Elizabeth Smart’s Journey: From Survivor to Body Building Champion
Finding Liberation Through Strength and Vulnerability
Elizabeth Smart, the child safety advocate who survived a harrowing nine-month abduction as a teenager, has embarked on an unexpected journey that has surprised many of her followers: competitive body building. In a candid conversation with “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King, Smart opened up about how stepping onto a stage in a bikini represented one of the most terrifying yet ultimately liberating experiences of her life. Her story reveals a powerful message about reclaiming one’s body, challenging self-imposed limitations, and breaking free from the constraints of others’ expectations.
Smart’s decision to participate in body building competitions might seem incongruous with her public image as a modest advocate for survivors of sexual violence. She readily acknowledges this contradiction, explaining that she “grew up always just being so modest” and didn’t even wear a bikini until her honeymoon. The thought of standing on stage in competition attire, being judged and scrutinized, filled her with anxiety. “Stepping up on stage in a bikini felt like the most vulnerable thing I could possibly do. I was shaking,” she confessed. Yet despite this overwhelming fear, Smart pushed through, recently placing first in her category at her fourth competition. This achievement represents far more than a athletic trophy—it symbolizes a profound personal transformation and the courage to embrace vulnerability as a path to empowerment.
Redefining Identity Beyond a Single Narrative
For years following her traumatic kidnapping at age 14 from her bedroom in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2002, Smart has been primarily known through the lens of her survival story. After being found nine months later, approximately 18 miles from her home with her abductors, she could have easily remained defined by that singular, horrific experience. Instead, she channeled her trauma into advocacy work, becoming a prominent voice for child safety and survivors of sexual violence. However, Smart now realizes that in her efforts to be taken seriously as an advocate, she may have inadvertently confined herself within a narrow identity.
Speaking about her evolution, Smart expressed feeling “almost liberated to a degree, because I think for so long I wanted to be taken seriously, I wanted whatever I had to say [to] matter, I wanted to feel like I was respected.” This desire for respect and credibility is entirely understandable given her background and the important work she does. Yet she came to recognize that she had been limiting herself, perhaps unconsciously adhering to expectations—both her own and society’s—about how a survivor and advocate should present herself. The body building journey has allowed her to challenge these constraints and embrace a more multifaceted identity.
Embracing Complexity and Multidimensional Self-Expression
Smart’s revelation about her body building pursuits undoubtedly shocked many of her followers who had come to know her primarily in her advocacy role. The juxtaposition of competitive body building—with its emphasis on physical display and aesthetics—and her work addressing sexual violence might seem contradictory to some observers. However, Smart’s experience illustrates an important truth: survivors are whole, complex human beings who cannot and should not be reduced to their trauma or defined solely by their recovery journey.
“I feel liberated because I can be more than just one thing,” Smart explained. “I can be a body builder. I can feel beautiful or sexy, and I can still be an advocate for women and children against sexual violence.” This statement carries profound implications not just for Smart personally, but for all survivors of trauma who may feel pressured to present themselves in certain ways or who fear that embracing their sexuality, beauty, or physical strength might somehow undermine their credibility or the seriousness of their experiences. Smart’s willingness to publicly share this aspect of her life challenges narrow narratives about survivorship and advocates for a more nuanced understanding of healing and identity.
Celebrating the Body’s Resilience and Strength
Beyond the psychological liberation Smart has experienced, her foray into body building represents what she describes as “a celebration” of her physical body. This perspective is particularly poignant given her history. For survivors of sexual violence, relationships with their bodies can be profoundly complicated, marked by feelings of betrayal, disconnection, or even hostility. The body that should have been a source of safety instead became the site of violation and trauma. Reclaiming positive feelings about one’s body after such experiences requires tremendous courage and intentional effort.
Smart’s celebration of her body acknowledges its remarkable journey: “It has carried me through every worst day, every bad experience.” This gratitude extends to her body’s ability to bring three children into the world and to continue supporting her through all of life’s challenges. “It’s still carried me through life, and I’m so grateful to my body for bringing me to where I am today,” she reflected. This attitude of appreciation and recognition transforms body building from mere aesthetic pursuit into something more profound—an act of honoring resilience, acknowledging strength, and making peace with the physical self. Through disciplined training and competition, Smart has found a way to relate to her body not as an object of violation or vulnerability, but as a powerful ally deserving of care, attention, and celebration.
Challenging Societal Expectations and Modesty Culture
Smart’s journey also invites broader reflection on the cultural expectations surrounding modesty, particularly for women who have experienced sexual trauma. There can be an implicit societal pressure for survivors to dress modestly, downplay their sexuality, or avoid drawing attention to their bodies—as if such behaviors might prevent future harm or somehow demonstrate that they’ve learned from their experiences. These expectations, while perhaps well-intentioned, can inadvertently reinforce harmful narratives that place responsibility for sexual violence on victims rather than perpetrators.
By choosing to compete in body building despite her modest upbringing and the potential for judgment, Smart challenges these limiting expectations. She demonstrates that modesty, sexuality, physical display, and advocacy work are not mutually exclusive—they can coexist within one person’s life without contradiction. Her decision to share this part of her journey publicly, knowing it would surprise and perhaps even confuse some followers, shows remarkable courage. It opens up important conversations about bodily autonomy, the right to self-expression, and the many different paths healing can take. Smart’s example suggests that true liberation comes not from adhering to others’ expectations about how survivors should behave, but from making authentic choices that feel empowering and right for oneself, whatever those choices might be.
A Message of Hope and Empowerment
Elizabeth Smart’s body building journey offers inspiration far beyond the fitness community. Her story demonstrates that healing from trauma is not linear, that reclaiming one’s life and body can take unexpected forms, and that we need not be constrained by single narratives or others’ expectations. By embracing this new challenge despite her fear, Smart models how pushing beyond comfort zones can lead to unexpected freedom and self-discovery. Her willingness to be vulnerable—both in sharing her trauma history and now in literally standing on stage to be evaluated—shows that vulnerability, rather than being a weakness, can be a source of tremendous strength.
For other survivors of sexual violence, Smart’s message is particularly powerful: your trauma does not define the totality of who you are or who you can become. You can be an advocate and also embrace your sexuality. You can speak about serious issues and also pursue activities that bring you joy, even if they seem incongruous with your public image. You can feel beautiful, strong, and sexy while also maintaining your credibility and the respect you’ve earned. Smart’s journey reminds us that true empowerment comes from the freedom to be our complete, complex, multifaceted selves—not from conforming to narrow definitions of what survivors, advocates, or women should be. Through her courage and authenticity, Elizabeth Smart continues to advocate not just through her words, but through her lived example of reclaiming joy, strength, and freedom after unimaginable trauma.
