The Olympics have shocked many ofย us with the amazing feats humans are capable of. However, it’s become increasingly clear that even when shattering records, someone will try to diminish a woman’s achievements. Fox News’ Sports Courtย did it when it said women should look their best (i.e. wear makeup) when accepting their medals. Severalย outlets fueled thisย by tying female athletes’ success to the men in their lives. This sexist behavior is so rampant that it’d be hard to crown the most discriminatory instance of the Olympics thus far.
Even though the internet has clapped back at some of the worst offenses, it continues to happen. And one of the most frustrating moments came when trolls used social media to body-shame Alexa Moreno, a Mexican gymnast. Despite having an impressive vault and makingย tumbles and splits look effortless, people tried to humiliate her because they didn’t think she had a gymnast’s body.
Because the world isn’t an entirely disappointing place, many people defended her. Some quickly reminded her haters that she reached a level of athletic mastery that a very small percentage of the world could ever attain. And others told them they didn’t have a right to talk about her body. The best response, however, came in the form of art. On social media, artists shared their creations to stand in solidarity with Moreno,ย and it’s the perfect dose of body-positive art. Check out a few pieces below: