HOLLYWOOD, CA - MARCH 27: Gymnast McKayla Maroney attends the GBK & Stop Attack Pre Kids Choice Gift Lounge held at The Redbury Hotel on March 27, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for GBK Productions)
The last time we saw McKayla Maroney she looked a little different.
21-year-old Maroney was most notable for her accomplishments in the 2012 Olympic games, wowing fans with her gymnastics skills and breaking the internet with meme-worthy facial expressions.
Since then, Maroney has been flying pretty much under-the-radar, occasionally creating controversies over lip injection rumors and announcing a budding music career.
On May 13, the former gymnast shocked Instagram followers with a pretty racy video of her butt in a thong.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUDTYSQBxPR/
Captioned “another world premiere,” the singer showed off her body in the short video that attracted quite a few commenters.
Some were disgusted, others were proud of her ability to be so carefree.
“That is one beautiful ass,” an Instagram user wrote. “No offense honey, but your face is your best feature,” another replied.
Others were skeptical that the snap was posted knowingly and with her consent and Maroney faced a little bit of worry and backlash with rumors of a hack.
She curtly replied on the photo-sharing app.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUDVo7HhWoV/?taken-by=mckaylamaroney
After a lot of coverage and discussion, she decided to elaborate and respond with a bit more length.
“I’m just doing me,” she wrote.
hey, im just doing me. if u want me to be a role model so bad, get inspired by how i give 0 fcuks and go do u
— mckayla (@McKaylaMaroney) May 14, 2017
not everyone's gona like u, but if u stay true to yourself they might just respect you
— mckayla (@McKaylaMaroney) May 14, 2017
she bad, but her outlook on life badder
— mckayla (@McKaylaMaroney) May 14, 2017
This echoed her previous issues with being a gymnast in the public eye. She told Seventeen.com last year that she felt pressured to be a “cookie-cutter type of person” and “America’s sweetheart.”
In the end, Maroney’s style may night be every user’s taste, which is exactly why an unfollow button exists. If she can go from feeling forced into one stereotypical role to becoming self-confident enough to make her own choices without caring about the opinions of others, it sounds as though the problem isn’t hers.
