“My mental health is more important than any relationship”


Jordan Chiles opened on a life lesson he learned from his father at the Essence Festival of Culture in 2025 on the weekend of July quarter in New Orleans. The Olympic medalist twice has been a prominent advocate of mental health and body positivity.

Chiles was recently on the cover of the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition with his gymnast Olivia Dunne, the popular actress and philanthropist of Hollywood Salma Hayek and the Canadian model Lauren Chan. Chiles has been a member of his struggles with body image problems over the years.

Chiles was on the EFOC stage of 2025, where he spoke of sports and culture, and also opened to prioritize. He shared that his father advised her to stay with her, some will be temporary, but some will be for eternity. Chiles said (via Essence):

“I think I realized, through this process, that my mental health is more important than any relationship than any friendship. If I have to step back I will take a step back and it's fine.”

It was the second appearance of Jordan Chiles at the Essence Culture Festival. The gymnast was training at the 2024 Paris Olympics during his last EFOC appearance. The athlete also said:

“I say that not only as a defender of who we are as people, but especially being a woman of color, which I wanted to embrace more to show everyone that we master in spaces that many people do not even understand.”

Chiles concluded with the hope that more people are inspired and encouraged.

“I kept it together outside but inside was breaking” – Jordan Chiles to seek help and promote mental health

Jordan Chiles opened on his struggles and encouraged people to seek help. The 24-year-old American gymnast was associated with “Mental Health Act”, at the moment of mental distress people to seek professional help. In a collaborative publication of Instagram in May 2025, Chiles wrote:

“After all that I have happened, I kept it together outside, but inside, I broke. It was when I realized that I had to be honest with myself about where I was mentally and that I could not push alone …”

Jordan Chiles will return to his last year of college with the UCLA Bruins, making a last shot at the NCAA Championship Trophy.