Raven Saunders, who stood out from the rest of the athletes after they were seen in a mask and sunglasses, doesn’t appear to have a wife or a partner.
Saunders identifies themselves as non-binary and prefers they/them pronouns. They also want people to use this pronoun when discussing them.
Saunders, who has been competing for some time now, prefers to keep their personal life low-key.
Their social media sheds little to no light on their personal matters. However, they sometimes post about their mom.
Saunders came out during high school, but they haven’t really opened up about their love life!
While the relationship details of the Olympians remain hidden, they have remained candid about their pronouns and sexuality.
The athlete Raven Saunders first came out to their mom in third grade, and in sixth grade, they were outed to classmates. That happened when a classmate found a notebook of love songs they had remixed about a girl they had a crush on.
Then, in ninth grade, they became comfortable with who they were. While collecting their silver at the Tokyo Olympics, they formed an “X” with their wrists on the podium.
They have been an avid advocate for LGBTQ rights and mental health awareness. The athlete revealed that the gesture represented “the intersection of where all oppressed people meet.”
They stated, “Shout out to all my Black people, shout out to all my LGBTQ community, shout out to everybody dealing with mental health.“
The way their sexuality and gender expression interact with their Blackness and their advocacy for racial justice and mental health support has been a constant presence during their athletic career.
During the 2024 Olympics, their pronouns were highlighted by BBC co-commentator Jazmin Sawyers during the coverage of the shot-put prelims.
They have also continued to use their platform to encourage those facing oppression, particularly Black women and Black gender non-conforming people.
They have also talked about their experience growing up. Raven Saunders grew up as a Black LGBTQ woman in Mississippi, the most old school of old-school place one can find in America, and revealed that it was hard going through a phase of finding oneself and trying to learn in a place where one didn’t fully feel accepted.
Saunders has created a platform for people like them and inspired many. Hopefully, the athlete will reveal their wife or relationship details in the coming days.
Additional Information
- Raven Saunders was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on May 15, 1996, and grew up with their sister, Tanzania. Unfortunately, their mom passed away in August 2024, days after they won their first Olympic medal.
- Raven wears masks and shades while competing because the mask boosts concentration and self-motivation. Also, it is the part of embracing the ‘Hulk’ alter ego.
- They were featured in the first episode of Out of the Dark. They did a piece with them that was pretty open about their personal journey regarding mental health.
