Isabelle Thorpe and Kate Shortman want to end the stigma against muscular women.
Posted on 07/19/2021 9:19:38 PM PDT by Yossarian
Two U.K. Olympians are hoping to spread the message that there is no correct definition of a “feminine body.”
Artistic swimmers Kate Shortman, 19, and Isabelle Thorpe, 20, did a lingerie photoshoot for Bluebella’s #BeStrongBeBeautiful campaign to embrace their muscular bodies and help promote women in sports.
For the underwater photoshoot, the duo showed off their muscles as they held a Union Jack.
“It’s utterly unfair that society’s expectations for boys are to have this perfect image of health by going to the gym, lifting weights, and looking really muscular and strong, and yet for girls, it’s the opposite — you should be stick-thin and with delicate feminine features,” Shortman said in a release.
“It’s unhealthy for young girls to see this and think, ‘I have to restrict what they eat and count calories.’ It’s unhealthy mentally and physically to think that.”
Isabelle Thorpe and Kate Shortman were often criticized because of their muscular bodies.
(SNIP)
The perception of an “ideal body” has also harmed Shortman and Thorpe. Shortman discussed how over their decade of preparation for the Summer Games, they were ridiculed about having “big shoulders, small boobs and small bums” and told to cover up at public swimming pools, even while wearing one-piece bathing suits.
(SNIP)
“We have to change the perception that the strong female form is not ‘feminine.’ “The idea that strength and femininity do not go together is a really damaging perception for keeping women in sport but also more broadly.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Not exactly a brave move but I won’t complain.
Women with perfectly fit bodies, showing them off, in the name of ending judging people by their looks. Shakes head. “Look at me! Look at me!”
Great pic. Swimmers and gymnasts God’s gift to similarly fit men. My first X wife was built just like the one on the right being varsity cheer, parallel bars, and floor routine gymnast. VERY Petite with solid arms,legs, and and glutes to die for. Everyone used to get on to use as we both were hard core athletes at the time “to eat a sandwich” truth was we both took in 3500+ kcals a day. These young women are perfect those who would body shame them are to use a term they would understand “haters”
#6. Thanks for the image. Excuse me while I clean the Rice Krispies and Banana off of my computer screen. The bill is on the way to you.
I prefer full d to g breasts personally
But these are some fine looking women
Protest away
Or thou doth protect not enough
Ok, fine, but they’ll never make the Sports Illustrated swim suit issue.
No one told them to cover up their muscles. Did not happen. Or their small breasts or big shoulders.
I would never shame those bodies.
They’re not wearing lingerie - they’re wearing underwear.
My thoughts exactly. Can’t see anyone body shaming these two, but I’d like a few more inches top and bottom. I’m old school. Actually I’m just old. But I lean towards the the 60’s Italian movie star body type.
I like muscular female legs, personally, so I’m not sure why anyone would consider an Olympian lady non-feminine.*
*Old East German athletes exempted, of course. :-)
A solid “D or DD”, plus some hips to hold onto would be nice.
They might be skinny for some tastes but, yes, these two are perfect.
They look perfectly fine. Healthy, fit women were always a turn on for me.
Let’s hope the male weightlifter competing in the womens category doesn’t join in.
“...to spread the message that there is no correct definition of a “feminine body.”...”
Yep. Some feminine bodies have a penis.
Typical pre-Olympic ‘look-at-me’ publicity stunts. Like the sullen third-place hammer tosser - they’re not going to place at the Olympics, so they have to play these games in order to keep sponsorships, ad money, etc., flowing in.
“Attention whore” is a paying gig in this brave new internet world, after all.
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