Former Bachelor star Colton Underwood has a new book out, and he’s letting people in on his personal life even more than he did on reality TV.
In The First Time: Finding Myself and Looking for Love on Reality TV, he writes about his experiences on The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor in Paradise, but also his non-televised relationships, like the one he had with Olympic gymnastics star Aly Raisman a few years back.
“Aly was easy to talk to. She was open, funny, bright, honest, and inquisitive. She laughed easily and had a smile that I would’ve been happy to simply gaze at for the rest of the night, no further conversation necessary,” he wrote in his book, per Us Weekly. Of their first dates, he said, “It was very late when I dropped her back at her hotel, and when I said I’d had a great time, I meant it. Later that night, Aly texted me a thank-you. Neither of us had expected to get on as well as we did. For a first date, it couldn’t have gone better.” Sadly, their relationship didn’t last.
Colton Underwood and Aly Raisman in January 2017.
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When the couple broke up, Underwood reached out to Raisman’s friend and fellow gymnast Simone Biles for advice. “I pulled over to the side of the road, stunned and unable to comprehend this was happening,” he wrote of their FaceTime split. “Aly said she felt overwhelmed, confused, and in need of a break. Afterward, I sat in my car and cried. I was numb for days.” After not hearing back from Raisman via text, he says he got in touch with Biles “hoping she could offer an explanation or insight.” Alas, she could not. He says he is now a “better and wiser man” because of their relationship and also reveals he promised not to speak about her on The Bachelorette.
Colton Underwood is currently dating Cassie Randolph, whom he met on his Bachelor season. Here’s hoping everyone involved is in a better place now.
More than 200 women came forward to accuse former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse. Many of them read emotional testimonies in Judge Rosemarie Aquilina’s courtroom during his trial. She told the survivors: “You are no longer victims, you are survivors. You’re very strong.”
This year, Glamour is honoring this Sister Army that brought down Nassar: Judge Aquilina, Police Detective Lt. Andrea Munford, Michigan Assistant Attorney General Angela Povilaitis, and the survivors, including Aly Raisman and Rachael Denhollander.
“There were so many,” Judge Aquilina said of the survivors in Glamour‘s December issue. “You could feel the empowerment. You could feel the rage.”
Munford, Raisman, Povilaitis, Denhollander, and other survivors went on stage at the Women of the Year Awards on Sunday night and delivered a moving joint speech.
Raisman stepped up to the microphone first. “I am so inspired by the brave and powerful women on stage with me tonight and I would like to thank them for everything they have done,” she said. “Amazing things happen when women support women.”
PHOTO: Getty Images
Aly Raisman, Rachael Denhollander, Andrea Munford, and Angela Povilaitis at Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards
“We are a group that fought until an abuser was stopped,” she continued. “Stats show that each one of us knows someone suffering from abuse. 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before age 16. Those are just who speak up.”
Raisman continued with a call to cation. “For those of you who are struggling, your story matters and you deserve to be heard […] I know it’s hard, but I encourage you to keep fighting until you find someone who will listen and believe in you.
“Make kindness and empathy your superpower. Trust that the ripple effect will change generations to come,” she said. “Never underestimate the power of doing the right thing. Never underestimate the power of doing the right thing.”
Next, fellow survivor Denhollander spoke. She called attention to the members of the Sister Army who were not present, as well as the survivors of hundreds of other cases beyond Nassar. “Outside of these doors are hundreds of survivors. We need to remember them,” she said. “What happened to you matters. Raising your voice matters. This award is for the survivors out there who are living in silence. Your story matters. Your voice matters.”
Then Police Detective Lt. Munford discussed the need for all points of the justice process to do better by survivors. “It can’t be talked about enough. I want to challenge one of you when someone talks about sexual harassment, instead of thinking about how it could’ve been prevented, be mindful of what they are saying. They are looking for you for help,” she said. “Police need to be better. Prosecutors need to better. But we all need to be better […] and remember that we could be the first person they tell. Our reactions can help or hurt for survivors out there who haven’t felt safe about coming forward.”
Michigan Assistant Attorney General Povilaitis echoed that message. “This award is for all survivors who didn’t come forward because they feared no one would believe and support them. This is for all survivors whose cases were not investigated or prosecuted by police. This is an award for thousands of women who have gone under a rape kit examination just to have the rape kit sit on a shelf and not be tested.”
“I want them to know that we believe them and their stories matter,” she continued. “This award is for courageous Nassar survivors. It is for all survivors who have been marginalized by race, sex, gender class. Survivors like Reesy Taylor and Johanna Hall. Their voices have been silenced. Btu we believe you and will continue to fight for justice.”
Lastly, Judge Aquilina gave her own acceptance speech, talking about the power of the Sister Army’s testimony and how our culture has to change to support survivors of sexual assault. Read it in full, below.
PHOTO: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images
Judge Rosemarie Aquilina at Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards
“I am so incredibly proud of the women here on this stage and every member of the Army of Sister Survivors. This case demonstrates the power of listening, of believing, and the destruction that happens when voices are ignored. This is a story about when things finally went right.
“I have always believed that a judge represents the people. That’s what I do. I listen. I treat people with respect. And the minute I’m told that I can’t give everyone a voice, like I did in this case … like I do in every case, I walk off the bench.
“The culture has to change. We have to change the way that sexual assault survivors are treated in this country. To do that, we have to be honest every day in what we say. So here’s my message to everyone– especially the young girls in this room, and the boys and girls around the world: Get real. Get honest. Tell the truth. Change the dialogue around equality and safety. Don’t say you’re fine when you’re not. Say, ‘You’ve hurt me.’ Say it loudly. Say it until you’re heard. Say it until you’re believed.”
The award was presented by Padma Lakshmi, who came forward with her own account of sexual abuse earlier this year. In her introduction, she highlighted just how important it was these women speak up and be believed. “The Sister Army won this battle not just because they spoke up—many had done that already—but because this time, someone actually listened. And believed,” she said. “Rachael came forward. Andrea listened. Angie believed. More women spoke out. Judge Aquilina listened. The Court believed. Aly and even more women came forward, over 330 in all.”
PHOTO: Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images
Padma Lakshmi at Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards
“Today, because of their bravery and determination, college campuses are changing their ways, and it is about fucking time. Sports organizations are reviewing their procedures, and the US Olympic Committee is looking to revoke USA Gymnastics’ status as the sport’s governing body as it damn well should,” Lakshmi continued. “With the strength of this Army behind us, we all will be believed.”
Find more empowering moments from Glamour‘s 2018 Women of the Year Awards here.
On Wednesday, in a Michigan courtroom, hundreds of survivors of Larry Nassar’s criminal sexual misconduct got some form of justice when Judge Rosemarie Aquilina sentenced the former USA Gymnastics team doctor to up to 175 years in prison. This on top of the 60 years in a federal prison he’d already received for child pornography convictions.
Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman is among the almost 160 women who gave a victim impact statement in the courtroom over the past week. Last night, she posted a message of gratitude to the many people involved in the case. First she thanked her fellow survivors noting that “there are going to be good days and there are going to be tough days but continue to take strength in the impact your courageous voice has had upon each of us, but also for all the other girls, boys, women and men out there who remain in the shadows but maybe now see a pathway to the light.
Raisman, 23, thanked the prosecutors and law enforcement officials for holding Nassar accountable for his actions; the gymnastics community and her fans around the world for all of their messages of support; and of course, her family and friends. She had some special words for Judge Rosemarie Aquilina who emerged as a fierce ally for the victims.
“To Judge Aquilina, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your leadership, your professionalism, your compassion, and your commitment to allow each and EVERY ONE of us survivors the opportunity to share our impact statements in open court was extremely important and meaningful. As I shared in court, I wasn’t planning to speak, but thanks to the army of survivors and you, I am forever grateful that all of our voices are finally heard. Thank you for listening to us all.”
Finally, Raisman reminds us all that this story is not over. In thanking the media for “their efforts to shine a light on the biggest case of sexual abuse in sports history” she says that this is “bigger than Larry Nassar, or Steve Penny, or any of the [USA Gymnastics] board members who resigned this week.” She calls for an independent investigation to uncover “how this disaster happened” in order to make sure this never happens again.
“Today was an important victory but there is still work to be done.”
On Friday, Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman delivered a searing victim impact statement at Larry Nassar’s sentencing hearing that ended with the entire courtroom applauding her powerful words. The gymnast had announced on Monday that she would not be delivering testimony at the hearing, but stated that she changed her mind after watching the impact statements from the other survivors.
“Larry, you do realize now that we, this group of women you so heartlessly abused over such a long period of time, are now a force and you are nothing?” she began. “The tables have turned, Larry, we are here, we have our voices, and we are not going anywhere. And now, Larry? It’s your turn to listen to me.”
Raisman, along with fellow Olympic gymnasts McKayla Maroney and Gabby Douglas and more than 130 other women, have accused the former USA Gymnastics doctor of sexually abusing them. In December, he was sentenced to 60 years in prison for child pornography charges. He also pleaded guilty to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct in November. Part of his plea deal, according to ESPN, ensured that all of his accusers would be able to speak out in court.
“I am here to face you Larry, so you can see I regained my strength, that I’m no longer a victim, I’m a survivor,” Raisman continued. “I am no longer that little girl you met in Australia, where you first began grooming and manipulating.”
Raisman also tore into the six-page letter Nassar sent to the judge earlier this week saying he had concerns about what hearing survivor testimony would do to his mental health. “As for your letter yesterday, you are pathetic to think that anyone would have any sympathy for you,” said the gymnast. “You think this is hard for you? Imagine how all of us feel. Imagine how it feels to be an innocent teenager in a foreign country, hearing a knock on the door, and it’s you.”
In addition to Nassar, Raisman heavily criticized “adult after adult, many in positions of authority” who allowed Nassar’s abuse to go on. She took to task USA Gymnastics, calling out president and CEO Kerry Perry by name. “Talk is cheap,” she said. “…Kerry, I’ve never met you, and I know you weren’t around for most of this. But you accepted the position of president and CEO of USA Gymnastics, and I assume by now you are well aware of the weighty responsibility you have taken on.”
“Unfortunately, you’ve taken on an organization that I feel is rotting from the inside,” Raisman continued.
Raisman concluded her powerful statement with a reference to the #MeToo movement. “My dream is that one day, everyone will know what the words “Me Too” signify,” she said, before the court erupted in applause the judge called “well-deserved.” “But they’ll be educated and able to protect themselves from predators like Larry, so that they will never, ever, ever have to say the words, ‘Me too.'”
On Friday, former Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas took to Twitter to share her thoughts on Aly Raisman’s revelation that she was sexually assaulted by their team doctor, Larry Nassar.
Earlier in the day, Raisman shared a message to Twitter about victim shaming in which she wrote in part, “Just because a woman does a sexy photoshoot or wears a sexy outfit does not give a man the right to shame her or not believe her when she comes forward with sexual abuse.” The gold medalist added, “I encourage you all to wear what you feel good in. I will not put up with any woman or girl being shamed for wanting to wear a skirt, dress, etc. I do not tolerate it. Are we clear. Oh, and one more thing. STOP VICTIM SHAMING. It is because of you that so many survivors live in fear.”
But in a response tweet, which has since deleted, Douglas quoted Raisman’s post and added, “… It is our responsibility as women to dress modestly and be classy. Dressing in a proactive / sexual way entices the wrong crowd.”
Almost immediately, fellow USA Gymnastics teammate Simone Biles jumped to Raisman’s defense on Twitter. “Shocks me that I’m seeing this but it doesn’t surprise me… honestly seeing this brings me to tears bc as your teammate I expected more from you & to support her,” Biles wrote in response to Douglas’ tweet. “I support you Aly & all the other women out there! STAY STRONG.”
Soon after, Douglas tweeted an apology. “I didn’t correctly word my reply and I am deeply sorry for coming off like I don’t stand alongside my teammates,” she wrote. “Regardless of what you wear, abuse under any circumstance is never acceptable. I am WITH you.”
Six-time Olympic medalist and Team USA gymnastics captain Aly Raisman recently came forward with allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar, a former USA Gymnastics team doctor. In a Today Show interview Monday and in a passage from her upcoming memoir, she opened up about the confusion she experienced after the alleged assaults, which she says began at 15—and her struggle to come forward after her realization she’d been abused.
“It wasn’t until I started seeing other doctors and athletic trainers that I began to realize that their methods were far different from Larry’s,” Raisman wrote in her memoir, Fierce, set to be released on Tuesday and excerpted on Monday by People.
She wrote that she would often go in for bodywork with these other trainers and doctors. With them, “towels were draped over my hips and buttocks for privacy and to ensure that there was no inappropriate skin-to-skin contact.” Raisman added that other coaches and trainers “never, ever crossed any lines” when they worked with her.
Raisman continued in her memoir: “There was never a moment when their methods made me uncomfortable. It was different with Larry. I would lie on the table, my hands involuntarily balling themselves into fists as his ungloved hands worked their way under my clothing. ‘Treatment sessions’ with him always made me feel tense and uncomfortable.”
The gymnast wrote that she would simply “grit” her teeth and bear it, thinking she was alone. She’d later learn she was far from the only one.
“Over the years, among the girls who were invited to camps, there was some talk of Larry and his ‘treatment methods.’ Most of us thought the way he touched us was weird. But he did it to so many of us that we assumed, blindly, that he must know something we didn’t,” she wrote.
“I want people to know that I really didn’t know what was happening to me,” Raisman said on the “Today* show” Monday. “He was a doctor and he told me that his treatment would help heal all of my injuries. He was such a master manipulator, and I think that’s what’s important for people to understand is that these monsters are so good at manipulating you so you’re so brainwashed to think—I thought he was so nice.”
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She told People on Monday that she’d struggled to come out with her allegations. “I was just so scared and nervous about what people were going to think. I was a textbook victim, brainwashed to believe I was fine.”
She added on “60 Minutes” that she chose to speak out now because she wants others to learn that “just because someone is nice to you, and just because everyone is saying they are the best person, it does not make it OK for them to ever make you uncomfortable, ever.”
