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Jonathan White

What does it take for social media to realise it might have a social responsibility?
How about the racist abuse of a 13-year-old girl?
That’s what US Olympic gold medallist Chloe Kim revealed she suffered following her first X-Games medal, a silver back in Aspen in 2014. 
Since then, Kim says, she has been subject to thousands of such messages, rising to up to 30 a day since Covid-19 started.


Sit back and observe greatness, as Chloe Kim 🇺🇸 makes it back-to-back World Championships golds with this outstanding second run here at the Aspen 2021 FIS Snowboard and Freeski World Championships...(And that switch method tho...🤤👌)#ASPEN2021 @AspenSnowmass @usskiteam pic.twitter.com/QXzuXr6vL2
— fissnowboard (@fissnowboard) March 13, 2021

It has understandably been a factor in her mental health over the years – and she sat out last season because her “mental health was in a bad place” – though she claims she is now inured to the idiots.
Prompted by a message received just minutes earlier where she was called a “dumb Asian b****” Kim shared some of the worst things she was sent on Instagram, explaining why she had taken the decision in a post on Wednesday.
US Olympic star Chloe Kim reveals she is bombarded with anti-Asian racist messages
“Just to be clear!!,” the 20-year-old began an Instagram story, “these messages don’t affect me anymore. I’ve received this type of hate for so many years that I’ve grown numb to it. 
“But I don’t want to allow these people to continue spreading negativity and being blatantly racist on social media. 
“So I’ve decided to post every single one I see, and I ask of you all to report their accounts so they get taken down immediately, and I encourage you all to do the same. Share your stories and your experiences.


“And to the haters, I’m sorry, but shut the f*** up.” 
Strong words but it is a time for strong words – and for strong actions such as Kim speaking up. 
“No one cares for your negativity, it’s disgusting. Being racist and rude isn’t a good look and I genuinely feel sorry for you. 
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“It’s not that hard to be a decent human being, maybe you should try it out sometime,” Kim concluded.
Maybe they should but in the meantime sports stars are looking for action from elsewhere, namely social media giants Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 
Retired footballer Thierry Henry has received support from his sport for walking away from social media but 20-year-old Kim has more on the line in the run up to Beijing 2022 next year.


Still Kim, who burst into international prominence with her performances at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2o18 where the 17-year-old won the gold medal in the half-pipe, has become the latest athlete to speak up in the absence of action from the tech companies or legislators.
Her story warrants attention. While people will debate the right to free speech and anonymity online, even the most libertarian would struggle to stand up for racially abusing a 13-year-old child.
“I remember the first time I got one of these was when I was 13 and won my first medal at xgames,” she wrote. “An accomplishment I was so incredibly proud of myself for but instead I was getting bashed for being Asian. 
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“And honestly. I feel really helpless and afraid at times. I’m really struggling and it’s been gut wrenching to see how so many Asian Americans are being attacked for literally no reason at all.”
Now, with the lines blurring between online hate and real life attacks on the Asian Americans, Pacific Islander community in the US and elsewhere it really seems like time for authorities to take the athletes’ lead and act upon this and make social media a safer place.
Kim has revealed how offline attacks have led to her taking drastic action, telling ESPN that she rarely goes anywhere by herself. 


 “I have tasers, pepper spray, a knife. If I go outside to walk my dog or go to the grocery store,” Kim said. “My fanny pack has all three of those in it and my hand never leaves my side.”
She told ESPN that she also fears for her South Korean parents in the current climate and removed the Instagram app from her phone.
“I used to love responding to my fans, but I don’t look at my messages much anymore,” she said in the interview. “Even if you get thousands of supportive messages, the hateful one will hit you the most.” 


.@ChloeKim snatches @XGames gold in the Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe! 🏅🏂pic.twitter.com/ySq9H8xjfw
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 31, 2021

Kim has had to deal with this while preparing to defend her Olympic half-pipe gold medal in Beijing next year and somehow is not distracting her so far.
Despite that and 22 months away from competition between starting college and sitting last season, Kim has won three golds this year including gold at Aspen 2021 FIS  Snowboard and Freeski World Championships last month to defend her world crown.
She didn’t need to speak out and is all the braver for doing so after keeping silent for years. As one of the few-high profile Asian-American women across sport she is an easy target. 
Never mind Beijing 2022, give her a gold medal for being, as she so succinctly put it, a decent human being.


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Chloe Kim of the United States looks on from the podium after finishing first in the women’s snowboard halfpipe final in Aspen in March, 2021. Photo: AFP

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US Olympic snowboarding champion Chloe Kim. Photo: Getty Images/AFP

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Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


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