By Ericka O’Connell, Roosevelt Island Daily
A Black History Month Moment Written in Motion
Neighbors, as the Winter Olympics unfold this February, many of us are marveling at figure skating’s newest phenomenon, Ilia Malinin, known as the “Quad God,” whose gravity-defying jumps and viral backflip have audiences buzzing. But during Black History Month, it feels especially important to pause and look backward as we cheer forward. Because long before backflips were celebrated, one skater used that very move as an act of protest.
Her name is Surya Bonaly, and her story deserves to be told alongside today’s Olympic headlines.
Criticized for Being Too Much
In the 1990s, figure skating was steeped in narrow expectations, especially for women. Skaters were rewarded for appearing delicate, balletic, and traditionally feminine. Surya Bonaly did not fit that mold, and she was never interested in squeezing herself into it.
Bonaly was powerful, muscular, and unapologetically athletic. She skated with explosive jumps and raw intensity. Judges and commentators often criticized her style as “too aggressive” or “not graceful enough.” Her appearance, her strength, and even her hair were scrutinized in ways that her peers rarely faced.
For Bonaly, a Black woman competing in a sport dominated by whiteness and rigid beauty standards, the message was clear. No matter how technically gifted she was, she would always be marked as different.
The Backflip as Protest
At the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, after years of contentious judging and mounting frustration, Bonaly made a decision that would define her legacy.
She performed a backflip landing on one blade, a move explicitly banned in Olympic competition. She knew it would cost her points. She knew it would remove any remaining chance at a medal.
And she did it anyway.
That backflip was not about rebellion for shock value. It was a statement. A declaration that if the sport refused to fully accept her artistry and athleticism, she would leave on her own terms. Bonaly later explained that the move was a response to years of being told she did not skate the “right” way. If she was going to be penalized regardless, she chose to skate for the crowd, not the judges.
In that moment, the ice became a stage for protest.
From Penalized to Praised
Fast forward to today. Backflips are no longer taboo in the same way. Quad jumps are celebrated. Power and athleticism are praised as the future of the sport.
When fans cheer the “Quad God” now, they are witnessing a skating world that has expanded. That expansion did not happen by accident. It happened because athletes like Surya Bonaly challenged the boundaries, absorbed the penalties, and forced the sport to evolve.
Why Her Story Matters Now
During Black History Month, Bonaly’s legacy reminds us that progress often comes at a cost paid by those willing to be misunderstood first. Her protest on the ice was about more than skating. It was about identity, autonomy, and refusing to be diminished.
As we watch today’s skaters soar, let’s remember the woman who flipped expectations upside down so others could land safely.
As the Dust Settles
The way the wind cuts across the river this time of year. The way older buildings hold heat but never quite hold air. I told myself that was why my chest felt tight again on certain mornings. Age, perhaps.
