Despite the fact that bodybuilding is frowned upon in Palestinian society for women, some girls and women in the Gaza Strip have taken up the sport recently in an effort to get fit and build broad shoulders and strong muscles, reflecting the strength of their personalities. These women have crossed all kinds of red lines as they chose to practice a sport that society considers a male-only affair.

Many women in Gaza of all ages are doing whatever they can to be beautiful and elegant, and this is reaching in some cases the point of obsession. Some have now joined bodybuilding clubs in the hope that these clubs will become less male-dominated and admit as members the women captivated by the sport.

Shireene el-Aila, 33, was the first female bodybuilding trainer in the Gaza Strip. She told Al-Monitor that she is “strong-willed.” "My choice to practice this kind of sport was not an easy decision because Palestinians frown upon women practicing bodybuilding. My first goal is to erase these negative thoughts from the minds of women and girls, given that this sport is not reserved for men alone and girls can practice it in order to be fit,” she said.

Aila, who has been working as a lawyer for 10 years, said she decided to join a sports club in 2014 after suffering from obesity. She wanted to lose weight and get fit despite realizing that she would be subject to many criticisms, which since she has overcome.