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Whoever said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder must have forgot that when it comes to a woman’s body, hers is the only opinion that matters. Too bad most people didn’t get the memo.

Be it mainstream media, men in general or sometimes even other women, everyone seems to have a view on the female form that they just have to share. That scrutiny increases tenfold when talking about the bodies of black women. From the inhumane objectification of Saartjie Baartman (better known as Hottentot Venus) during the 19th century to Serena Williams recently being labeled too “masculine” by an opposing tennis coach, it seems as if women of color are constantly being picked apart for simply being in their own skin.

Thankfully, there are countless sisters who refuse to be judged or defined by the opinions of others and own who they are both inside and out. These are the women who prove that there is not one standard of beauty, but several that includes all shapes, sizes and colors. Check out our picks for physically fit and fiercely feminine queens who redefine what it means to be pretty strong.

Looking for more fitness muses? Tune in to Oxygen’s new reality series “Pretty. Strong.,” which premieres tomorrow, October 6th at 10/9c.

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