Today, plus-size models like Hunter McGrady shine on fashion shows and runways, showcasing beauty and diversity. Despite this, there are still negative comments from haters about curvy women. Hunter has shared how she deals with these hurtful remarks by focusing on self-love, support from her family, and using her platform to spread positivity.

Hunter McGrady is an American model and body positivity advocate renowned for her work in the fashion industry. Her breakthrough moment came in 2017. She was selected through an open casting call to appear in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, making her debut as one of the magazine’s curviest models ever. This achievement marked a significant step in her career and highlighted her commitment to challenging conventional beauty standards.

McGrady’s influence extends beyond modeling. She is a vocal advocate for mental health, self-love, and body diversity. Through interviews, social media, and public appearances, she encourages people to embrace their bodies and reject unrealistic societal expectations.

McGrady’s career began as a model at the age of 15, during which she faced significant pressure to maintain a size two, leading to personal struggles with body image and self-acceptance. In a recent interview, she remembered that once she grasped the fact that being a slim fit wasn’t going to be her journey, she let herself live and be happy. Over time, she transitioned to plus-size modeling, finding her niche and voice in promoting body positivity and inclusivity within the fashion world.

Recalling her weigh gaining journey, she shared, “When I first started modeling (right) I weighed in at 113 lbs. I got rejected by many agencies because I needed to lose about 3 inches off my waist and hips. It was physically impossible for me to let my body get any thinner than it was, I was already eating very little. I see so many girls who look up to an unrealistic expectation of what women should look like, I was one of those girls! I get it! I came to a realization that my body was just not built to be that thin.

I see SO many women, and YOUNG GIRLS, who are tearing their body apart to fit in. Girls, it’s OK to have hips, boobs, and an ass! Why are we SO adamant on changing the way we look to be accepted! One of my favorite quotes is ‘If tomorrow, women woke up and decided they really liked their bodies, just think how many industries would go out of business.’ And it’s so true. Not accepting ourselves as we are is setting us back so many years. Work what God gave you. He created you, you are PERFECT to Him!”

Being a well-known plus-size model, Hunter advocates for body positivity. She gained prominence for her work with brands like Sports Illustrated and has been a vocal supporter of diversity in fashion. First time Hunter became a mom in 2021 and now, being a mom of two, she often shares her journey of motherhood on social media, highlighting the joys and challenges of balancing her career and family life. She uses her platform to promote self-love and inclusivity, inspiring many with her candid and empowering approach.

The Los Angeles native admitted that the road to acceptance was long, but therapy played a crucial role in her journey to self-love. She emphasized the importance of appreciating what our bodies can do rather than focusing on societal pressures to look a certain way.

“I think what Sports Illustrated is doing — celebrating all bodies — is so powerful. They’re doing the work. Especially right now when we’re entering this weird era, celebrating thinness,” McGrady noted.

Nevertheless, people continue to make hurtful comments. Like one person once said to McGrady, “Yikes… Problem here is no work goes into that… Other models bust there ass to at least stay fit and she just shows up as is and gets false praise in the spirit of body positivity.”

Most people show support to Hunter’s position and willingness to show her real body openly:

• Plenty of work goes into accepting yourself and showing up as you are despite haters and a unrealistic body standard fueled society telling women who don’t fit into their ideas of ideals telling them constantly they don’t belong in certain places, jobs, outfits, etc. Screw the person making negative comments and keep showing up and loving yourself! © imnotthatkindofdietitian / Instagram

“No matter what you do, you’re going to get hate,” McGrady shrugged. “But you’re also going to get love. Negative comments or anybody who shames someone about their body? That’s so boring. Get something better to talk about.”

McGrady stresses that self-love is the foundation of true confidence and resilience. Despite setbacks and challenges, the continuous effort to nurture self-love is crucial. Without it, external achievements and changes hold little significance.

“Confidence is not linear. It’s a climb,” she mentioned.

It’s wonderful when body positive models share real-life moments. For example, Karina Irby shows her true shape in her posts, and Iskra Lawrence responds firmly to online trolls. Their honesty helps promote body positivity and supports others in embracing their own bodies.