Dear Gossips,

The Arthur Ashe Courage Award was presented last night at the ESPYs to 141 “sister survivors” who came forward, who pushed back, who refused to accept that their trauma wasn’t valid and that their pain was an insignificant by-product in the pursuit of the only goals: “medals and reputation”. 

It’s a devastating image, seeing all of them take up that entire stage – and this was the goal, to remind people of how many voices were ignored and, at the same time, to reclaim the moment as a testament to solidarity and survivorhood while continuing to rebuke the individuals and institutions that were complicit in their abuse. “Nevertheless, they persisted.” But, as they insisted last night, their persistence has no meaning if there is no change. And the purpose of that persistence is so that, hopefully, fewer people have to be persistent. After all, persistence only happens in the face of an obstruction. 

These women are taking on the obstructions. The only thing I want to say about that is… get the f-ck out of their way. 

Yours in gossip,

Lainey