Body shaming in women’s sports? Sadly, it’s nothing new. Some brush it off, and others struggle, but let’s be real: the damage runs deep. We are talking crushed confidence, mental and physical tolls, and even performance setbacks. But then there’s Ilona Maher. The Olympic bronze medalist and absolute rugby powerhouse isn’t here for the nonsense. In a strong display, she used her platform to shut down stereotypes.

With 4.9 million Instagram followers, Ilona didn’t let anyone get the better of her. A Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model and self-love champion, Maher is the reminder we all need—beauty isn’t about size; it’s about owning who you are. Ilona Maher dealt with body shaming before the Paris Olympics, and guess what? It’s coming back around because, of course, the internet never quits.

These days, every time she opens social media, it’s the same story: ads pushing weight loss, celebrities getting even thinner, and those “before and after” posts that scream, “Hey, you weren’t good enough before!”

As she put it, “Nowadays, I’m hit with an ad, or I see a thin celebrity even thinner, or I get before-and-afters where the before is a gorgeous, gorgeous girl and the after is also a gorgeous girl, but it almost makes it seem like the before wasn’t worthy.” But Maher isn’t about to let that slide. She’s got something to say—a little reality check for everyone.

Ilona Maher took to Instagram to share a powerful message about body acceptance, challenging the relentless pressure to shrink ourselves to fit unrealistic beauty standards. “Here I am, with another reminder that it is okay to exist in a bigger body,” she wrote. “A lot of us are not meant to be small. I’m not meant to be small. This big old frame? I’m supposed to be 200 pounds, which is what I am now.”

Maher highlighted the constant stream of weight-loss content and transformation posts that imply that thinner is always better, pushing back with a simple truth: beauty exists in all shapes and sizes. The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover star made waves with her stunning shoot by Ben Watts in Bellport, NY, last September. She used her platform to call out the overwhelming flood of diet culture on social media.

From misleading before-and-afters to celebrities praised for getting even thinner, Maher pointed out how these messages subtly reinforce the idea that being bigger is inherently wrong. “I just don’t see this stopping,” she admitted. “I think it’s gonna be constant.” Instead of buying into the noise, she encouraged her followers to take a deeper look at what health and self-care truly mean on a personal level.

At 28, the Vermont native now based in San Diego has built a reputation as a fierce advocate for body confidence and breaking outdated stereotypes about female athletes. As an Olympic bronze medalist and a current Bristol Bears player in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) league, she continues to redefine what it means to be an elite athlete.

That is one who doesn’t conform to narrow beauty ideals but instead embraces power, performance, and self-love. And let’s be real: Ilona Maher doesn’t just talk about confidence; she backs it up. When a fan tried to come for her body, Ilona didn’t just respond—she ate that comment alive, with no leftovers.

Ilona Maher is strong as an ox and sharp as a tack

Fresh off helping Team USA snag its first-ever Olympic bronze in Rugby 7s with a 14-12 win over Australia, Maher had some business to handle online. When a critic tried to throw shade with, “I bet that person has a 30 percent BMI,” Ilona Maher didn’t flinch. Instead, she hit back: “I think you were trying to roast me, but that actually is a fact—29.3 to be exact.”

Then she went full professor mode, explaining why BMI is an outdated metric that says nothing about strength, fitness, or, you know, being an Olympic athlete. And just to make sure the hater got the message, she added, “But alas, I’m going to the Olympics, and you’re not.” Before the Games even kicked off, Maher used her platform to spread a bigger message: “All body types are worthy. From the smallest gymnast to the tallest volleyball player, from a rugby player to a shot-putter to a sprinter.” But she didn’t stop there only!

Last year, Maher danced her way on Dancing With the Stars Season 33, finishing as the runner-up with pro partner Alan Bersten. While her strength helped, it was her humor and social media magic that made her a fan favorite. Off the dance floor, she keeps inspiring, telling her Instagram followers, “I really do believe a lot of us are meant to be bigger, and our bodies need more to function at their optimum.”

Fans went wild, with one calling her message “show-stopping.”. Some others said, “You’re the kind of woman I want my daughters to look up to.” With confidence and candor, Maher isn’t just part of the body positivity movement—she’s leading it.