Aly Raisman Slams Body-Shamers Who Thought She Was Too Bulky

Unfortunately, many people still consider it unfeminine to be strong, both physically and mentally. Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman would know: When she was growing up, she was bullied for her physical strength. But she hasn't let her body — or her body-shamers — bother her. In an Instagram post last week, she explained why she embraces her muscles. "Shoutout to all the boys from 5th-9th grade who made fun of me for being 'too strong,'" she wrote. "Thanks for forcing me to learn to love myself and my body. My muscular arms that were considered weird and gross when I was younger have made me one of the best gymnasts on the planet. Don't ever let anyone tell you how you should or shouldn't look. There is no such thing as a perfect body type." Due to the stereotype that muscles look unattractive on a woman, many women are dissuaded from weightlifting, even though building muscle doesn't necessarily mean bulking up. But as Raisman points out, your muscles are nothing to be ashamed of, and neither is any other part of your body.