Raven Saunders raised her arms to make an X-symbol while on the podium after receiving her silver medal on July 31, in Tokyo, according to NBC Olympics. Saunders, known as the “Hulk,” won the silver medal in the shot-put competition.
Saunders told the Associated Press that the X-symbol was the intersection of oppressed people.
“It’s the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet,” said Saunders.
The 25-year-old can bench 480 pounds and has four NCAA titles, and can squat 700 pounds. She began wearing a Hulk mask in competitions, prompting her nickname, “Hulk.”
The silver-medalist made the X-symbol despite a ban from the International Olympic Committee on protesting while on the podium.
The International Olympic Committee is now deciding whether or not Saunders breached the rules. The athlete joked on Twitter that she would run if they come for her silver medal.
“Let them try and take this medal. I’m running across the border even though I can’t swim ?,” she wrote.
U.S. athlete Raven Saunders took silver in the women’s shot put on Saturday. She then used her moment on the Olympic podium to raise her arms into an X. Saunders says the gesture symbolized ‘the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet,’ per the AP. pic.twitter.com/c0m1a8Zc4d
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) August 2, 2021
Let them try and take this medal. I’m running across the border even though I can’t swim ? https://t.co/B59N2v9KAk
— Raven HULK Saunders (@GiveMe1Shot) August 1, 2021
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Saunders is openly gay and uses her social media and platform to speak out about mental health and LGBTQ issues. She spoke about her own issues with depression on social media in 2018 and revealed that she once tried to commit suicide.
“If not for sending a text to an old therapist I would not be here right now,” she said. “All these things weighing on me for 22 years, I was finally able to process it. I was finally able to separate Raven from ‘The Hulk.'”
Getting in touch with a therapist she’d once had saved her life. Before winning her silver medal, Saunders sent a message to people dealing with mental health issues and people in the LBGTQ community, per ESPN.
“Shout out to all my Black people, shout out to all my LBGTQ community, shout out to everybody dealing with mental health. Because at the end of the day, we understand that it’s bigger than us, and it’s bigger than the powers that be.”
I’m blackity black, a woman, and gaaaaaayyyyyyy asl. The world much of my life has told me I don’t belong and I don’t deserve to be here. But here I am. To all my young black/young Queer people… YOU ARE WORTHY, YOU ARE LOVED, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, YOU CAN MAKE IT! #selflove
— Raven HULK Saunders (@GiveMe1Shot) July 27, 2021
Raven Saunders delivered a powerful message after winning silver in the shot put on Sunday. https://t.co/E7YBPHnZRu@GiveMe1Shot pic.twitter.com/fIE1rEb6Sd
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 1, 2021
Congratulations, Raven!
