Watch: Plus Size Model’s Inspiring TED Talk

It’s been a while since a TED Talk truly had us standing up strong after watching, but Ashley Graham’s recent speech on body image is a bit of a game changer. Graham is one of the fashion industry’s leading plus size models – although it’s a label she’s not terribly keen on. In her speech she implores her audience and society as a whole to look beyond the plus-size paradigms. In fact, she wants the average woman, who would generally fall under the plus-size umbrella, to discard the term, and embrace ‘my size?.

Makes sense, doesn’t it? Yet, why do we continue to lambast ourselves on a daily basis for not being advertising image perfect?

Graham opens her speech with her greeting herself in the mirror, acknowledging her curves. And praising the deserved hell out of them. Throughout her ‘story?, Ashley reveals how her status as a plus-size model made her initially uncomfortable until she realised “there’s no one perfect body.”

(Here’s Ashley rehearsing for her TED Talk.)

It took her years to realize she was beautiful and to embrace how she looked. Which incidentally is incredibly sexy. Ashley has garnered high-profile campaigns, as well as magazine covers around the world. ?I love every part of me,? she says about her body confidence now. Here’s hoping the rest of us indulge in the same self-love fest after watching her in empowering action.