She might be one of the most iconic plus-size models in the world, but even Ashley Graham has struggled with body issues and self-worth throughout her life.
In her new memoir, the 29-year-old has opened up about her relationship with her estranged father, her pattern of abusive and bad relationships with men, and the criticism she’s had to deal with during her career.
Although the Sports Illustrated cover girl is an advocate for body positivity, she still struggles to accept her flaws on a daily basis.
“No matter how many jobs I landed, I always found something to criticise about my appearance,” she writes.
In the memoir, Graham reveals that her father was not a regular presence in the family home, but when he was around he would scream and, at times, hit her. He was also verbally abusive.
“His insults, though, hurt way more than any of his slaps, and my father was a master of the cutting insult,” Graham writes.
“His nickname for me was Duh, because he didn’t think I was very smart.”
Graham was also the victim of a sexual assault and several inappropriate encounters with older men during her childhood. When she was just 10 years old, the son of ‘family friends’ exposed himself to her in the family laundry.