People are once again talking about Jelena Dokic’s body, and she has hit back in a powerful post on social media.
The former world number 4 tennis legend has faced online trolls in the past, commenting and shaming her body, especially throughout her career as a tennis commentator.
Recently, Dokic lost 20 kilograms, attracting even more commentary on her body. In a post on Instagram, she called out those making these remarks.
“It’s not good if you gain weight and it’s not good if you lose weight. It’s not good if you are a size 0,10 or 18 it seems,” Dokic wrote in the post.
Dokic, author of best-selling books Unbreakable and Fearless, has always been “open and honest” about her struggles with her physical and mental health, which is why she decided to address her weight loss on her social platform.
“So, I have lost 20 kilos from my heaviest weight last year,” Dokic said.
“I had some health issues but also I just wanted to get healthier and fitter and when I turned 40 last year I really started to think about my family history of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems.
“Also, my work has increased dramatically and I needed to be fitter both physically and mentally and have more energy.”
In changing her diet to increase her mental energy, Dokic said “the weight started coming off”, and since then, people have “jumped on the judgement and shame train for my weight loss”.
“(People) said that I have succumbed to the ‘diet culture’ and don’t represent the plus size people anymore,” she said. “Please don’t even go there.”
“Getting healthier and doing what is best for me has nothing to do with it and I have always and always will stand up for both size 0 or size 20 people and especially women.”
Dokic said that although she has lost 20 kilos, “it changes nothing”.
“I still want people to value me and others based on whether we are kind and good people,” Dokic said.
“I will always be proud of myself and not hide or be embarrassed no matter what size I am. And I will always be against body shaming and against valuing people based on their size and weight no matter if I gain or lose some kilos and dress sizes.
“Always against body shaming no matter what.”
Dokic has been in the public eye since she was a teenager. At the age of 16, in 1999, the Australian tennis star reached the quarter finals at Wimbledon.
Dokic retired from tennis in 2014 and, three years later, published her first book, Unbreakable. In her autobiography, she accused her father, who was also her tennis coach at the time, of physical and mental abuse that significantly impacted her as a young woman and young player.
Since then, Dokic has been outspoken about body image, mental health, bullying and discrimination.
In an interview with Guardian earlier this year, Dokic said writing her first book was a turning point in her life, where she found her other passions in life.
“I only really discovered that through the journey of writing,” Dokic told Guardian.
“That’s why I’ll say it every single day for the rest of my life: Unbreakable changed my life, and it saved my life. It gave me a voice, I was free.”