Aly Raisman's Children's Book To 'Empower' The Younger Generation

Aly Raisman, once an Olympic gymnast, has become a powerful voice for mental health awareness.

After stepping away from gymnastics, she began sharing her own mental health challenges openly, using her platform to help others understand and support those facing similar struggles.

At 30 years old, Raisman once again addresses her past trauma and struggles as she talks about her new children's book, which is designed to help "empower" the younger generation.

After retiring from the sport and after coming forward as a victim of sexual abuse, Raisman sought to transform her personal struggles into something beneficial for those beyond the gymnastics world.

She wanted to use her platform for mental health advocacy and has recently authored a children's book titled "From My Head to My Toes," which is designed to help young readers understand important concepts like consent, aiming to empower children and promote healthy attitudes from an early age.

"I wanted to write something that empowers children and adults to speak up, while also acknowledging that it's hard to speak up," she told BBC. "I'm 30 years old, and it's still hard to speak up. I'm still working on it. But even if [this book] helps one kid be safer and even if it prevents anyone from having to go through what me and my teammates went through, I feel proud of that."

The book also aims to educate young readers about self-determination.

In addition to her children's book, Aly Raisman often uses her social media platforms and attends media events to advocate for mental health, something she has struggled with due to her past sexual abuse at the hands of her doctor, Larry Nassar.

Dr. Larry Nassar, a former USA Gymnastics team doctor, was accused of sexually abusing numerous athletes, including Raisman, Simone Biles, and others, under his medical treatment care.

By sharing her story and supporting mental health causes, Raisman helps raise awareness of the importance of mental wellness.

In an interview with TIME Magazine, Raisman described the abuse she endured, including how Dr. Larry Nassar frequently closed his eyes and appeared out of breath during their sessions. Not realizing that she was being molested and still believing she was receiving legitimate medical treatment, she ascribed his behavior to fatigue or jetlag from his international competition travels.

“I know people will say ‘Why didn’t she tell her mom? Why didn’t she say anything?’ But those questions are unfair,” she told the magazine. “The fact is I didn’t really know it was happening to me. What people don’t get is that he was a doctor. I would never have imagined that a doctor would abuse me or manipulate me so badly.”

After Raisman came forward as a victim of sexual abuse, USA Gymnastics said in a statement, “We are appalled by the conduct of which Larry Nassar is accused, and we are very sorry that any athlete has been harmed during her or his gymnastics career."

"In the past year, Aly has become an advocate for many issues, and sharing her personal experience of abuse takes great courage," they added. "We are committed to doing what is right, and we want to work with Aly and all interested athletes to keep athletes safe.”

To recognize the importance of mental health, Aly Raisman combines those advocacy efforts with her love of fashion. In fact, one of the most valuable pieces of advice she received came from someone she greatly admired in the fashion world: the renowned shoe designer Stuart Weitzman.

"So many athletes define their worth by their result," she tells Kay, "But [Weitzman's advice] helped me realize that I can go on to do other great things. Obviously, winning medals is really exciting and wonderful, but I do hope when people look back at my career, hopefully, they remember that I helped make athletes safer and I encouraged people to prioritize mental health."

These days, when people approach Raisman, they seldom mention her gymnastics career. Instead, they usually express gratitude for the conversations she's ignited about mental health.

If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual abuse or assault, help is available. Contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE or visit RAIIN.com.