Mexican Olympic gymnastAlexa Moreno, weighing a mere 99 pounds, can’t even escape the wrath of Internet trolls who called her “gorda” (“fat”).
After competingin the uneven bars, beam and vault and floor exercise routines, trollsscurried to their keyboards to body-shame the 22-year-old athlete.
Comparing her to a cartoon pig, one Twitter user wrote:”Gymnast Mexican Alexa Moreno, the pig, was already eliminated in her second jump.”
La gimnasta mexicana Alexa Moreno en su segundo salto. Ya fue eliminada la muy pig. pic.twitter.com/fIbmbqzOAJ
— El Patriota (@DonZambucas) August 8, 2016
Another tweeter wrote what basically translates to, “Alexa Moreno lose some weight already FATSO”.
Alexa Moreno Ya baja de peso GORDA
— Blanca Gimenez®™ (@Sandra90_G3) August 8, 2016
Moreno is one of the few women to represent her country in the Olympics. She finished 31st in the women’s individual all-around, theNew York Daily Newsreported. Not all of Twitter lives under bridges. Some netizens came to Moreno’s defense.
“I’d love to see anyone body-shaming Alexa Moreno do that badass floor routine she pulled off. She’s a tremendous athlete and cute as can be,” one Twitter user wrote.
I’d love to see anyone body-shaming Alexa Moreno do that badass floor routine she pulled off. She’s a tremendous athlete and cute as can be.
— Calli (@CalliFugate) August 9, 2016
Another responded:”#AlexaMoreno body shamers-really? Can you sprint 82 ft & propel your body head over heals? She’s amazing & inspiration to young Mexicans.”
#AlexaMoreno body shamers-really? Can you sprint 82 ft & propel your body head over heals? She’s amazing & inspiration to young Mexicans.
— Carrie S. (@swampmonster) August 10, 2016
Dove México came to the Olympian’s defense writing: “Thank you for your strength, talent and dedication. Thank you for being you. We are proud. #AlexaMoreno”
Gracias por tu esfuerzo, talento y dedicación. Gracias por ser tú. Nos sentimos orgullosos. #AlexaMoreno
— Dove México (@Dove_Mex) August 8, 2016
Another Twitter user slammed the trolls writing: “All those people body shaming Alexa Moreno and Robel Kiros Habte at the #Olympics must have qualified for their sports, too. No? Thought so.”
All those people body shaming Alexa Moreno and Robel Kiros Habte at the #Olympics must have qualified for their sports, too. No? Thought so.
— John C. Ronquillo (@johnron) August 10, 2016
Another Twitter user fought fire with fire writing,”Exclusive image of tweeters who complain and say Alexa Moreno is too fat to do gymnastics” with a photo of an obese person.
Imagen exclusiva de los tuiteros que se quejan y le dicen a Alexa Moreno que está muy gorda para hacer gimnasia. pic.twitter.com/hcyDdkIcll
— Christian C (@eldiabloese) August 9, 2016
Another post said: “I love Alexa Moreno because in elementary and high school I was bullied like that, If only I were as fat as she is. Let’s go Alexa, bb”
Quiero mucho a Alexa Moreno porque en la primaria y en la secundaria me bulleaban igual. Solo que yo sí era gorda.
Vamos Alexa bb ?— LA VDD (@AvraCadavre) August 10, 2016
If@aLexa_M0 is the correct Twitter account for the Olympian, she has not responded on social media; instead, she let retweets speak for themselves.
They said I was too bulky & too short. Nothing felt better than proving them wrong. #MyBeautyMySay #DovePartner pic.twitter.com/V4L0KIUe2t
— Shawn Johnson East (@ShawnJohnson) July 26, 2016
Importa mucho más lo que tú piensas de ti mismo que lo que los otros opinen de ti.
— Libro Poético (@LibrosPoetico) August 9, 2016
The latter translates to “It matters more what you think of yourself than what others think of you.”
