Plus-size model Ashley Graham took to her Instagram account to defend herself against hateful comments regarding her size.
“Someone once told me my thighs were ‘cellulite city’,” Graham wrote. “But I now realize these thighs tell a story of victory and courage. I will not let others dictate what they think my body should look like for their own comfort, and neither should you. #beautybeyondsize #effyourbeautystandards”
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Graham isn’t ready to let the matter drop, either. In early August, Graham wrote a post for Lenny entitled “Shamed If I Do, Shamed If I Don’t,” where she addressed society’s obsession with her weight.
“Yes, I am a curvy woman,” Graham wrote in the essay. “My industry labels me a “plus size” model, and society has labeled me a “plus size” woman. But I am not just here for the size 8s (where plus-size modeling starts) or the size 14s (my current size) or the size 18s (my former size). I am here for all women who don’t feel comfortable in their skin, who need a reminder that their unique bodies are beautiful.”
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As well as being criticized for being “overweight” and “too curvy,” Graham maintains that she has been shamed over social media for being too skinny and losing some of her previous weight. Instead of support, she says she has received comments such as, “fake fat person,” and “don’t you dare get skinny on us.”
“When they look at me, they see themselves, and maybe that’s why seeing me eat a cheeseburger makes some people feel good about eating whatever they want,” Graham wrote. “However, I refuse to let others dictate how I live my life and what my body should look like for their own comfort. And neither should you.”
Graham isn’t interested in everyone’s opinion of her body, and while she’s cool with being a body-positive role model, she wants people to get the facts straight: Women are more than their bodies, and their worth shouldn’t be defined by their weight.
