Rugby Star Ilona Maher Delivers Scathing Response to Body-Shaming Comment
Professional rugby player Ilona Maher is refusing to tolerate unsolicited and harmful commentary about her physique. The 29-year-old athlete publicly confronted a man who suggested she looked “pregnant” in a fitted dress, sharing her powerful response on Instagram and sparking a wave of support online.
Maher detailed the incident, explaining that the commenter deleted his initial message after she responded, but she felt compelled to reiterate her message for her 5.4 million followers. “A guy recently commented on a picture of me and said, ‘You look pregnant in that dress,’” she recounted in a video posted to her account. “And he deleted his comment because I had a great comeback, but I wanted to do it again for you all.”
Wearing a figure-hugging orange dress in the clip, Maher didn’t hesitate to deliver a pointed rebuke. “So to him, I say, ‘That’s just a normal woman’s body. You probably haven’t seen a woman naked in a long time, if ever, and I hope you never get the privilege to again, ‘cause that’s just how we are, OK?’” she stated directly to the camera.
Maher further explained that her body composition is a natural result of her demanding career as a professional athlete. “That’s just what we’re working with. Me, [a] professional athlete,” she said, gesturing to her stomach. “I always have this, OK? I’m sucking it in right now. And I have it, so, please, please, stop commenting the dumbest stuff.” The video, captioned “I think this message is too important not to share again,” has already garnered nearly 800,000 likes.
The post resonated deeply with many women, who flooded the comments section with messages of solidarity. Meg Mansell, a New Zealand radio announcer, wrote, “I’ve always found it incredibly sad that looking pregnant is meant as an insult too 😭😭 I look like I’m creating life? OK doing WAY more than you then.” Others echoed the sentiment, questioning the societal expectation for women to conform to unrealistic body standards. “Where else does he want our organs to go? In our purses?” one commenter asked. Another simply stated, “God forbid we have a uterus.”
Maher’s outspokenness extends beyond this single incident. She has become a prominent role model, advocating for body positivity both on and off the rugby field. She recently graced the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s September 2024 digital issue, a testament to her growing influence and visibility.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated for their August 2024 cover story, Maher discussed how rugby has empowered her to embrace her body. “I was always like, you know, called masculine or whatever,” she shared. “But I never felt that way… I love that [rugby] showed me what I can do. It showed me how capable my body is and it’s not just like a tool to be looked at and objectified.”
Having begun playing rugby at age 17, Maher has built a successful career, challenging conventional notions of femininity and athleticism. Her willingness to confront negativity and champion self-acceptance is inspiring a new generation of women to prioritize strength, capability, and self-love.
https://www.instagram.com/ilonamaher/
Ilona Maher has become a powerful voice for body positivity and female empowerment. (Hugo Pfeiffer/Icon Sport/Getty Images via CNN)
https://www.si.com/swimsuit/2024/05/16/ilona-maher-sports-illustrated-swimsuit-cover
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