"Pick a side, fool!" Lee Priest has a sharp swing at a bearded bodybuilder

The bodybuilding community is in an uproar after a competitor in the Women's Physique category appeared on the scene with a beard and moustache, sparking a heated debate about presentation standards in the sport.

The contestant we are writing about is Mariana Guayara. Her recent participation in the competition has sparked mixed reactions. While some support her, others are confused or condemn her appearance and consider it inappropriate for the division.

A prominent figure in bodybuilding, Lee Priest, has been among the most vocal critics. On social media, he has been very harsh about the situation:

"I think I read that it's a woman who wants to live like a man. Well, men don't compete with women and wear bikinis. Pick a side, fool," Priest wrote.

He further elaborated his opinion in a podcast where he questioned her motivation:

"If you're a woman, why are you trying to get a beard and stuff like that? It's just for attention," he said. "Well, you're a woman competing in the female category, so why do you have a beard and a moustache? I don't get it." He added, "I don't know what the goal is, probably just to get attention."

Priest also expressed more general confusion over gender expression:

"I've never understood why with women who don't like men in lesbian relationships, one is always trying to look like a man... Some of these badass women hate men so much, and I'm like, if you hate men so much, why are all your sex toys shaped like men's penises?"

IFBB pro Alyssa Isley also voiced her criticism:

"I agree!! She shouldn't go on stage like that, it's women's physique, you either choose to look like a woman or you choose not to compete in women's physique... it casts a bad light on the sport like that."

Reactions from fans and commentators online were mixed:

"She lives like him, but she's a biological woman, that's why she competes in the women's division," one commenter noted.

Another wrote: "Let the judges decide!!! Their opinions are the only ones that will matter in the end."

Another comment read, "I would think the judges would count her negatively. After all, the presentation is part of the judging, right?"

One of the very critical comments was, "Yeah, spoil it for everyone else. Your sport hangs in the balance. It's already been cancelled once. This will make it even more unpopular. But hey, why think of anyone but yourself. That's the liberal climate that's going around, so I'm sure you haven't even thought about the impact on your fellow competitors. It makes me sick."

Mariana Guayara's case thus opens up a broader discussion about the rules, aesthetics and future of the Women's Physique category within the IFBB professional league. Whether this is an attempt at visibility or authentic self-expression remains up for debate. However, the judges on the competition podiums will have the final say.

Let's see what you, our readers, think of this bizarro - comment below.

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