We are happily drowning in American Olympian-mother success stories this year: After having a baby girl in January, Aliphine Tuliamuk will represent the United States in the Olympic marathon, alongside Sally Kipyego, who has two young daughters. When the sprinters Quanera Hayes and Allyson Felix qualified for the Olympics, they brought their toddlers onto the track to celebrate, and the moment was played and replayed on screens of all sizes.
We get it: Motherhood is something to celebrate in elite sports. But sometimes all that gauzy good will obscures reality.
The empowerment language surrounding motherhood can gloss over the obstacles female athletes still face as they try to do their jobs.