Strong is the new sexy. Don’t take my word for it. Just take a look around… Crossfit women are a main attraction on major sports networks, Serena Williams (tennis pro) is named 2016 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the year, and Ronda Rousey (UFC Fighter) is set to make her second appearance in SI’s Swimsuit Issue. What do these women have in common? They are all examples of women who are successful, beautiful… and not necessarily the physical ideal of sexiness that mainstream media normally pushes into our heads.
Meet Molly. She is a local Lexington woman who has gone viral by making some social media posts about her body and how she feels about it. I sort of know Molly, but she doesn’t know me. I’ve seen her at the gym (Lexington Athletic Club) and around my neighborhood out for a run with her significant other. She’s hard to miss. She has a very strong physique and a confidence about her that impresses. Molly posted a picture of herself in a bikini on vacation with the caption “This is my body. This is not a before picture. This is not an after picture. This just happens to be what my body looks like on a random Tuesday in December of 2015 — it’s a life picture. This is a body that loves protein and vegetables and queso and ice cream.”
…And the internet went BONKERS. This photo and accompanying quote has made it to ABC News, People magazine, Huffington Post, and even the Today Show. Click here to read an article from the Lexington Herald Leader about Molly. What’s amazing about Molly is that she is in love with her body. She is comfortable with the fact her body changes as she moves through life. And she is happy with that. She loves who she is and her confidence is proof of that.
Is she what the mainstream media would call “sexiest woman alive?” Probably not. But that’s not the point. She is beautiful in a real way, a way that can be appreciated by anyone who has the luck to meet her or take one of her classes. She has a personal training business, Girlsgonestrong.com, which offers strength training packages and an online coaching. Her business works to teach girls to appreciate their bodies as they are, not as most magazine ads say they should be.
But what about the rest of us? Well, don’t be afraid to take charge of who you are and what you want your body to be. I work hard to eat well, exercise, and empower other women around me. It’s not always easy, but nothing worth having is. Will I ever become a supermodel? Umm, no. But knowing that I’m the best version of myself can bring a level of confidence that unleashes my inner superhero!
So congrats on your achievements, Molly! You are something that more women should aspire to be – confident, strong, and happy in your own skin!
RACHEL TUSSEY 