UF sophomore goes viral for shutting down sexist comment about USA gymnasts

UF sophomore Crystal McDuffy took a stand against a sexist user on Twitter who criticized the muscular physique of the female U.S. Olympic gymnasts.

The user responded to a picture of the Final Five in their bikinis looking absolute #goals with “ya’ll find this attractive? lmaaoo.”

So Crystal snapped back.

Surprisingly enough, women don’t live and breathe to impress men with their physique and are able to have beautiful bodies without the judgement of others on every move they make.

Guys and girls still think it’s okay to take away the confidence of others with cruel comments and judgements about one’s body as if it’s made specifically for them and their reference. After reading some of the comments she received after posting her tweet, Crystal said someone replied by saying, “Everyone takes selfies and bathing suit pictures so people can think they’re hot.”

But Crystal wasn’t going to have any of it.

“No. What if I think I’m hot? Or what if I had a great day and I want a memory and you’re lucky enough to see it?” she said.

It’s crazy that anyone has to explain the reasoning behind a selfie or a picture in a bikini. People feel good about themselves and want to share their happiness with the world, what is so hard to understand? No, they are not trying to impress anyone nor trying to welcome “trolls” who treat them like objects.

If the sexist and malicious users on social media attacking random girls weren’t enough, people had the audacity to objectify Olympic heroes due to their build.

“Women should be appreciated for more than what their bodies look like. It’s funny because the way [the Olympic gymnasts] bodies look is the reason they could accomplish so many things,” Crystal told The Tab.

Sorry not sorry that these amazing women who have been training for practically their entire lives as gymnasts to take home the gold aren’t to your liking. The incredible work these women have done as they represent our country has been completely overshadowed by how they look in a bikini (which, by the way, they look stunning.)

Women in the limelight are judged on appearances time and time again rather than their skills and influence on the world.

“You talk about Gabby Douglas and how people were focusing on how her hair looked during the Olympics rather than focusing on the fact that she was part of a gold medal winning team. People focus on Hillary Clinton’s outfits rather than the fact that she’s running for president,” said the marketing and economics major.

Women in power have to work ten times as hard to be seen as professional and powerful rather than just a target to pinpoint all physical flaws. How is this acceptable? Women are not dainty creatures that were born to sit and look pretty and smile as judgements from all around fill them up to the brim.

“You see cases when women who are not seen as conventionally attractive having a disadvantage, but when women are really attractive, that’s also a disadvantage. It’s a double-edged sword between appeasing beauty standards (but not too much) and knowing that you’re good-looking (but not too good-looking). There’s just this balancing act that women have to walk on eggshells and I don’t think it’s fair,” said Crystal.

The double major received massive support and praise for standing up for the Olympic gymnasts and women in general.

“It was really good to know that I was being portrayed in a positive light because I wanted to make sure I wasn’t seen with having malicious intent,” she said. “It just confirmed that my point was valid – what these girls have done for us as a country and what they’ve brought home in their personal accomplishments means more than their looks.”