"We were raised with a naked mom" - Ilona Maher's sister Olivia makes confession about their mother's body positivity

Ilona Maher is one of the most well-known figures in women's rugby globally. Recently, the American and her siblings reflected on their upbringing, during which her sister Olivia opened up about growing up with a ‘naked mom.’

Maher first gained popularity outside of the rugby world in 2021, when she began sharing glimpses of an athlete's life at the Olympic village. In 2024, her fame skyrocketed when she led Team USA to bronze at the Paris Olympics and she has since enjoyed a large following on social media.

Outside of rugby, Ilona Maher often shares behind-the-scenes looks into her everyday life with her followers. Most recently, the American and her sisters discussed their childhood in an episode of their podcast ‘House of Maher’. Reflecting on their mother's body-positive approach during their childhood, Olivia said (at 29:17),

“We were raised with a naked mom. She was naked around us, like she would get changed in front of us (and) we would see what a woman's body looks like in all of its forms - having been pregnant, then giving birth and moles and stretch marks. To us that was so beautiful. We got to experience what a woman's body is, and now, being in a woman's body, I love and appreciate it because I saw it in all of its forms.”

Olivia went on to add that they were lucky to have grown up with a mother who didn't comment on their bodies in any way, saying,

“So I think we're very lucky to have been raised with a mom who even if maybe she wasn't feeling as body positive all the time, she didn't ever put that on us. She just existed. She never talked about our bodies in any type of way, she never talked about her body in any type of way, and I think that sticks with you.”

Over the years, Ilona Maher has used her own platform to advocate for body positivity, encouraging fans to embrace themselves.

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Ilona Maher enjoys a fun night out with her sister Olivia

Maher at the Harlequins v Bristol Bears - Premiership Women's Rugby match (Image Source: Getty)

Ilona Maher recently enjoyed a fun girls night out with her sister. Taking to her Instagram, Olivia Maher shared several glimpses of their outing, including a snap of the two sisters getting ready, enjoying some wine and snacks, and attending a dance show.

Olivia captioned the post,

“GNO.”

On the rugby end of things, Ilona Maher recently completed her stint playing for the Bristol Bears in the Premiership Women's Rugby League.

The Olympic medalist now has her targets set on qualifying for Team USA in order to compete at the World Cup scheduled later this year.