Olivia Dunne Shows Off Gymnastics Flexibility in Latest TikTok

Olivia Dunne attends the 2022 ESPYs at Dolby Theatre.Â
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LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne proved just how flexible she is in a recent TikTok by getting into a backbend position, then threading her right arm behind her left to touch the ground and lying on her side with her left arm supporting her head.
The 20-year-old wore a brown long-sleeve crop top and black flared leggings as she moved to Domâs âConceited.â
A handful of Dunneâs content is gymnastics relatedâfrom team photo shoots to balance beam tricksâbut she also has created a brand for herself by dancing and lip syncing to popular sounds, amassing 6.4 million TikTok followers in the process . Dunneâs seven-figure salary also consists of money she makes from deals and sponsorships from major brands like American Eagle Outfitters and Vuori.
Thanks to the NCAAâs new rules, college athletes like Dunne are able to financially support themselves through posting on social media and signing NIL deals.
In a recent New York Times article, titled "New Endorsements for College Athletes Resurface an Old Concern: Sex Sells," writer Kurt Streeter was criticized by some for taking a seemingly sexist angle in the way he wrote about Dunne.
âTo Dunne, and many other athletes of her generation, being candid and flirty and showing off their bodies in ways that emphasize traditional notions of female beauty on social media are all empowering,â he wrote. âBut the new flood of moneyâand the way many female athletes are attaining itâtroubles some who have fought for equitable treatment in womenâs sports and say that it rewards traditional feminine desirability over athletic excellence.â
People were quick to defend Dunne in the articleâs comment section that has since been closed by the media giant.
âWhen I was a student athlete in a very liberal and âprogressiveâ setting, I felt like I wasnât allowed to be overly feminine for fear of not seeming like a serious athlete,â someone wrote. âGood for these girls who embrace being stereotypically feminine and attractive and excel at their sport.â
âAs long as female collegiate athletes are the ones posting pics of themselves, consent is implicit,â another agreed. âThey are all adults. I say go for it and make the bucks while you canâthere are too few post-collegiate opportunities for these athletes to cash in after their eligibility expires.â
âThe NCAA rules allow college athletes to make money by using their name, image and likeness (NIL). Olivia is just doing that without violating the NCAA rules,â another supporter chimed in. âAt the same time, she maintains her eligibility as a gymnast on Louisiana State womenâs team. What is wrong with that? What is the fuss?â