Ashley Graham doesn't just post photos. She starts fires. Every time a new set of Ashley Graham naked shots hits the grid or a magazine spread, the internet basically has a collective meltdown. Some people cheer. Others—the trolls who live for the "block" button—clutch their pearls. But here’s the thing: Graham isn't just being "edgy." She’s systematically dismantling the idea that a body has to be airbrushed into oblivion to be considered art.
She's been at this for a long time.
The Photoshoot That Changed the Script
Back in 2017, when V Magazine released those black-and-white nudes shot by Steven Klein, it felt like a shift in the tectonic plates of fashion. Before that, "plus-size" (a term Graham famously hates) models were usually draped in oversized fabric or shot from the neck up. Klein didn't do that. He shot her like a classic 90s supermodel. Raw. High-contrast. Totally exposed.
It wasn't just about the skin. It was about the refusal to hide the texture. In a world of Facetune and AI-generated "perfection," seeing Graham’s unedited silhouette was—honestly—kind of a shock to the system.
Why the Postpartum Posts Matter More Than the Glossies
While the high-fashion spreads are cool, her Instagram is where the real work happens. You’ve probably seen the shot. The one where she’s standing in front of a mirror, clutching her stomach with both hands, showing the world exactly what a body looks like after carrying twins. No caption. Just the image.
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It got over half a million likes in a day.
Why? Because it’s relatable. Most of us don't look like a Victoria's Secret runway (though she actually walked that too in 2024, proving the "norms" are finally breaking). Seeing a woman who is arguably one of the most beautiful people on the planet show her stretch marks—her "tiger stripes," as she calls them—gives everyone else permission to stop sucking it in.
- The "Tiger Stripes": She’s been posting her stretch marks since her first pregnancy in 2019.
- The Recovery Reality: Remember the mirror selfie in disposable postpartum underwear? It went viral because no one else in Hollywood was talking about the "messy" side of healing.
- Tandem Breastfeeding: She’s posted naked or semi-nude photos while nursing both her twins, Malachi and Roman, specifically to destigmatize the act.
The Backlash Nobody Talks About
It isn't all praise and heart emojis. Graham gets a staggering amount of hate. When she posts a workout video, people tell her she's "betraying" the curvy community by trying to lose weight. When she posts a nude photo, the "anti-woke" crowd claims she's "promoting obesity."
It’s a weird, exhausting tightrope.
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"I hate that I constantly have to discuss my body," she told the Wall Street Journal. "I don't know any man that has to do that." She’s right. We don't ask male actors to explain their "dad bods" or their gym routines with the same level of scrutiny. For Graham, being naked on camera is a form of protest. It's a way to reclaim a narrative that for decades was controlled by male photographers and editors who decided which bodies were "correct."
The Power of the "Unfiltered" Look
In 2025, she took things a step further. During the CFDA Fashion Awards, she posted a behind-the-scenes shot that was basically a "how-to" on the magic of boob tape. It wasn't "glamorous" in the traditional sense. It was practical. It showed the sweat, the tape, and the effort it takes to look like a "goddess" on the red carpet.
That’s her superpower. She pulls back the curtain.
A lot of celebrities claim to be "authentic," but Graham actually puts the receipts out there. Whether it’s her 2015 TED Talk (which has millions of views) or her book A New Model, she’s been consistent: your worth isn't tied to your waist size.
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What We Can Actually Learn From It
So, what’s the takeaway here? Is it just about looking at a pretty woman? Not really. It’s about the psychology of representation. When you see someone like Ashley Graham—who is a millionaire, a TV host, and a global icon—refusing to hide her "imperfections," it changes your internal monologue.
How to Apply the Graham Mindset:
- Audit Your Feed: If the people you follow make you feel like trash about your body, hit unfollow. Graham’s community is built on #BeautyBeyondSize for a reason.
- Normalize the "Normal": Bodies change. They bloat. They stretch. They age. Graham’s photos are a reminder that those changes aren't "flaws"—they're just evidence of a life lived.
- Question the Edit: Next time you see a "perfect" celebrity photo, remember the boob tape and the lighting rigs. It’s all a construction.
Graham’s legacy won't just be that she was a "curvy model." It’ll be that she was one of the first people to use her naked body as a tool for actual, cultural change. She didn't just ask for a seat at the table; she brought her own chair and invited everyone else to sit down too.
Move toward a more neutral self-view. Start by noticing when you're being your own harshest critic. If you wouldn't say it to a friend, don't say it to the person in the mirror. Use Graham's "mirror talk" technique: look at the parts of yourself you usually hate and call them out by name. Acknowledge them. Eventually, you might even like them.