In 2016, retired gymnast Rachael Denhollander was the first woman to formally accuse former Olympic doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse. Over the next couple of years, more than 360 gymnasts accused Nassar of sexual abuse, including all five of the athletes on the 2012 women's Olympic gymnastics team. While some have been outspoken about their experience, others, like McKayla Maroney, have tried to move on quietly after coming forward. Recently, however, in a statement in support of Britney Spears, Maroney decided to candidly discuss her abuse at the hands of Nassar, the toll it took on her, and her frustration with how the media portrayed her. To see what Maroney had to say about how her experience connects with the #FreeBritney movement in a new Instagram post, read on.
RELATED: See These Olympic Gymnasts' New Uniform, a Protest Against Sexualization.
McKayla Maroney slammed the media's role in both Britney Spears' and her own suffering.
View this post on Instagram
On July 26, Maroney, now 25 years old, spoke out about her abuse at the hands of Nassar on Instagram, three years after she first came forward. "From my experience, speaking up about abuse is extremely exhausting physically, mentally, and emotionally," the Olympic gymnast wrote on Instagram. She went on to discuss the role the media has played in her life since. After coming forward about her abuse during an interview with Today in 2018, Maroney said, "I hated the depressing tone my life took on, and how the media portrayed me." She added that she "never wanted to be seen as a victim" but just wanted Nassar in jail and the people who allowed the abuse to go on to be held accountable for their actions.
Maroney's statement comes as the women's gymnastics team competes at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and as the world and legal system continues to reassess Spears' conservatorship, which has had her father and other appointed figures in control of her financially and physically for years. In the post, Maroney reflects on the commonalities between her and Spears' experiences, and she sports a Spears' shirt in the accompanying photos. "Britney's story resonates with me so much because just like Britney, I also had to 'fake it till you make it' to survive my 2012 Olympics," Maroney revealed.
Maroney explained that the Framing Britney Spears documentary, which brought the issues with Spears' conservatorship to light in early 2021, shows that "the media is hugely to blame" for her suffering. "To this day, media bullies celebrities and athletes with dramatic clickbait stories and false reports for their benefit. Not caring at all how it affects the person or family's life," wrote Maroney. She added that "it's time to hold the media accountable for the damage they create."
RELATED: This Diane Sawyer Interview With Britney Spears Has People Outraged.
Maroney also said she had "abuse coming at [her] from many angles" during the 2012 Olympics.
Like Spears, Maroney wrote that at the 2012 Olympics, she was "was just trying to accomplish [her] dream, but," she added: "I had abuse coming at me from many angles that I didn't understand how to process at 15. I had to suppress it, and I had to minimize it, just to get through the day."
In 2018, when she first talked about the abuse, Maroney said Nassar began abusing her at the age of 13 and hundreds of times following that. Later that year, Maroney, along with more than 150 other victims, wrote impact statements that were read to him before he was sentenced. "It happened in London before my team and I won the gold medal, and it happened before I won my silver medal," Maroney wrote in her statement.
She also described one especially traumatizing moment for her. "For me, the scariest night of my life happened when I was 15 years old. I had flown all day and night with the team to get to Tokyo. He'd given me a sleeping pill for the flight, and the next thing I know, I was all alone with him in his hotel room getting a 'treatment.' I thought I was going to die that night," wrote Maroney.
RELATED:For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter.
But dwelling on her abuse felt "extremely wrong," she wrote.
In her Instagram post, Maroney expressed that she felt acknowledging and discussing this darker part of her life veered from her usual character. "If you know me or have been following me, you probably have picked up that I'm naturally just a positive, bubbly person, who leans more towards optimism and having faith because that's what makes me happy," wrote Maroney. "So calling out abusers, and dwelling on all the dark negative pieces of my past felt extremely wrong for me."
Maroney added that although she wanted to "move on" and return to being her usual self, she knew she had to push herself to speak out against Nassar. "I needed to learn the power of my voice, boundaries, and when to be resilient," she wrote.
Maroney compared the people controlling Spears to the people who allowed abuse to occur within elite gymnastics.
The former gymnast also commended Spears for speaking out. "She deserves to spend the rest of her life healing in peace or doing whatever she wants," Maroney wrote on Instagram.
She then drew a comparison between the people controlling Spears' life and those whole allowed abuse within elite gymnastics to persist. "The people who control her are criminals, and abusers, just like USA gymnastics, and the USOC [United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee] used me and their athletes for money but didn't care to protect us," she concluded, adding the hashtag #FreeBritney.
RELATED: Women Athletes Are Calling Out the Olympics for Forcing Them to Do This.
Filed UnderCelebrities • Entertainment • NewsRead This Next10 Things You Didn't Know about Justin Trudeau
Athlete, nerd, hopeless romantic, thespian. Yes, there’s a lot more to Canada’s Prime Minister than just politics.March 21, 2017Jon Hamm: The Best Life Interview
Jon Hamm, star of TV's Mad Men, reveals the secrets of manliness in a postmodern world.November 15, 2016Driving Tips Smart Men Know
Ten easy ways to be the safest driver on the road. April 3, 2017Men Who Set the Time: Cash Warren
The successful producer, entrepreneur and husband of Jessica Alba reveals how you, too, can live your best life.October 31, 2016Dr. Oz: The Best Life Interview
Mehmet Oz, M.D., asks the toughest question: Are you living or dying?October 23, 2016Dr. Oz's 15 Best Life Tips
October 23, 2016The One That Got Away
A single nutrient—omega-3 fatty acids—may have turned early humans into civilized man. Has stripping it from our diet given rise to cancer, diabetes, and other civilized diseases? Our correspondent investigates.February 23, 2017George Clooney Is Having Twins. Here's What Women Everywhere Are Saying About It
The legendary ladies' man who once swore off fatherhood went from zero to "Full House" very quickly—and the Internet has responded.February 10, 2017Celebrate Spring with These 15 Instagram Goddesses
Nothing heats up social media quite like sunshine.April 6, 2017Fiction: "Tranquility"
Some men find peace by searching for meaning. Others find it by abandoning the quest.October 14, 2016
