Mute
Your ability to stop responding, even when provoked. Not about listening, but choosing silence as a control.
Simone Biles and Speaking About Abuse
Mute flipped off for Simone Biles when she decided to break years of normalized silence in gymnastics. The gymnastics world had taught everyone to stay quiet about difficult experiences, and she had internalized this setting. She went from muting herself to protect her career to unmuting herself to protect others. The shift happened when she realized her voice could create space for healing rather than just protecting institutions.