Being an athlete in the public eye — especially a woman athlete — often means contending with people who feel like it's their right to shame you for what you look like or what you don't look like.
Aly Raisman, however, is having none of it.
On Monday, the gymnast posted a photo of herself in a one-piece on Instagram, along with a message speaking out about body confidence and self-consciousness.
"Wear whatever makes you feel happy and confident," she wrote. "Don't EVER let anyone tell you how you should or shouldn't dress. We are all entitled to wear what we want. Females do not have to dress modest to be respected."
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Raisman, who hit back after being body-shamed by a TSA agent at the airport last month, urged her followers to be proud of their bodies, writing, "It's never about the number on the scale it's about the way you feel."
"You are all unique and beautiful in your own way," she continued. "No one is perfect. AND no matter who you are, male or female, we all have those days of insecurity. We are all human. Everyone's story is important. EVERYONE. You never know what someone is going through. Thank you all for continuing to inspire me each and everyday."
The shaming that Raisman has encountered shows just how hypocritical we can be about women's bodies. Not only has she had to deal with people who thought she was "too bulky," she's also had to deal with someone who even refused to acknowledge her muscles.
"I work very hard to be healthy & fit," she tweeted last month. "The fact that a man thinks he [can] judge my arms pisses me off I am so sick of this judgmental generation."
As she said, no one is perfect, and we all have insecurities — but we all deserve to feel comfortable and happy in our bodies.
It's your body. It's your summer. Enjoy them both. Check out more #TakeBackTheBeach here.
Read these stories next: