Why We Shouldn’t Praise Sports Illustrated for Its First Plus-Size Model [Video]

In case you hadn’t heard, the latest Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition features its first-ever plus-size model, 27-year-old Ashley Graham.

And while that is certainly a step in the right direction for the magazine, it doesn’t exactly deserve all the praise it's getting.

It seems that while Graham is featured in an amazing black bikini, she is not exactly an Sports Illustrated model.

In fact, the only reason she is in the magazine is because she’s featured in a paid advertisement for the plus-size swimwear company, Swimsuits for All. That’s right, if the company didn’t shell out the money for the ad, do you think Sports Illustarted would have actually put someone other than a stick figure model in their pages?

Yeah, we think not.

Backpedaling, SI on Saturday began touting the fact that Robin Lawley, displayed wearing a swimsuit she designed in the regular part of the magazine, is a plus size model. Sure, She's a size 12. Meanwhile, the average American woman is a size 14.

Is it that hard to have a variety of women featured? Do you think American men are that shallow they couldn't appreciate many different body types?

Still, Graham should be proud to be featured alongside skinny babes like, Hannah Davis, who is on the cover.

“I know my curves are sexy and I want everyone else to know that theirs are too. There is no reason to hide and every reason to flaunt," Graham said in a statement. "The world is ready for more curves in bikinis."

As for when SI will be ready to actually hire a plus-size model for its swimsuit shoot, Graham seems optimistic.

“I’m sure I’ll be in the actual magazine (someday),” Graham told The New York Daily News. “It’s just great that I’m in the magazine at all. Sports Illustrated has put their seal of approval (on me) just by putting the ad in.”

Oh, how brave of them. In the meantime, enjoy Ashley.