Finding Self-Love And Understanding At Cal
Kelley L Cox/KLC fotos

deibj10/24/2022 1:08 PM | By: Abbey Scanlon

Finding Self-Love And Understanding At Cal

Being able to represent Cal through gymnastics has been an absolute dream come true, but during my time here, I've learned that there is so much more to representing Cal than just through the sports aspect. Representation matters, but it's the actions and words that go far beyond just doing flips in the air. 

Abbey ScanlonWhen I think of belonging, I think of inclusivity, acceptance, and love, and that is what the "belonging" leo (aka leotard) that my team wears proudly is about. Our school colors are blue and gold, and my team had the opportunity to include rainbow colors in one of our "leos" this year. We wore this leo at our inclusivity meet this past season to represent how our team has so much love–not just for our sport but for everyone within the community. We sought to show our appreciation and understanding that it takes a whole village to thrive in the challenging environment that comes with being a student-athlete at Cal. 

When I was only a few months old, I was adopted from South Korea by two amazing white parents who constantly showered me with love and care. They did their absolute best to incorporate Korean culture into my life, but being one of the very few Asians in my hometown, Sterling, Virginia, was sometimes hard for me. I used to get comments on why I looked the way I did and why I looked nothing like my parents. I mainly got comments on the physical features of my body, such as my eyes, getting comments on how they were so small and that they looked weird because they weren't the typical European-shaped eyes. I struggled a lot with how I looked growing up because I was constantly reminded of how different I looked from others. It got to the point where I wanted to get surgeries on my face so that I could look like everyone else around me.

After coming to Cal, I was opened up to a whole new world of diversity. Being constantly surrounded by people from all over the world is such a comforting feeling. I felt like I finally belonged and that I knew I wasn't going to be seen as an outsider or as someone who didn't fit into the crowd. Seeing so many Asian athletes within the student-athlete community has been incredible, but seeing so many other athletes from around the world has been even more eye-opening to realize how diverse and inclusive Cal as a whole is. The reflection from the diverse community allowed me to really find self-love and understand that I don't need to be someone different. I now know that being myself is key to making a difference in whatever I choose to endeavor. I take so much pride in how our school celebrates all cultures, races, sexualities, and so many more identities each and every single day.

Abbey Scanlon is a sophomore and intended psychology major on the Cal women's gymnastics team.

 
Abbey Scanlon
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