Ashley Graham: I'm going to be pulling my pants up all day, and I'm ju...

There's no such thing as being perfect, and that doesn't just mean the perfect body. I talk about my body, my relationship with food, men, and sleeping around to find love, my relationship with my family - trials and tribulations. I want people to know they're not alone. And this isn't just about people younger than 30. I have fans who are 30 or 40 telling me, This is exactly what I needed to hear.

Ashley Graham

sleep men mean

Growing up I didn't have curvy role models, mainly because I didn't see enough curvy women represented in major ads.

Ashley Graham

role-models growing-up roles

For me, I don't do nip or bush. I won't do it. And that's because I talk to numerous young women in high school and I talk to them about owning who they are, and not giving up their sexuality because they have to.

Ashley Graham

sexuality giving-up school

As a model, I'm used to having my body scrutinized, and I have a tough skin so I can shake it off. I know I'm the only person that gets to decide how my body should look.

Ashley Graham

tough-skin skins looks

Who doesn't want to be comfortable all day long?

Ashley Graham

comfortable want long

I think the simpler the better.

Ashley Graham

thinking

I've learned a lot about fashion through modeling, but you know what they say, mother knows best. She used to tell me, "Your shoes, bags and belt better match before you walk out the door." I love her, but I don't necessarily agree with that advice anymore!

Ashley Graham

fashion mother doors

I really hope that the fashion community will not accept anything that does not represent everyone.

Ashley Graham

fashion community doe

Some styles don't look good on bigger women.

Ashley Graham

style bigger looks

I think that the work that's left to be done - and I see the end in sight at this point - is to just let go and stop talking about it. It's definitely 'stop talking about the whole size thing.' I don't go to my girlfriend's house and say, 'Hey, I'm your big friend, let's talk about big things.' It's not a topic of conversation within my friend group - I'm ready for society, Hollywood, the press, magazines, everyone, to just catch up and say, 'These women are just like the women we've been using for so long. Let's just throw them into the mix and stop talking about it.'

Ashley Graham

girlfriend letting-go thinking

For me, wearing lingerie isn't about anyone else but me. If I dressed for others I would be a miserable person.

Ashley Graham

miserable-person lingerie would-be

Christie Brinkley told me that I needed to become a movie star because I have that something, and then we actually just became friends on set. She has such a young spirit, and is so vivacious. It was such a fun, fun shoot.

Ashley Graham

vivacious stars fun

I didn't even think about hiding anything - I honestly went into it [with the idea that] I'm going to show myself off because no one of my size has ever been in this magazine [Sports Illustrated] and I need other women to know that they are just as beautiful.

Ashley Graham

beautiful sports thinking

Some people might only recognize me half naked in my bikini and bra!

Ashley Graham

naked half people

It's just amazing to be a part of something that you so strongly agree with.

Ashley Graham

agree

Everyone wants to be an "expert" on social media and share their opinion behind the keyboard.

Ashley Graham

keyboards media want

Since I first started playing basketball, I have just loved it, and nothing has ever made me lose that love.

Ashley Graham

basketball made firsts

I hear that players tend to burn out of basketball, but I absolutely never had that experience myself. There were many times in my life where I got cut from a team I wanted to make, or didn't get playing time in high school, and even into college. But setbacks always inspired me to work harder, spend more time in the gym, play more, learn more, and watch more basketball.

Ashley Graham

team hard-work basketball

If a plus-size woman is not represented in fashion or on TV, what the hell are we doing?

Ashley Graham

size fashion tvs

I wasn't put on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a plus-size model, I was put on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a model, as a rookie, as Ashley Graham. This is exactly where we're headed, and yes, there are so many more things we need to do in the curve/plus-size industry.

Ashley Graham

curves sports needs

I'm going to be pulling my pants up all day, and I'm just going to have a terrible day. Because if your clothes don't fit, just like bras or anything, it's not a good day.