Last year was a rollercoaster for women across the globe. Kamala Harris’s bid for US president and the arrival of new female leaders empowered women to reach for the stars, but there were other moments that proved the importance of feminism in today’s world.

Social media plays a huge role in shaping young minds, and the influence of negative trends to do with ‘girlhood’ shows that there is a need for strong female role models. Young girls should know it’s OK to eat properly, and should also feel motivated to pursue careers in male-dominated fields.

Say hello to Ilona Maher, a 28-year-old American rugby player and TikTok star, who has captured hearts worldwide. Recently, she gained recognition as the runner-up of the US show Dancing with the Stars, an American dancing competition.

Rugby career

Maher discovered rugby at 17, inspired by her father and motivated by a growing dissatisfaction with softball. She also played field hockey and basketball in high school.

Spotting a local rugby team, she decided to give it a try. “I found I was pretty good at it and it just kind of started to roll from there,” she told Vermont Public.

She played rugby at Norwich University for a year, before transferring to Quinnipiac University and was selected for the US national rugby team before finishing college.

Maher also earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2018 and later received a master’s degree in business administration in 2021.

In 2017, she received the MA Sorensen Award, given to the USA’s top women rugby players. In August 2024, she helped to secure the US team’s first bronze medal in rugby sevens at the Olympic Games. In December, she signed a three-month contract with the UK women’s rugby team Bristol Bears.

Family

Born in Burlington, Vermont to a nurse mom and a dentist dad – a former rugby player – Maher followed in both of their footsteps. She earned a nursing degree and became a world-renowned rugby player.

She has two sisters, and the oldest, Olivia, is actually the content creator who coined the term ‘girl dinner’. Originally intended to describe a casual, charcuterie-style meal, the trend has since been criticised for fuelling misconceptions about women’s eating habits.

While Maher isn’t currently in a relationship, she describes her dream partner as someone who is “very proud of me, who is kind, who understands my humour, who is ready to eat…” Fans have called for her to appear on the next season of The Bachelorette, a US dating game show, and Maher humorously noted, “I would do that for America if that’s what you wanna see.”

Social media impact

With 3.3 million followers on TikTok and 4.6 million on Instagram, Maher popularised the hashtag #BeastBeautyBrains, advocating that women don’t have to be fragile to be beautiful.

Maher herself is the embodiment of the hashtag with all her achievements, from rugby to college degrees. The hashtag has had more than 560 million views on TikTok, and Maher even created merchandise featuring her empowering slogan.

She also uses social media to address critical issues such as body positivity. In one Instagram video, she criticised the BMI (Body Mass Index) system, which classifies her as overweight despite her athleticism and health as an Olympic athlete.

Her efforts haven’t gone unnoticed: she made Forbes’ ‘30 under 30’ Sports list for 2025.

Redefining femininity

Maher’s muscular build has led to derogatory comments labelling her as “manly”. However, she uses these experiences to advocate for women to embrace their strength and defy societal expectations of femininity.

She is known for wearing red lipstick during her rugby games as a statement, to “stick it to the man”, proving that make-up doesn’t detract from her athletic ability. Her participation in Dancing with the Stars showcased another side of her – graceful and feminine.

She has also co-launched a skincare brand, Medalist, which caters specifically to women athletes.

Goals

Maher’s mission is to inspire women, regardless of how they identify – masculine, feminine, or a mix of both – to feel confident in their bodies. “You can be so much more than people put you in the box as,” she stated on chat show Good Morning America.

Through her achievements, Maher challenges outdated societal norms about femininity, health and strength. Whether it’s advocating for body positivity, excelling in a male-dominated sport, or shining with her dance moves, she is redefining what it means to be a woman in today’s world.