How the Olympics Shows the Complexities Of Nationality

Superstar American-born Chinese skier Eileen Gu chose to represent China at the Winter Olympics, seeming to be equally at home in China or America and fluent in both languages. Other American standouts like Nathan Chen, Elana Meyers Taylor, Chloe Kim and Erin Jackson all showed a more diverse portrait of Winter Olympics champion than usual at the notoriously elite and undiverse sporting event. Then there was Kaillie Humphries, the legendary Canadian bobsledder who switched to join the rival US team amidst controversy and won a Gold Medal in Beijing. Aside from their dominant performances, these athletes are also inspiring people to rethink what nationality really means in a time of amplified identity.

There was a time when you were "from" the country where you were born. Immigrants and their children have driven a shift where many people believe they are "from" the place that they grew up. Today, the truth is you can be "from" multiple places at once, and nationality has become an extension of identity. It is about more than your place of birth, what language you speak or where you took your first steps. If there's one thing the Olympics showed us, it's that nationality has become a choice.