For men, the building of muscle is a sign of attractiveness and athleticism. ‘Gym Bros' are applauded for their commitment to fitness while brospehina's, or women who frequent the gym, simply are not. Why? It's complicated.

According to a NYU study called “The Female/Athlete Paradox: Managing Traditional Views of Masculinity and Femininity,” when women gain muscle mass from athletics, they fear that others perceive them as fat, which can lead to unhealthy dieting, disordered eating or excessive exercise. 

Related: The 6 Best Foods for Muscle Recovery

The association between size and gender has a deep effect on female athletes. Of female collegiate athletes, 54.4% are dissatisfied with their weight and of those dissatisfied, almost 90% believe they are overweight. Additionally, on average female collegiate athletes want to lose an average of 13.6 pounds. In particular, studies show that over 40% of women who compete in aesthetic or weight-class sports, such as gymnastics or wrestling, exhibit signs of an eating disorder due to intense pressure to maintain low body weights in these sports.

Lea Mitchell, a Michigan State University gymnast, described her struggle with weight gain. 

“Freshman year, my body changed a lot,” Mitchell said. “I actually gained 15 pounds. I didn't know if it was because of what I was eating or from weight training. I was definitely insecure, especially as a female. You don't want to gain weight, so I was very insecure about the way that my body looked, and I was so focused on trying to lose weight because I didn't like the way that I felt or the way that I looked.”

The inability to accept muscular women is rooted in beauty standards. Women are supposed to be fit but not overly muscular, slim and curvy. The contrast between  the “so-called” ideal woman (the Kim Kardashian body type) with the standard woman (between a size 14 and 16) denies our individuality and hurts everyone. 

Through acceptance, support, and the redefinition of beauty, the narrative is slowly changing. Every decade, female beauty standards have evolved. As there is greater awareness and acceptance of different body types, hopefully, cultural ideas of beauty will change for the better.  

Back in East Lansing, Mitchell, with the help of her teammates, is learning how to embrace her appearance.

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* Originally published on April 12, 2022, by Chloe Singer