Episode 47: Talking Gymnastics with Jessica O’Beirne of GymCastic

In this week’s episode, Johanna, Derek, and Nathan are joined by Jessica O’Beirne, host of the *must* listen Gymcastic podcast, to talk about harm and abuse in gymnastics, the racial and racist dimensions of the sport, and Jessica’s wonderful work in the public sphere. In the first half of the episode, we talk about Jessica’s efforts to uncover abuse within the sport and how she approaches sensitive and controversial topics and guests on her own podcast, Gymcastic. The second half of the show then shifts attention to the sport’s long history of abuse and harm as well as the racialized dynamics of US gymnastics.

Jessica O’Beirne is a former gymnast and coach and a creator and host of the GymCastic podcast, which since its creation in 2012 has been the most popular gymnastics podcast in the world. As someone who has been deeply involved in gymnastics for most of her life, Jessica is known as a fierce critic of the abusive nature of gymnastics. She’s a supporter of athletes’ and victims’ rights amidst the many scandals that have rocked the sport in the 2010s.

If you haven’t already, check out “Gymnastics Week” on The End of Sport, with interviews with Georgia Cervin, and two with Geza Pozsar, or our interview with the Producer of Netflix’s Athlete A, Jennifer Sey.

You can follow Jessica and Gymcastic on Twitter @OtotheBeirne @Gymcastic and check out some of her written work here:

“Opinion: Larry Nassar duped me. He would have duped you too. Here’s how to stop the next abuser from taking his place” in the Los Angeles Times

The Gymcastic blog

For a transcription of this episode, please click here. (Credit @punkademic)

After listening to the episode, check out our most recent pieces:

“Red-Scare Rhetoric Isn’t Gone From Histories of American Sport” in Jacobin Magazine

"Canceling the College-Football Season Isn't Enough" published in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

“'We are being gaslit': College football and Covid-19 are imperiling athletes” in The Guardian

“Canceling the college football season is about union busting, not health” also in The Guardian

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