Brisbane Broncos player Julia Robinson is experiencing online abuse for the second time in a matter of weeks, with trolls criticising her appearance.
The NRLW star has copped online abuse from trolls who body shamed her after she was photographed on the red carpet at the Dally M Awards last week. She told NCA Newswire it really hurt to receive comments about her body and it was disappointing that strong women were continuing to be body shamed.
It comes just weeks after she was trolled for a photo that was shared on the Broncos’ Facebook page, showing her at training wearing a singlet. Multiple people commented that she was too muscular, and compared her physique to a man’s.
At the time, Robinson responded to the trolling on her own Instagram, highlighting some of the comments and calling out the abuse. She said she loved her muscles because they represent the hard work she puts into her sport.
“I never usually read social media comments or let them affect me,” Robinson wrote.
“However, I just wanted to say that no one should be ashamed or self-conscious to have muscles,” she wrote.
“It shows dedication and hard work. I love my muscles.”
Robinson also reposted the photo, along with the hashtag #showyamuslces.
Body shaming and online abuse continue to be a significant issue for female athletes. Last year, a study from World Athletics found that female athletes were the target of 87 per cent of all online abuse during the Tokyo Olympics. It also found that 65 per cent of all abusive posts during the Olympics warranted intervention from social media platforms.