There is an immense amount of pressure on people to look a certain way in today’s society. Body shaming and negative comments run rampant on social media platforms and it feels like change is an unreachable goal.
However, social media is also seeing a rise in body positivity focused content; one creator working hard for this purpose is recent bronze medal winner, Olympian Ilona Maher.
Maher, a 28-year-old American rugby player, has unlocked a new sense of fame following the 2024 Olympics. She has become the highest followed rugby player on Instagram and has done partnerships with Maybelline and L’Oréal.
Unfortunately, all this fame does come with negative aspects and Maher has been facing tons of hate for her muscular physique.
“That’s no woman, it’s a man baby,” user @john2220thomas commented on her Instagram. Under another post, @thecookedliver wrote, “Transvestite,” and @english_and_proud added, “built like a brick shithouse.”
In 2022, Maher posted a very vulnerable video to her TikTok page addressing the hate, which just goes to show that it has been happening for quite some time. In fact, the entire act of bullying muscular women has been happening for far too long.
“I’ve been picked on my entire life because of my frame and musculature,” Heather Darling, a current elected official serving as the county surrogate in Morris county, said. “Many of my friends in the bodybuilding world have as well.”
“In my youth I played many sports,” Darling noted in an interview with the Ramapo News. “After graduating from high school and finding myself without the opportunity to participate in sports I got into bodybuilding and became competitive sometime in the early 2000s.”
Darling’s last competition was in 2011 when she was at the national level. She also held several state titles throughout her bodybuilding career. Today, she not only has that under her belt, but also a degree in finance and international business, experience as a lawyer, a stockbroker and in real estate while still running her father’s real estate business.
“I am an active person by nature,” Darling noted. “I’ve always been heavily involved in community service and spend a good deal of time in animal rescue. I also advocate for those who can’t advocate for themselves including dogs, seniors and the special needs community.”
If you haven’t picked up on it yet, Darling is a prime example of female power — just like Maher.
Darling stated, “There are women who participate in various sports including MMA, bodybuilding, strongman competitions and more. Participating in these does not mean that a woman cannot also be feminine, although I think society has that notion.”
She is 100% correct. Maher has recently posed for the cover of Sports Illustrated and the tagline is “Beast. Beauty. Brains.” While this may seem small, this is revolutionary for not only Sports Illustrated, but the body positivity movement as well.
“This is how I picture Wonder Woman,” user @_ljacksss_ wrote under the Instagram post. @thefaithdickey said, “The body I wish I’d seen on this mag as a young girl.” Michaela North, a fitness influencer who goes by @hungryfitness on Instagram, remarked, “My 12 year old self is healed seeing this image of a beautiful muscular woman on the cover of sports illustrated. What an incredible role model for women everywhere.”
Maher is showing the world that femininity is not to be fit into a box. “They think women should be fragile and petite and quiet and meek… but that’s not the case,” she said in the previously mentioned TikTok video. “Women can be strong and they can have broad shoulders and they can take up space and they can be big.”
People like Maher have evidently been around and have experienced this kind of hate for their physique in the past. This Sports Illustrated cover is a big step in the right direction towards changing the way society views women and their bodies.
Having a muscular body does not make a woman any less feminine. It makes them strong, commendable and powerful. All bodies are beautiful bodies and I hope that Maher continues making these ripples in pop culture.
“It’s despicable…” Darling said of the bullying. “Do what you want to do and don’t let the opinions of others dissuade you from the things you enjoy.” We should all take her advice.
ajones11@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @SportsIllustrated, Instagram
