The Heroine
InStyle|August 2018

Brave and unapologetic, ALY RAISMAN is speaking up for all survivors of sexual abuse.

Allie Jones
The Heroine
Aly Raisman is a woman on a mission. The 24-year-old gymnast-turned activist has spent the past several months tirelessly campaigning for survivors of sexual abuse, doing interview after interview about her own traumatic experiences and fighting for justice for all the women in the gymnastics community. But even a badass needs a break.

When we meet at her family’s home just outside Boston on a warm spring afternoon, she’s gearing up for a day poolside. Wearing a simple black T with denim shorts, her dark hair swept up into her usual high ponytail, she cheerfully invites me to come sit next to her on a chaise longue in the backyard. With Gibson and Magic, her two fluffy white dogs, curled up at her feet, and mom, Lynn, and younger brother, Brett, hanging out under an umbrella nearby, Raisman chats amiably about her plans for the summer. She intends to travel, spend time at her family’s house on Cape Cod, and catch up with her pals.

But she’s also preparing to tell her story again. Even on a relaxing day by the pool she’ll continue talking about what happened to her, she says. Until things change.

Her story has been well documented. Last fall, in her memoir, Fierce, Raisman revealed how disgraced physician Larry Nassar sexually abused her—and countless other young women—while he worked as the team doctor for USA Gymnastics. The decision to come forward was not easy.

“I was very nervous because I didn’t know how people would take it,” she says. “But I knew it was the right thing. If someone wasn’t advocating for change in the sport of gymnastics, then nothing would be done.”

This story is from the August 2018 edition of InStyle.

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This story is from the August 2018 edition of InStyle.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.