Ashley Graham is someone who knows all too well about internet trolls. The model - often referred to as one of the faces of the body-positivity movement - is now an internationally recognised model, with her having over seven million followers on Instagram. However, despite the impact she has made on encouraging women to embrace their "flaws," Graham still receives a fair amount of criticism online.
While for most people, Graham seems to be living a life we can only dream of, it hasn't always been this way. Speaking about her first experiences of modelling, Graham admits that she was made to feel self-conscious by others around her.
"When I was 17 or 18 years old,” she says, “I was doing a group shot for this really big campaign, and one girl, who was probably a size 2 or 4, said to me, ‘Did you actually get paid for this job?’ I remember thinking, She’s asking me that because I’m fat.” Now 30, Graham admits still runs into that model. “She’s always friendly and nice,” says Graham. “I think she forgot she said it. But it’s one of those things I’ll never forget.”
It was this attitude that caused Graham to nearly quit the modelling industry. However, after a call from her mom, in which she told her that "you’re there for a reason. Your body is there to change the lives of people,” she decided to press on with her plans to change the modelling industry and has succeeded in her mission.
Graham became the first "plus-size" model to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated and has firmly put curvy women back in the forefront of the fashion and modelling world. Speaking about the historic photo shoot, Graham said that she believed the triumph “wasn’t just for curvy girls. It was for every woman. Most of us have not been told, ‘If you have cellulite and your thighs rub together, who cares?’”
Now a heroine for many women around the world, Graham uses her Instagram to promote her message of acceptance and self-love. Whether it's posting photos of her cellulite or unedited bikini shots, Ashley's brand is all about being real and honest with her fans.
However, as with all celebrities, Ashley also has her haters and one popped up the other day to claim that she looked like she was pregnant.
On Tuesday, the body activist and model uploaded this video of herself dancing around in a bikini while on vacation:
Unsurprisingly - given that it's the internet - some idiot popped up to criticise Ashley in the most patronising way possible.
An Instagram user commented on the video and said, "Good Morning...Ashley!!!!$ Looking good.... Baby Bump!.... :)))))"
For context, Ashley is not pregnant and issued to perfect response, saying: "That's just called fat."
It's not the first time Ashley has hit back against trolls who incessantly stalk her profile and comment on her every move. Last year, she also criticised those who mock her for exercising.
"EVERY TIME after I post a workout video I get comments like 'you'll never be skinny, so stop trying,' 'don't work out too hard, you'll get skinny,' 'you need your fat to be a model,' and 'why would you want to lose what made you famous?'" she wrote on Instagram.
"For the record — I work out to: stay healthy, feel good, get rid of jet lag, clear my head, show big girls we can move like the rest of 'em, stay flexible and strong, have more energy. I don't work out to lose weight or my curves, because I love the skin I'm in."
Basically, don't mess with Ashley Graham.
