Simone Biles is a gymnast who not only won the most medals in the world but also the most gold medals in the history of gymnastics. To many she is the “greatest gymnast ever”. Yet all this public adoration is not without any backlash.
In her Instagram feed, Biles writes that she does get affected by people’s comments on her physique ” I’d be lying if I told you that what people say about my arms, my legs, my body….of how I look like in a dress, leotard, bathing suit or even in casual pants hasn’t gotten me down at times”.
She says ‘’ I don’t know why but others feel as though they can define your own beauty based on their standards… I don’t have to look very far to see how common this judgement had become’’.
But with the steely resolve that has helped her compete in countless competitions and the Olympics, Biles has ‘learned to put on a strong front and let most of it slide’
She joins other athletes in SK-II’s #NoCompetition campaign, aimed at removing the toxic competitive nature surrounding beauty in sport.
Image: Wikipedia commons, Flickr.com
