06:33):
if you are not actively engaging and having conversations and
using language that's inclusive and.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
And just welcoming, then we have.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
A stalled feeling within the community that I have to
be aware of what I'm putting forward about myself. Instead
of just walking in and feeling completely comfortable, I don't
want to walk in and have to almost look around
the room to make sure that I can be me.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
And yeah, that's where that is at.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
And part of that, I think, to me is about
going beyond that tokenistic effort and box ticking long term.
So I always look for things like is there a
ten year plan, is there a twenty year plan?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (07:28):
I find that that's really important for sport to kind
of latch onto absolutely talk to me about the pressures
of performance and professionalism and how that interacts with pride,
identity and.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Absolutely, I think if you ask any athlete, they will
tell you that the pressure that is there to be
an athlete, whether it's internal external, performance wise pressure that
you put on yourself about what you want to achieve,
the constructive feedback that you give yourself, the negative talk
(08:02):
that you give yourself because you want more. There is
so much pressure on being an athlete, and that's without
even the physical component of competing or training, and you
know the hours that you put in and the pressure
that you have to recover and be better. No athlete
is going to go out there and not want more
for themselves and that is a huge thing to carry.
(08:25):
So for anyone fronting up with that, it's not something
that you just understand it. It never goes away because
you're always looking for more.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
What can I do? What can I do?
Speaker 3 (08:36):
And when you then put upon people, whether it's disability
or whether it's your sexuality or how you choose to identify,
we're already in this high pressure bottle. And if you
start adding on pressures of I have to be monitoring
how much of myself I can put out into the world,
(08:59):
or I have to monitor how I dress or all
of those things, you can't possibly be putting all of
your energy into your performance, and then it starts to
blend and the chemical reaction that happens in that just
erupts and it comes out in different ways, whether it's
your mental health suffers, or your relationships suffer, or the
(09:21):
way that you perform. If you cannot present at training
or at a game or at a match with your
full self and your full energy, you're never going to
achieve what you're really capable of. And that's not just
a personal limitation that's put on you. It's very much
(09:42):
a societal pressure that you can only be a certain
way to be an athlete, and that's not true. And
we're very much seeing that in today's day and age,
that you can be whoever you need to be and
whoever you are, and the more that you can train happy,
better your results are going to be and the better
people are going to come out at the other end,
(10:04):
because your time as an athlete is so special, but
you're running on a knife's edge like it could change
at any point, and at that point you need to
be able to walk away with your head held high,
knowing that you're a good person and that everything about
you is okay.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Because we're always.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Scrutinizing ourselves, and it shouldn't be that you're scrutinizing yourself
based on who you love. So that's what I would
say about the pressures of an athlete. And if we
can alleviate the pressure based around how you feel about
yourself and about who you love, then we're only going
(10:43):
to make this better and Australia is going to see
some incredible athletes come out.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Of the woodwork.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
If we are actively showing that we're an inclusive and
welcoming place.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Well, talk to me about the intersectionality between disability and
LGBT issues. How important is it to have that conversation.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
It's huge for me.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
I spent eight years of my life trying to blend in.
I didn't know where I fit in for a lot
of people because I acquired my impairment. I was either
broken because they knew me as an able bodied person
or I wasn't disabled enough. And that was really challenging
(11:34):
because I was very young when my accident occurred and
I'm trying to already find out who I am and
so at that also, at that point in my life,
I was like, well, I'm different.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Now, how am I supposed to explore my sexuality? Like?
Who am I allowed to love?
Speaker 3 (11:55):
And at the same time, now I have to carry
this burden that society has put on me. I'm not
enough in one category, but I'm too much in another,
and I really struggled. And it was only quite recently
that someone actually called me a triple threat because I'm
a disabled, gay female athlete, and I was quite taken aback,
(12:21):
but I was like, yeah, I've got three great things
going for me here, and that then turned into a
conversation around well, hey, intersectionality actually is what covers me,
like that is what this is, and so I'm always learning.
There's always more to learn and have conversations about. But
it's so funny that someone who saw three brilliant things
(12:43):
about me labeled at a triple threat. But up until
quite recently, I've been just battling with the fact that
society tries to blend us in.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Or put us in a box.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
And there's nothing about having a disability or an impairment
or the way that you identify or who you love
that should be put in a box. And it's really
exciting to see that intersectionality is definitely being discussed. But
some of the places that I felt most accepted and
(13:16):
where I don't have to explain myself or justify myself
is when I've been around other power athletes, and that's
just because, as I said earlier, we front up, we're there,
and we all see each other for the incredible opportunities
that we bring to the table.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
The last topic I want to cover with you is
medical issues. We know how important it is to be
performing at your best. A lot of that is physical
in a lot of sports. Yes, but what else can
you tell me about medical identity if you want to
call it that for LGBT athletes, women, etc. Yes, that
(13:58):
perhaps we don't think about on the day today.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Basis amazing.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
So I guess what I'm kind of experiencing is that
a lot of as an athlete, we're constantly checking in
with medical teams, with support teams, sykes, physios, everyone, and
a lot of the time for me to find out
information about what is possible for me, either currently or
(14:25):
post being an athlete, I really have to ask.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
But it also means that.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
I have to come out every time I have to
recome out to a new medical professional. And that's because
the questions that are asked or the information that's there
is very heteronormative.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
And cis based information.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
And so for instance, if I would like to have
a family, I'm going to have to go down the
IVF route, and that information is like taboo. I also
struggle with trying to find out being an athlete, when
the the right time is to go and have investigative
surgery for endometriosis. So until then, I'm just battling along
as so many other people do, and the information is
(15:12):
not forthcoming. And what I would love to see develop
and be put forward is that when I turn up
to do a medical screening or when I present with
someone to someone that the information is like, would you
like to discuss egg freezing? And as female athletes, we're
putting our bodies on the line all the time, and
you know iron deficiencies and nutritional information and support. It's
(15:38):
you have to almost wait and be reactive rather than proactive.
And egg freezing is not just for people who may
be looking at having kids like right now, but it's
also for people who, you know, us are struggling to
maintain body weight and things like that. We want to
protect what we have, but we also want to put
everything on the line, and when you're pushing your body
(16:00):
to that limit, sometimes these things happen. And so the
conversation I'd love to see happen is that this information
becomes so accessible.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
That we don't have to ask for it.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
So when I say i'd like to discuss IVF, oh,
how come because I identify as being gay? That's why,
and that's my option if I want to be a parent.
It just makes things easier, It makes things more normal,
and it makes things more comfortable for athletes that we
don't have to go hunting and we don't have to
(16:34):
expose ourselves in such a way whereas a straight athlete
might not have to. So that's something that I'd love
to see happen. And then also obviously bringing in pronouns,
and obviously that can be optional because again we don't
want to put too much pressure on people if they're
still working it out themselves. They don't want to have
(16:54):
to come out before they're ready to or you know,
one day you don't even have to come out. Yeah,
that would be a dream, but until then, like having
the option other than just an X or other, I
think that that would be a really huge stepping stone
and so simple to really be put forward. It's as
(17:15):
simple as putting on a questionnaire, what nickname do you
prefer to use. For instance, please don't ever call me Alexandra,
which I hate, but al I would, I love it,
so it's almost the same thing there. But there are
two really simple things that I would I would love
to see be more accessible in the medical space for athletes.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
You said before that you're a triple threat.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
No, I didn't say it.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
I actually think. I actually think you're a quadruple threat.
Quadruple because I think you've got unbelievable things to say.
And I just want to thank you for coming on
today and I really really enjoyed that chat.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
You've stunned me a little bit. There we go. Yeah,
thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Honestly speaking with you has been a dream and I
can't believe that I'm here in the Pride Hub.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
So yeah, this is really great.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
Thank you very much for having Holbney. Things should coming, Yay,
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.