“That’s still handsome”, Graham said on Good Morning America. Graham started modeling when she was 12, but she says at one point, she jumped from size 14 to 18 and was incredibly insecure about the weight gain. “The truth is, times have changed and one size does not fit all”, Swimsuit issue editor MJ Day said in a press release.
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The former UFC women has always been confident with her body as this is her second appearance in Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit special and she’s already done the cover of ESPN the Magazine’s Body Issue in 2012.
Graham, the sultry beacon of body positivity, is the first plus-size model to appear on the cover. For the very first time ever, a plus-size model graced the cover of the most popular sports magazine.
Having that body – a toned, muscular cut that doesn’t conform to the toothpick image of conventional feminine beauty – spurred her into the shoot.
She spoke of her pride in taking part in the 2016 issue, an edition where, in her words, “every woman stands for something”.
Brace yourself for some serious heat – Sports Illustrated has unveiled its swimsuit issue and it has everything. Graham has been enjoying the recent attention (I personally think she looks like Eva Mendes after a few good meals), who posted the cover to her Instagram recently, captioning it with “Truly speechless!!!”
“Ronda Rousey is a cultural phenomenon”, Day said. But including Rousey (an actual athlete) on the cover, body-painting and all, is also noteworthy for a publication that favors models over female athletes it regularly does not cover.
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Hailey Clauson is another cover star with fashion shoots including Dsquared2, Jill Stuart, and Gucci to her name.
