She’s not a plus-size model; she’s a model. And she’s in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.

Last year, they almost banned her ad from the Super Bowl. This year, her ad will be featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Flashback to the 2014 Super Bowl…

This lingerie ad featuring Ashley Graham was almost banned from airing because it was considered … too risqué.

It looked kinda like this:


She’s gotta go meet Dan! I. Am. Scandalized.*

(*I’m not.)

But whhhyyyyy?

Was it going to be banned because it was *actually risqué* or because it showed a lady who looked like Ashley wearing as much clothing as say … this gal?

Both lovely women with lovely, uncontroversial bodies!

A bajillion ads out there feature women wearing a similar amount of clothing, and they end up plastered in front of our faces. The “risqué” ad wound up airing anyway, but why the controversy?

What else remains?

The model in the almost-banned ad, Ashley Graham! And now she’s gonna be in another ad in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2015!

Here’s what the ad will look like, from Ashley’s Instagram feed.

Secret’s out!! So honored to be the face of #CurvesInBikinis for @swimsuitsforall! Can’t wait for the ad’s debut in the @SI_Swimsuit issue! by @nomadrj by @Vincent_Longo by @sinavelke by @the_line_up @tobias.lewis #beautybeyondsize #sexystateomind #lovetheskinyourein #curvesfordays #ashleygraham
A photo posted by A S H L E Y ✨ G R A H A M ™ (@theashleygraham) on


Sorry not sorry, but both of these ladies are gorgeous. ALL LADIES ARE GORGEOUS!

But frankly, *showing* women of all shapes and presenting their unique beauty is a powerful step in a very right direction.

If you agree, celebrate beauty with me and share this post. Or just bask in the beauty of Sports Illustrated getting real.

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