In not-so-sports related news, Sports Illustrated has released its February cover featuring plus size model Ashley Graham, and people are buzzing about it. The 28-year-old sports a purple and yellow string bikini in her cover photo and she is owning it. She exudes confidence in the photo and proves to be more than just another swimsuit model, but a woman empowering girls of all shapes and sizes to be comfortable in their own skin and to love their bodies for better or worse. The model is known for putting down body-shamers and taking a stance on positive body image, declaring that the size of your jeans, or your waist, does not define you. Amidst all the praise and excitement, some showed their anger towards the magazine with rather rude and uncalled for comments like ex-SI Swimsuit Model and Cover Girl, Cheryl Tiegs.
Tiegs took to the red carpet at a post-Oscar event to fill E! News in on her views of Graham’s cover. The 68-year-old, three-time Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model is facing some major backlash for her comments claiming that it’s not “healthy” for the brand to be encouraging women of Ashley’s size, size 16. She went on tell E!:
"I don't like that we're talking about full-figured women because it's glamorizing them because your waist should be smaller than 35 (inches) ... That's what Dr. Oz said, and I'm sticking to it. No, I don't think it's healthy. Her face is beautiful. Beautiful. But I don't think it's healthy in the long run.”
Come on, really? For a model who preaches that a healthy weight and an active lifestyle can be achieved at any size, this one’s got to hurt. It’s not like SI is promoting morbid obesity, they’re promoting the health and happiness of women everywhere regardless of your waist size. Tiegs should know better than to ‘fat shame’ a woman who has faced the same, if not more, obstacles as her, as both are models in the swimsuit industry.
Proudly combating the nasty remarks, Ford Models releases a statement claiming that Ashley’s waist is only 29.5 inches, therefore, she is in fact “healthy” if you couldn’t already tell from her countless workout pics and health conscious Insta posts. Take that, Tiegs.
In an effort to do some damage control, Tiegs took to twitter on Feb. 26th to readjust her position on the issue and instead focus on a more … neutral position declaring "To clarify bodyweight. Being anorexic/bulimic/overweight all connected to health problems. I want all to be as healthy as they can." She has since deleted the post but did try and redeem herself one last time via twitter.
While Tiegs took to twitter, Ashley appeared on Ellen looking beautiful as ever and in high spirits despite the haters, or hater, I should say. On the show, Graham agreed with Tiegs saying that she does not support anorexia or obesity either.
Instead, she tells Ellen:
"I think we have to promote women to be healthy at every size as long as they're getting off the couch and moving their body".
I think she wins this one, Cheryl.
Ashley Graham, everyone.
