Ilona Maher, the 27-year-old American rugby player, is making waves both on and off the field at the Paris Olympics.
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Not only has she helped lead Team USA to a historic bronze medal in rugby sevens, but she’s also challenging stereotypes about femininity in sports with her signature bold red lipstick.
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“I think the stereotype around a rugby player is this idea that you need to drop your femininity and play a very masculine, brutal sport,” says Maher, as per the Washington Post.
“Myself and my team and some others on the circuit like Australia and Ireland, are showing that femininity. We are doing our makeup before games, wearing makeup, wanting to feel pretty out there.”
Maher’s choice to wear lipstick during matches isn’t just a fashion statement – it’s a deliberate act of defiance. “Sticking it to the man,” as she says.
As Maher explained to CBS Mornings, “It doesn’t take away from your athletic ability if you wear makeup. If you want to put on a full face of makeup to go tackle people, good on you if you’re doing it.”
@cbsmornings “You don’t have to sacrifice your femininity to play any sport,” says Olympic rugby player @Ilona Maher, who wears lipstick on the field. #ilonamaher #rugby #olympics #olympicgames #paris #parisolympics
“I don’t want to be just one thing out there, I feel that I can be a beast and play this very physical, aggressive sport while also keeping my femininity while I do it,” says Maher.
Maher’s lipstick of choice? Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink, a budget-friendly option that sells for US $10 (approximately R180 in South Africa). The pro rugby player swears by its staying power, sharing her beauty secrets with Allure: “It stays up to the point where you’ve got to work to get it off.”
Maher’s impact extends beyond her bold red lip.
She’s become a social media star, amassing millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok. Through these platforms, she promotes body positivity and challenges narrow definitions of what an athlete ‘should’ look like.
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“I think there’s this idea about what female athletes are and this need to be lean and fit. But, no, there’s athletes of all shapes and sizes competing at the Olympics,” Maher shared, as per the Washington Post.
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Plus, according to Glamour, the Olympian’s sister happens to be the inventor of ‘girl dinner’ – a TikTok trend that united women across the globe, in the name of food. A term that finally represented a concept that women, up until then, had not been able to put into words: What do we want for dinner? We want girl dinner.
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As Maher continues tackling barriers and challenging stereotypes, her message is one of empowerment to all women in sport.
“You don’t have to sacrifice your femininity to play any sport, whether it’s softball, field hockey, basketball, rugby. It’s a powerful reminder that athletes can be strong, competitive, and feminine all at once – and sometimes, that statement comes in the form of a bold red lip.”
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Feature Image: Getty
