our story

Girls Lift Girls: Our Origin Story

May 16th 2024
"How about we start a community for women? Get like-minded girls together who love the gym, want to play sports, and just want to be active and strong together?"
"Yes. Love that. How about we call it Girls Lift Girls?"

At its core, it came from something simple: Building Strength in Community.

It started with the two of us, Sofie and Gem, training at CrossFit together. We’d talk between sessions about our shared background in dance and the messages we heard growing up. Even though we come from different cultures, the message was the same: beauty is to be small, take up less space, and don’t get too muscular. Strength didn’t really fit into that version of femininity.

When training together, we’d push each other to add more weight, challenge each other when it was tough and surround ourselves with other strong women that made wanting to be strong the norm. It helped appreciate what our bodies could actually do, rather than the associated aesthetic.

As we kept having these conversations with other women, we realised we weren’t alone. A lot of us had been feeling the same thing and we knew we could build something meaningful out of that. Build a community where we can redefine beauty standards norms, encourage women to become strong and create a community built on this shared value. 

Girls Lift Girls is now a growing community where women support, challenge, and learn from each other. We're here to shift the narrative around beauty and femininity, and to celebrate what our bodies are capable of. It’s about choosing strength in all forms and building it together.

co-founders

  • Co-Founder of Girls Lift Girls

    Gem was always involved with sports and dance growing up. She always felt too big at dance despite wanting to become more athletic to persue her netball career.

    In 2023, after knee surgery, she found CrossFit, a sport that encouraged her to learn new skills, lift heavy and celebrate what her body could do.

    She also met other strong women who inspired her to embrace her own strength.

    Now, Gemma is focused on performance and growth rather than trying to fit an image.

    She appreciates her body for its capabilities and enjoys challenging herself. Her journey is about finding confidence and strength in being exactly who she is.

  • Sofie grew up in a traditional Chinese family where she was expected to be small, graceful, and delicate—a perfect ballet dancer. Then, she discovered rugby, a sport that embraced her strength rather than suppressing it.

    She earned a place at Harvard University and had the freedom to pursue her passion openly. She played for the Harvard team, then earned a spot on Germany’s national squad, breaking every stereotype that had once confined her.

    Even as an international athlete, she faced criticism—“too muscular,” “too strong for a girl.” But Sofie refused to shrink herself. Now, she’s more than just a rugby player—she’s a role model, proving that strength and femininity are not opposites but allies.