Swimsuit

Ilona Maher Has the Best ‘Gentle But Firm’ Body Positivity Reminder

The SI Swimsuit model and Olympic rugby player is always keeping it real with fans and encouraging self-love in the digital age.

Ananya Panchal

Ilona Maher
Ilona Maher / SI Staff

Ilona Maher is once again using her platform to remind her followers that beauty is not defined by size. The SI Swimsuit cover girl, who posed for Ben Watts in Bellport, N.Y. last September and practically broke the internet with her digital feature, took to Instagram to share an important message about body image, calling out the overwhelming amount of weight loss content and unrealistic beauty standards that flood social media.

The 28-year-old Vermont native, who now resides in San Diego, has long been an outspoken advocate for body confidence, self-love and breaking outdated stereotypes about female athletes. As a powerhouse on the rugby field, Maher has proven that strength and size are assets—not obstacles. An Olympic rugby bronze medalist and current Bristol Bears player in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) league, she continues to redefine what it means to be an elite female athlete.

In a new Instagram video, Maher called out the toxic messaging that floods social media, from weight loss supplement ads to images of already-thin celebrities becoming even thinner. She pointed to the prevalence of before-and-after transformation photos on her For You Page, emphasizing how they imply that the “before” body was somehow less worthy.

“Here I am with another gentle but firm reminder that it is okay to exist in a bigger body,” she stated. “A lot of us are not meant to be small. I’m not meant to be small. This big old frame—I’m supposed to be 200 pounds, which is what I am now.”

Maher’s words are a breath of fresh air in an industry where women, especially athletes, are often scrutinized for their physiques. She urged her followers to push back against harmful beauty standards and redefine self-love on their own terms. “I just think we’re getting this messaging that ‘this is what’s right,’ ‘this is what’s beautiful,’ and it’s just not the case,” she added. “There’s beauty in so many shapes and sizes.”

Last year, she proved that an athlete of her size and caliber can also be incredibly graceful—finishing as the runner-up on Dancing With the Stars Season 33. While her strength and determination helped her improve each week alongside professional partner Alan Bersten, it was her charisma, humor and magnetic social media presence that made her a true fan favorite.

“I really do believe a lot of us are meant to be bigger and our bodies need more to function at its optimum,” she captioned the video shared with her 4.9 million Instagram followers. “I implore you to really think about what your natural state could be.”

“The message? Inspirational. The tone? Perfection. The timing of posting this during Eating Disorder Awareness Week? Show stopping,” Morgan Lorraine Gallo commented.

“Never stop sharing this! You’re the kind of woman I want my daughters to look up to, and what this world needs more of. ❤️❤️❤️,” Amy Williams chimed.

With her confidence and candidness, Maher continues to inspire a generation of women to love their bodies—not for how they look, but for what they can do.

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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. When she is not writing or doom-scrolling on social media, Panchal can be found playing sudoku, rewatching One Tree Hill or trying new restaurants. She's also a coffee and chocolate (separately) enthusiast. Panchal has a bachelor’s in communications and journalism from Boston University.

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