To understand why German-Chinese athlete Sofie Fella felt compelled to design a T-shirt featuring the Chinese character da<\/em> \u2013 Mandarin for \u201cbig\u201d \u2013 one must understand the rigid expectations of Asian femininity.<\/p>\n In cities like Shanghai, Fella\u2019s hometown, the \u201cideal\u201d body is more than an aesthetic \u2013 it is a signifier of virtue. This mindset is encouraged from a young age.<\/p>\n Even as a Harvard University rugby player and now international competitor \u2013 she plays for the German national team \u2013 Fella has not been spared the scrutiny that follows Asian women throughout their lives.<\/p>\n Though now celebrated for her strength on the field, Fella started her athletic journey in a ballet studio, one that provided a brutal introduction to body scrutiny.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a scale in our classroom, and you had to weigh yourself in front of other people,\u201d she says. \u201cThe messaging was clear: small is beautiful. Don\u2019t be too muscular; that\u2019s manly. I was always bigger than the petite Chinese dancers, and I was taught to shrink.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Fella](\"https:\/\/img.i-scmp.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto\/sites\/default\/files\/d8\/images\/canvas\/2026\/04\/14\/d7214d99-9367-4fa1-9987-554ca13f1b51_e0019a54.jpg\" "\\"Fella")
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