Ashley Graham basically shook the Internet earlier this week when she posted a nude pregnancy photo showing off the changes her body's currently going through—and people are definitely here for it.
In a series of Instagram Stories on Graham's account, she highlighted tons of women across Instagram—28 at the moment, to be exact—who are paying homage to Graham's body positivity by posting their own nude (or nearly nude) photos.
Just in case you need a quick refresher (or, you know, just want to see the loveliness that is Graham again), her OG post on Sunday was a super-artsy shot of her naked body from the side, sitting down, with her hand covering her breast. "Same same but a little different," read the caption—an obvious nod to her body growing another human inside of it.
To be clear, not all of the women recreating Graham's photo are pregnant, nor do they need to be. Women all over Instagram are celebrating their bodies—stretch marks and all; pregnant or not pregnant; larger-bodied and smaller-bodied—and opening up about their insecurities and journeys to body positivity and acceptance.
The first woman Graham shared, with the Instagram handle @Curly_stoner, is shown in a similar position to Graham. She shared the details of her difficult pregnancy, writing, "Only the Lord and my Husband really know how hard this pregnancy is for me… from having Placenta Previa [when the placenta wholly or partially blocks the opening of the uterus], always being out of breath, restricted from going to the gym, mentally going through some things, and my body and mood changing completely." Through it all, she said, she thanks her husband for being so supportive.
In the next post, Graham shared a photo from Instagram user @paradisefitnesswithcarly, who said that she's not celebrating a pregnancy, but rather a changing body due to eating disorder recovery. "For me, weight gain, stretch marks, cellulite, rolls, & dimples are all signs of strength, survival, & recovery," she wrote, urging others who are going through similar situations to celebrate those changes as a sign of being alive.
Graham gave a shout-out to women of all sizes, and also included @tayvfitness_ in her roundup, who said that even fitness influencers deal with stretch marks and changing bodies. "I can guarantee you that all your favourite fitness influencers probably all have stretch marks whether they show you or not," she wrote, adding that a changing body is a natural part of going to the gym and getting stronger.
Still another fan, @emmaersang, shared a photo of herself in her Calvins. "Excuse me while I love the shit out of myself and my stretchmarked covered body," she wrote, adding the hashtag "#loveyourlines."
Clearly Graham's photo struck a chord with lots of women, and with good reason. Props to Graham for sharing her photo to begin with—and to all of the other women who were inspired to do the same.
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