Remember 2020? When we were all stuck at home and turned to online entertainment to pass the time? TikTok was the app of the year, downloaded 850 million times that year. That’s when Ilona Maher jumped on the trend and made a major splash. She started posting TikTok videos during the Tokyo Olympics to connect with other athletes since COVID protocols kept them all apart. So she grabbed her phone and began creating some seriously hilarious content.

Fast forward to her second round at the Paris Olympics, and Maher’s now sitting at a cool 2.4 million TikTok followers, using her platform to shine a light on women’s rugby. But wait, there’s more! With a whopping 3.9 million followers, she’s now the most-followed rugby player on Instagram. And at this year’s Paris Olympics, Ilona Maher showed she’s much more than just a social media influencer. Team USA snagged the bronze medal, and fans were amazed by her style of play. Despite all the love, though, she’s faced some unfair criticism for her body.

But guess what? Ilona Maher doesn’t let the trolls bring her down. Now, she’s joining the new Dancing with the Stars season, ready to use the stage to promote body positivity. She’s all about helping young women embrace their bodies and push back against unrealistic standards. “I’m this very big, muscular woman, but I also feel so beautiful and feminine,” she told PEOPLE magazine.

“I mean, you know, I grew up not very comfortable, but I want to now make it easier for young girls to love your body.” Ilona Maher has long been an advocate for body positivity. After Paris, she modeled for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, which was her making a statement.

She said to Sports Illustrated, “I was always like, you know, called masculine or whatever.” Maher then went on to explain that she never felt that way herself. She added that people probably wouldn’t try to bully someone who could beat them up if pushed to a rage. Rugby, she said, taught her what she was capable of and showed her that her body wasn’t just something to be looked at or objectified.

And let’s not forget how she combats the haters with her witty comebacks. During the Paris Olympics, when someone commented, “I bet she has a 30% BMI,” she clapped back, “It’s 29.3%. I am considered overweight. But alas, I’m going to the Olympics, and you’re not.” Oof, talk about a mic drop! In 2024, Sports Illustrated’s editor-in-chief, MJ Day, spoke about Maher’s presence in the magazine and called Ilona Maher a “revolutionary athlete” and a “feminist trailblazer.” And the rugby community agrees!

Rugby Club president praises the revolutionary Ilona Maher!

The Chattanooga Women’s Rugby Club president, Megan Ambrose, has heavily praised Ilona Maher for her work in promoting body positivity. According to her, she has changed the way spectators perceive female athletes. She said, “I think the greatest thing that Ilona Maher’s done for women and rugby as a sport is just shown how approachable and beautiful it can be. Her big message around body positivity and around how any body is beautiful… anybody can play rugby is something that’s always been a core aspect of this sport.”

The impact of Ilona Maher’s influence has been evident in the Tennessee-based club itself, as they have seen a higher number of applications after the Paris Olympics. Talking to the Associated Press, Ilona Maher has acknowledged the people’s perception of Rugby being a masculine sport and how athletes have to drop their femininity. But now things are changing. “Myself and my team and some others on the circuit, like Australia and Ireland, are showing that femininity…But that doesn’t take away from how amazing we tackle and hit and run.”

According to her, this age-old stereotype needs to be dropped. Maher is putting in the work to change people’s common misconceptions about the sport, which has already inspired many female athletes. Hopefully, with her new platform on Dancing with the Stars, she can expand her impact to an even larger audience.