Ashley Graham opened up about the importance of representation in your youth and adulthood.
During a Thursday appearance on the Today show, Ashley chatted about her new HGTV series, Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge, and introduced the world to the Barbie doll Mattel designed in her likeness.
Ashley gushed over her doll which mimicked some of her physical features, revealing, "She’s got thick thighs. She’s got a round butt. She has lower belly fat."
The only feature Mattel was unable to add that Ashley asked for was cellulite, but Ashley couldn't be more proud of her mini-me. She went on to reflect on the impact a doll like this would've had on her as a young girl.
“If I would have had a Barbie that looked like my body shape growing up, I think my mind would have not been as traumatized,” the model revealed.
“And I wouldn’t have looked at myself in the mirror and thought, ‘Why do I have this and she has that?’"
Although her self-confidence has grown throughout the years, Ashley attributed motherhood for the new appreciation she has for her ever-changing body.
“Having kids, my body has been all around," she began. "It’s been this, it’s been that, and then back again. I’ve just been able to say thank you to my body because I’ve done so much.
"I’ve got stretch marks everywhere and that’s okay because my body is my body, and I have embraced it. I want little girls to know that.”
What a beautiful message! And it's great to see the toy industry diversify their reach with dolls of various skin tones, representation of physical disabilities, and more.
To learn more about Ashley Graham, watch her full Today interview below:
View this video on YouTube
And be sure to check out Barbie when it hits theaters on July 21.