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In need of a littlebody-positiveinspiration?
Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
Look no further than the myriad American athletes who have graced the national and international stage in recent years.
Here, 17 female athletes who want you to remember just that.
“I’m not asking you to like my body.
I’m just asking you to let me be me.
I have plenty of times.
But as Ive gotten older, Ive learned to appreciate my body,“Raisman saidin aninterview withMottoin April.
“Young girls should be taught that theres no ideal body jot down.
“We don’t want to put them in a box.
We want to take away the box so they can be all they can be.”
You’re told the lighter you are, the better you’ll fight,” Kayla HarrisontoldESPNin April.
“It was liberating for my daughter to see that.
She said, ‘I dont have to apologize to anyone about my body.
My body is beautiful.'”
Douglas added, “When I came through it, I felt as if I could overcome anything.”
Carli Lloyd, Olympic Soccer Player and World Cup Champion
“I love my arms.
But I love my legs as an adult.
I embrace my shape and my body.
Natalie Coughlin, Olympic Swimmer
“I’m self-conscious about my arms.
“But I want to be as successful as I can.
If that means having big arms, I’ll take big arms.”
I’d get hit in my nose and I’d think, ‘This nose is huge!’
But now I think I’m very beautiful,“Shields toldESPNin July 2016.
“If everybody was the same, it’d be a boring-ass world.”
Laurie Hernandez, Olympic Gymnast
“Since kindergarten, I was the shortest kid in class.
Also, I think being short is kind of cute,” HernandeztoldTODAYin September.
“When youre strong?
Its like a totally different kind of confidence.
Youre happy with how your body looks and its performing.”
“I’m proud of my really long legs.
It’s all good.”
