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“Stop Telling Female Athletes They Look Like Men”: Three-Time US Champion Slams Critics for Shaming Women in Track and Field

Published 04/09/2023, 11:30 AM EDT

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22-year-old track and field athlete, Anna Hall is an all-rounder athlete. In 2019, she won her first gold medal at the Pan American U20 Championships. The three-time U.S. national champion won the NCAA outdoor title in the heptathlon in 2022. Despite her good-going athletic career, Hall frequently receives hate for her muscular body. Recently, the 22-year-old called out her trollers in a video on social media.

A few hours ago, Hall talked to her TikTok followers about her experience receiving derogatory comments on her athletic physique. Along with sharing about herself, she also talked on behalf of all female athletes who get trolled daily for their strength and achievements.

Anna Hall asked people to stop with negative comments

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In the latest video shared by Anna Hall on TikTok, the athlete raised the issue of netizens comparing her physique to men. Hence, she started the video by mentioning, “Stop telling female athletes they look like men.” Hall wept while expressing that she is tired of reading hurtful interpretations of the hard work that she puts in daily in her performance.

Furthermore, she talked on behalf of all female athletes who go through the same level of trolling, “Female athletes go through enough of their own body image issues like not wanting to get muscular or needing to get muscular, too big, too small.” Hall explained women themselves face overwhelming body image pressure. Being athletes, they have to build on several aspects of their bodies to gain strength and prowess for winning titles and creating records, which is not an easy task.

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Later in the video, Hall revisited the time when she participated in the NCAA high jump in 2021 and got injured. She recalled that she received many hate comments like, “Girls have legs like that? She looks like a dude. I can’t tell what gender she is.” She expressed that netizens need to avoid commenting in this prejudiced manner.

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A post shared by Anna Hall (@annaa.hall)

Hall aspires to work harder and win more Olympic medals and build records for which she has to look stronger. To do so, she is struggling to eat enough proteins and maintain her muscle mass. Amidst her struggle with her body, she cannot bear the trolling she receives online. Hence, she explained, at last, “I don’t want your comment to add to that.”

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Anna Hall is not the only one to talk about her body image issues. World’s greatest gymnast, Simone Biles also once recalled her experience when she was in school.

Simone Biles was uncomfortable showing her muscles

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Four-time Olympic gold medalist, Simone Biles has achieved massive success as an athlete. Although she was strong and muscular since her childhood, she was not comfortable with her body.

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During an interview last year, the gymnast explained that back in school, Biles was stronger than the girls and boys in her school, which made her conscious of her body. Moreover, looking different from the other kids, Biles felt inferior. However, growing up, she realized the importance of her bulky muscles which won her four Olympic gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Eventually, she learned to feel positive about her body image and learned to not be bothered by the same.

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Watch This Story:  We Will Kick Them Out’- Tennis Boss Issues Fierce Warning to Violent Spectators Ahead of the Start of 2023 Australian Open

Most female athletes face online trolling for their manly physique. But athletes would like the world to comprehend, that muscles are necessary to perform and win championships for both women and men.

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Written by:

Muskan Sharma

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Muskan Sharma is a sports writer at EssentiallySports, specializing in Martial Arts, NHL, and other American sports. She is a degree holder in Journalism and Mass Communications. Muskan has been able to bring her unique set of skills and sensitivity while covering news stories.
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Edited by:

Anupama Ghosh