Rugby player Ilona Maher is using her platform to promote body positivity and challenge societal norms. In a recent TikTok video, the 27-year-old Olympic athlete shared a close-up of her cellulite during a rugby game, emphasizing that having cellulite is normal and does not detract from one’s athletic ability or fitness.

Maher, who played on the 2020 U.S. Olympic team, stated, “I’m a literal Olympian. I’m a professional athlete. I run all day long. I lift weights all day long, constantly. And that is what my legs still look like.” She encourages viewers to embrace their bodies and understand that cellulite is a natural part of the body.

This isn’t the first time Maher has addressed body positivity on social media. In a previous TikTok video in 2022, she celebrated her body as a professional athlete, emphasizing that there is no one ideal body type for female athletes. Maher encourages her followers to appreciate and love their bodies for what they can do.

As an athlete with a significant social media following, Maher has been using her platform to share her experiences with body shaming and inspire confidence in girls and women. She aims to be a role model for those who may not conform to traditional expectations of femininity, particularly young girls who may not have had someone like her to look up to when she was growing up.

Maher’s advocacy for body positivity is grounded in the belief that every body is beautiful, and she wants to challenge stereotypes and promote self-acceptance, especially for those who may feel pressured to conform to societal ideals.