She describes herself as an "iron will." With this will, the Jordanian Dana Simbologlu faces a conservative, clan society, sticking to her dream of becoming a world champion in the sport of bodybuilding.
Dana, 25, has been a fan of sports since childhood. Taekwondo, gymnastics, swimming, soccer, handball and ballet dancing, but decided to professionalize bodybuilding, male sports par excellence in Jordan.
"My love and passion for this sport is indescribable," Dana, who has been playing this sport since 2012, told AFP. "It runs in my blood and helps me get rid of all the negative energy in my body and increase my confidence in myself."
She finished high school that year and traveled to Athens to study journalism. "Before entering the university and during my studies in the Greek language, I used to go to a gym near the university. There I saw people practicing bodybuilding, and I was so impressed, so I decided to return to Jordan and study physical education at the University of Jordan in Amman and start practicing this sport," she says.
Despite knowing that she would be subject to many criticisms, Dana did not hesitate to create a page on her "Instagram", to which she publishes her pictures in sportswear, while she exercises and highlights her muscles and pictures while participating in a tournament in the United States. And it has about eight thousand fans on the page.
The white, green-eyed young woman with moderate stature (160 cm) and muscular is training about four hours a day enthusiastically in a large hall in a club in central Amman equipped with the latest equipment on the impact of Western songs and under the eyes of curious youth. It is capable of lifting 120 kilograms of weights.
Her choice to do this type of exercise was not an easy decision.
"A large part of the family was against me. People were telling me: What are you doing? Do you want to be a man?" She says after an exercise and sweat pouring out of her face.
On the street, Dana says she is subjected to "innocent looks" from some "innocent people who bother me and bother me a lot, and sometimes I have to leave the place where I am because of these looks."
One day a girl she knew told her, "If I had been like your body, I would have committed suicide!"
But Dana says today, "My will is iron. This talk no longer affects me. This is a sport like any other sport. I even see that it gives the human body a more beautiful and harmonious form."
Dana believes that her practice of bodybuilding does not eliminate anything from her femininity, adding with the name "I keep on applying makeup like any girl."
- No support -
Besides her hobby, Dana has worked for six years in training young women and women in sports clubs, at home, and even online.
"There are girls who are ashamed to come and train in the halls, and there are women who have children who prefer to train at home, and others who do not want to be trained among people," she explains.
Dana knocked on the doors of the Jordanian Bodybuilding Federation to sponsor her activity, but she did not succeed. There is no place for women in the Federation records. Consequently, her entries in the outdoor championships are individual.
It is also unable to obtain any support from any sponsor or company. She points out that "bodybuilding is one of the most demanding sports" in terms of food, nutritional supplements, clothing, special sports equipment, travel and travel expenses to participate in tournaments.
"The bodybuilding sport is the second sport in terms of popularity in Jordan after football, and there are about 400 bodybuilding centers across the kingdom, but registering women is still very difficult due to traditions and customs," head of the Jordanian Bodybuilding Federation Mamoun Tief told AFP. Jordanian society. "
- "My life dream" -
But all that does not disappoint Dana, who says "my life's dream is to participate" in the biggest professional bodybuilding championships, which is "Miss Olympia" which is held annually in Las Vegas in the United States with the participation of all the world champions.
She has so far participated in two tournaments: the first in an international amateur competition in Canada in 2018, and the second in Las Vegas in 2019. She looks forward to the third in Toronto in Canada next September.
This tournament can qualify you to win what is known as a professional card, after which it is assumed that you will collect a certain number of points to participate in the "Miss Olympia".
This will require daily severe training.
Dana was encouraged by her friends. Her friend, Rawan Saleh, 35, who works for the International Organization for Migration, confirms that she greatly appreciates "Dana's efforts to achieve the goal that she aspires in her life." "This commitment does not exist with many people."
But in contrast, many criticize her, such as Ahmed, 47, a government employee, who says, "I can understand and accept that women go to and exercise in the gym in order to enjoy grace and good health, but to practice bodybuilding this is what he cannot accept and tolerate." Absolutely my mind. "
"There is no sane person who likes to see his wife, sister, or daughter with a muscular leg," he added.
As for Dana's message, it is clear: "The outlook of society must change. The thing that is allowed for young people must also be allowed for young women. Young people have dreams and aspirations, and girls have dreams and aspirations."
"My message to women is: If they have a dream, they must work and fight to achieve it, and arm themselves with sufficient courage and fear," she concluded.