When you think about Aly Raisman, your brain probably goes straight to the floor exercise. You see the power, the "Raisman" double layout, and that focused, almost stoic expression she wore while captaining the "Fierce Five" and the "Final Five." She’s a legend. Six Olympic medals don't just happen by accident. But a few years back, Raisman did something that felt, to many, like a total 180 from her buttoned-up, competitive persona. She posed for the ESPN Body Issue and later for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.
Searching for aly raisman naked pics usually leads people down a rabbit hole of tabloid fluff, but the actual story here is way more interesting than just some photos. It was basically a tactical strike against the people who spent years telling her that her body was "too much."
The reality behind the ESPN Body Issue
In 2015, right in the thick of her comeback for the Rio Olympics, Aly decided to pose for ESPN. Now, if you haven’t seen the Body Issue, the whole vibe is "athletic nakedness." It’s not about being provocative; it’s about showing what a body can actually do.
For Aly, this was a massive deal. Why? Because she spent her entire childhood being bullied for having "manly" arms.
Honestly, it’s wild to think about now. She’s one of the greatest athletes on the planet, and boys in middle school were telling her she looked like she was on steroids. She’s been very open about how those comments made her want to hide. She’d wear long sleeves even when it was roasting outside just to cover up her muscles. Posing for those photos was her way of saying, "Yeah, these arms won gold medals. Deal with it."
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In the shoot, she’s on the balance beam. She’s on the rings. She looks incredibly strong, but also—and this is the part people miss—she looks comfortable. She told XXL Mag at the time that she learned to love her muscles because they were the tools of her trade. "I think imperfection is beauty," she said. It wasn’t about being a model; it was about being a machine.
Why the SI Swimsuit shoot was different
Then came 2017 and 2018. Aly teamed up with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. This was a bit of a different beast. While the ESPN shoot was about the "athlete," the SI shoot was about the "woman" and, eventually, the "survivor."
By 2018, the world knew the truth about the systemic abuse within USA Gymnastics. Aly had become the face of a movement, standing up in court to confront Larry Nassar. When she posed for SI that year, she didn't just wear a swimsuit. In one of the most famous shots, she had words like "SURVIVOR" and "TRUST" written across her skin.
"I felt so confident, so strong, so feminine," she told People. "A couple of years ago I wouldn't have had the confidence to do it."
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It’s easy to be cynical and say it’s just a photoshoot. But for someone whose body had been treated as a tool for the sport or, worse, a site of trauma, reclaiming that body in a public, intentional way was a power move. She wasn't just "aly raisman naked" in a magazine; she was a woman taking back the narrative of her own skin.
Dealing with the "backlash"
Of course, not everyone was cheering. You always get the "why does she have to show her body?" crowd. Some people even tried to suggest that because she posed for these photos, she shouldn't complain about being sexualized or mistreated.
That is, quite frankly, garbage logic.
Aly fired back at those critics pretty quickly. She pointed out the obvious: wearing a swimsuit or posing for an artistic athletic feature doesn't give anyone permission to be a creep or an abuser. She was making a distinction that a lot of people still struggle with—the difference between empowerment and objectification.
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What Raisman is doing in 2026
If you’re looking for where Aly is now, she’s moved way beyond the vault. As of early 2026, she’s fully leaned into her role as an analyst and advocate. You’ve probably seen her on ESPN or ABC during the NCAA gymnastics season. She’s actually really good at it—she brings a level of technical depth that only a two-time captain can really provide.
She’s also been spending a lot of time on the speaking circuit. Whether it’s at the UN for International Women’s Day or at mental health summits, she’s talking about the stuff that actually matters:
- Resilience after trauma.
- Redefining what "perfection" looks like.
- The importance of "Mommy and Me" classes (where she started at age two!).
She isn't just a retired gymnast. She’s a brand. She’s got her own lines of leotards and socks, and she’s constantly pushing the idea that you can be "too strong" and that’s actually your greatest asset.
Actionable takeaways from Aly’s journey
If there's anything to take away from the whole "aly raisman naked" media circus over the years, it’s these three things:
- Reclaim your own story. If people are talking about you anyway, you might as well be the one holding the microphone (or the camera).
- Muscles are a flex. Literally. Don't let anyone tell you that being strong makes you "less" feminine.
- Use your platform. Aly could have just taken the money and run, but she turned every "revealing" moment into a conversation about body positivity and survivor rights.
If you’re interested in the technical side of her career, you should check out her 2012 floor routine from London. It’s still one of the most difficult routines ever performed, and it shows exactly why she’s so proud of the body she fought so hard to love.
Next step for you: You can follow Aly’s current work as an analyst on the SEC Network or pick up her memoir, Fierce, which goes into way more detail about her decision to pose for the Body Issue than any tabloid snippet ever will.