The celebration of bodies—specifically of women’s bodies—in the Olympics, has not necessarily been progressive or benign.

Throughout this year’s Olympic Games, we have seen media coverage—from short plugs to robust interactives—that claims to celebrate “diverse bodies.” Many of these pieces, sometimes unwittingly, put aesthetics first in a competition that is primarily about performance. And even if the aesthetics in question aren’t themselves normative—brawny woman swimmers, round shot-putters, top-heavy weightlifters—journalists and commentators often uphold the status quo in the way they celebrate them.

In the essay “Seeing What My Muscles Can Do,” New York Times Magazine contributing writer Elizabeth Weil discusses her difficulties in accepting the way her body packs on muscle. Ultimately, she is encouraged by the brawn of Olympic ...