Hera Gave Me Strength: MAC Cosmetics Ad Featuring Jelena Abbou, Female Bodybuilder

Samantha Escobar at Blisstree has the most succinct summation of why this is cool:

We all know that our society often fat shames people they deem overweight and sometimes body shame those declared too thin, but many men and women consider very muscular women to be “gross” or “unappealing.” I find this strange, since — while I don’t remotely condone it — fat and thin shamers tend to at least cite health as a typical reason for being assholes. When it comes to insulting muscular females, this logic makes no sense; typically, those women work out frequently and eat incredibly well in order to achieve the bodies they have… We’re “allowed” to be strong and toned, but give us some solid definition, and bam — suddenly females are not “feminine” enough anymore.

This MAC ad takes body builder Jelena Abbou and treats her with the glamour they would any other model, even as she gives each and everyone of us a ticket to the gunshow. Striking a powerful pose indeed. Also, relevant Kate Beaton comic.

(via Alb in Wonderland.)

Previously in MAC Cosmetics

• Archie Comics Makeup
• MAC’s Wonder Woman Line

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Susana Polo

Susana Polo thought she'd get her Creative Writing degree from Oberlin, work a crap job, and fake it until she made it into comics. Instead she stumbled into a great job: founding and running this very website (she's Editor at Large now, very fancy). She's spoken at events like Geek Girl Con, New York Comic Con, and Comic Book City Con, wants to get a Batwoman tattoo and write a graphic novel, and one of her canine teeth is in backwards.

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