You see it all the time, a successful woman settling for less because it’s expected. Or she thinks she can’t do better or a multitude of other reasons one may have for settling. One should always know the difference between what they are getting and what they deserve. I’m going to use the example of someone I greatly admired and was inspired by, Tessa Virtue.
There were times Tessa was a shining example for girls and women everywhere, an inspiration to figure skaters, competing or not. She still is, of course. For who she was. For her resilience and achievements. For her determination and drive. Her social media presence showed a well-rounded individual who had many interests outside of skating. I want to believe this version of her still exists. These days it seems to be just sponsored posts, her dog, or the subtle and not so subtle promotion of her boyfriend, who I won’t name because he’s irrelevant. The issue is Tessa.
Why does someone successful who won everything one can win in the sport of ice dance become just another pretty face on Instagram without substance? She has the platform to speak out about many issues but has chosen to speak out about none of them. Not even the prevalent issue of Kamila Valieva’s positive drug test during the Beijing 2022 Olympics. She let her skating partner, Scott Moir, speak on that issue. Scott gave several quotes to publications such as Time and spoke out strongly. Why didn’t Tessa? Did they not ask? I doubt it. She was asked when she and Scott were interviewed about their commentating roles on the ice dance event for the Olympics. She had the platform to speak and was given the opportunity to do so.
Is it a fear of saying something wrong? Public figures face a lot of scrutiny, some hesitation is understandable, but many figure skaters spoke out. They used the opportunity to highlight the abuse of young girls in the sport of figure skating, particularly the athletes from Russia, or ROC, which stands for Russian Olympic Committee. By competing under the banner of ROC, Russian athletes can compete in the Olympics while their country is banned because of a previous doping scandal.
It seems hard to say something wrong on such a clear-cut issue. Of course one can choose to speak out only on issues they deem acceptable. That is her right. It’s just hard to justify when one listens to her various interviews and speeches, highlighting how much she wants to help young girls. This was the perfect opportunity, so why didn’t she take it?
Aside from photoshoots and trying to sell me cereal, Adidas clothing or Buicks, what is being done? Is something being done behind the scenes? I certainly hope so, or my admiration of her was misplaced for years.
Putting aside the choices in her personal life that for me, as a feminist, are completely incompatible, we have the issue of what a five-time Olympic medalist and an eMBA graduate can do. She can do so many things. She has the opportunities many others who are not well-known or well-connected dream of. She talks about loving business, fashion, mentoring. She speaks about doing so many things but seems to be drifting aimlessly at the moment.
One need only look at her social media presence and what she chooses to share. Where is the real Tessa? We only see the Tessa trying to fit in with a group that can’t match her achievements (and she shouldn’t be part of at all in my opinion) and various sponsored posts.
I want to see someone like her speaking out about important issues, doing something worthy of her talent and taking up opportunities to help the young girls she talks about. I want to understand what goes through the mind of a strong, supposedly independent woman, choosing to settle for less. She is someone who should know her worth and should chase after it in all aspects of life. I and many others would love to hear more about HER. The driven and determined Tessa. Her plans and goals. Her thoughts and opinions. Not the opinions of sponsors and certainly not the limited worldview of those she now surrounds herself with. Now, will the real Tessa Virtue please stand up?
