I realized talking to someone today that people only see the glamorous side of what I do for a living. They see the pointe shoes, shiny ribbons, the glitter and the tutus. Most have a vague idea of the struggles of dancers, and athletes in general, but you only know the tip of the iceberg.
You see the air cast on my ankle and see an injury but you do not know it has been building for months; that we are pushed to keep performing through the pain until our body breaks because we are afraid to disappoint ourselves and our teachers. You do not see the instructors that parade us in groups in front of each other for public weighing so the instructors can criticize and tell us we are too heavy. You do not see the girl that tries to hide rolls of change in her leotard because she is ashamed to admit her eating disorder because it means being black listed in her sport.
That is what I say to those that say we do not deserve the money we earn, that it is wrong that the Olympians get paid. That our job is easy. I am lucky I get to go home to someone that loves me. Someone that tells me how beautiful I am every day when if feels like the rest of the world is only criticizing my body. And I realize how much of a rant I just went on and I am sorry it is so long, not that I said it.
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