And to quote another woman championing the confidence of larger-bodied ladies,Lizzo,it’s about damn time!
Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth inThor:Love And Thunder.Jasin Boland/Marvel
Women have long been discouraged from presenting masculine traits,as if strength and size were reserved only for men. Femininity has been something I’ve always struggled with. I might blame my Mediterranean genes or my passion for food and pumping iron,but my frame has always been far from petite and demure.
As a weightlifter,I am proud of my toned muscles and my functional fitness – which comes in handy whenever I need to move furniture or lift bags of heavy groceries. I feel most empowered,mentally and physically,when I am pumping iron. There’s no greater feeling of accomplishment than in that moment under the barbell,pushing the limits of my physical strength – sometimes more than my body weight.
Lifting a personal record is an indescribable feeling. It’s not about keeping up with the men in the gym,even though that is pretty gratifying – I’m not gunna lie!
But I’ve lost track of the times I’ve been warned against getting “too big”. God forbid I get strong enough to beat a man at an arm wrestle! I could never understand why muscly women cop so much negativity.
When I was single and looking for love on dating apps,my weightlifting photo was often the one that got the most response – but the comments were usually mean. Some men would send me messages just to insult my size or tell me I look like a “bloke”.
I once received a DM that simply read,“you’re digging your grave with that one”. It was so disheartening to realise that society’s perception of beauty and strength were mutually exclusive.
That’s why I’m absolutely living for Portman’s ripped physique as Marvel’s latest female superhero Mighty Thor. Her body transition into a buff badass is proof that being both strong and a lady are characteristics that can indeed co-exist.
She was reportedly asked to get “as big as possible” for the role,which is a stark contrast to Portman’s petite ballerina frame inBlack Swan more than a decade ago. Even more impressive was her achieving the transformation while maintaining a vegan diet. Forget the kilos of chicken and steak usually consumed by gym bros on a quest for gains!
Let’s not forget strongwoman Luisa,the unlikely fan-favourite of Disney’sEncanto,whose merchandise had sold out by the time the movie was released last year.
Could a ripped Portman be a sign of the patriarchy being crushed under Thor’s hammer? On behalf of muscly women everywhere,let’s hope so.