Julia Gwinn, Bayern Munich midfielder and captain of the German women's national team, has broken her silence to reveal a dark side to her professional experience, where she faces daily online harassment and pressure to compromise her privacy.
In a bold statement, Julia Gwynne opened up about the painful details she experiences daily on social media, confirming that she constantly receives explicit photos from anonymous accounts, describing it as unacceptable harassment.
These statements came during the launch of her new autobiography, "Write Your Own Story," in which she recounts the challenges she faces as a woman in a sports world still saturated with stereotypes about women.
"My Instagram inbox is filled with explicit messages and photos every day, often from anonymous accounts," said Gwen, 25. "I deal with them by reporting and deleting them, but the frequency of them is stressing me out."
Despite having over 638,000 followers on Instagram, Gwen turned down repeated offers from an adult magazine that wanted to add her to its roster of athletes who had previously appeared on its cover in racy poses.
In this context, she commented: "I don't deny that the magazine's photos are aesthetically pleasing, but that doesn't represent me. I don't mind posting a selfie of myself in a swimsuit on my personal account, but using my body for commercial purposes is beyond my control."
Gwen emphasized her commitment to her identity as an athlete first, explaining that she seeks to be recognized for her accomplishments on the field, not off it, and that she wants to chart a career path that respects her abilities without having to market herself based solely on appearance.
Julia Gwinn joined Bayern Munich in 2019 and has since become one of Germany's most prominent women's football stars. She is currently preparing to lead her country's national team in the upcoming European Championship this summer.
It's worth noting that the issue of German female footballers being photographed for an adult magazine is not new. It sparked widespread controversy in 2011 after five players from the German U-20 national team appeared in a special issue aimed at challenging stereotypes. The ramifications of this issue continue to spark debate in sports and media circles.
