Ilona Maher Slams Kate Moss's Toxic Diet Culture Quote
When she featured in Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue earlier this year, the 28-year-old rugby player — who won bronze with the US at the 2024 Olympics — quickly made it known that her journey to self-love wasn't necessarily an easy one. 'Thank you to @si_swimsuit for once again letting me showcase my strong, powerful body and for making me feel so beautiful,' she wrote on Instagram. 'For young Ilona wearing a bikini was once unthinkable but now I'd actually prefer to be prancing around in one. Stay sexy, folks.'
And after walking in a swimsuit at the Miami Swim Show last month, Ilona had the perfect response when asked if it was 'tough.' She said, 'I love it. I love showing my body. I love showing what this body has done for me…I think other girls seeing that, and feeling like, 'Oh my gosh, I look like her, I have the frame of her' not only has helped me and made me feel more confident, I think it helps others.'
The athlete won praise from fans who found her comment super refreshing, especially following years of toxic diet culture. And more recently, Ilona directly addressed said diet culture in a candid TikTok, during which she perfectly discredited Kate Moss's regrettably infamous quote from the '00s: 'Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.'
'Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels… Uh, y'all tried being strong?' Ilona said as she flexed her muscles. 'I feel good, I feel well fed. I feel ready to take on anybody.'
'You guys gotta try this shit, it is a different level,' she said. 'I love it.'
Ilona then added, 'Also, have you guys tasted tiramisu? Because… my God.'
Reacting to the TikTok, several Reddit users praised Ilona for her refreshing take. 'What a queen. I am so grateful to have a role model like her, wish my high school self could've seen this. It makes me want to cry, it would have flipped a switch in my brain,' one person said.
Love to see it.
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