**U.S. Figure Skater Alysa Liu Discusses Body Image, Media Treatment and Feminism**
*August 28 2026 – UN Women*
In an interview published by UN Women on August 28, 2026, American figure skater Alysa Liu—who returned to competitive skating at age 18— spoke about her approach to the sport, the pressures faced by female athletes, and her views on feminism.
Liu described skating as a blend of sport and self‑expression. “I love emphasizing how I feel, and I do that through fashion, through choreography, and through what music I skate to,” she said. “With skating, it feels like I can kind of do all of it in one. I can dance on the ice, and I can pick what I’m wearing.” She added that the sport offers “a ton of little outlets” for personal creativity.
When asked about competition, Liu said she is “not really afraid to fail” and that she relies on a close‑knit support team rather than public opinion for criticism or advice. “I have a really good team and a good group of people around me. For criticism or advice, I go to the people I know. I don’t really turn to the public,” she explained.
**Body positivity and appearance standards**
Liu noted that many girls leave sports because they feel they do not “look right for it.” She recounted personal experiences of being asked to change her hair or remove piercings upon returning to figure skating. “I told them I wouldn’t come back… ‘Y’all won’t be seeing me,’” Liu recalled, adding that the decision was rooted in knowing her own worth. At 18, she said, “I know my worth. It was so freeing.”
She observed a gradual shift in the sport’s aesthetic expectations, pointing to an increase in “girls on the bigger stages who are more muscular than what it used to be.” Nonetheless, Liu highlighted ongoing double standards: “Men in competitions don’t need to wear makeup, don’t need to do their hair. For women, they have to… That can mean female athletes waking up at 4 a.m. just to get ready for practice – time their male counterparts are not expected to spend on their appearance.”
**Friendship versus rivalry**
Liu, along with fellow U.S. skaters Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito, has sought to counteract the media narrative that pits female athletes against each other. “We’re really good friends,” Liu said. The trio deliberately responded to “sketchy” interview questions, posted together on social media, and emphasized a “friendship lens” in coverage. Liu believes that “sport can be more fruitful if you’re friends with your teammates and competitors,” adding that she enjoys “crying watching my friends” during competitions.
**Media representation**
After delivering what she called “the best performance of my life”
Article and image source: mexicostar.com
