Although Ashley Graham has proved time and time again that beauty is beyond size (hello, have you seen her Vogue U.S. cover?!) the size sexy model still deals with body-shamers.
Among those shamers? Her ex-boyfriends.
In a new interview with People magazine, the 29-year-old gets candid about being dumped because of her weight.
"Nothing’s actually surprised me. I’ve lived exactly what they’re living. I’ve lived the torment of the names. I’ve lived the torment of boyfriends breaking up with me because they were afraid I was going to be too fat later in life,” the Sports Illustrated model said.
"It’s the same cycle, it doesn’t matter what generation we are in. Every kid is going to go through the same thing."
Like any woman, Graham has her days of doubts where she too criticizes her body when she looks in the mirror. But positive affirmations help her love the skin she's in.
"I wake up sometimes and I think 'I’m the fattest woman alive.' But it’s really about how you handle it when you wake up," she says. "I look in the mirror and I have my affirmations. And mine are simple. [I say] 'You are bold. You are brilliant and you are beautiful.'"
"Then if my lower pooch is really puffing out that day, I say 'Lower pooch you are cute.' And we have a moment. And if the hips are really popping I say 'I love you too hips.'"
Another something-something Ashley loves about her body? Her cellulite. The model proudly says she is not ashamed of her few lumps and bumps, and she hopes that can make others feel confident with their bodies, too.
"Having more role models, more women who are like 'Yeah, I have cellulite. Yeah, it’s even on my arms, not just my legs. My butt is a really bizarre shape but you know what, whatever, I’m just going to go rock it,' I think if we had more role models like that that, that were really just speaking their truth about their body and the skin that they’re in then maybe young America would be different," she told People.
And there it is: Ashley says we need more role models. More role models to help young girls find body love. Lets make it happen.
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