Obviously, breast cancer is very much out there but cervical cancer isn't talked about as much because there's a bit more of a stigma around it. Certainly that's something I want to make sure that young girls know.
After so many years of being rejected and having my body scrutinized... for Aerie to come along and basically say, 'We accept you. We don't care about your size.' To see those pictures on a Times Square billboard, and they were completely unretouched, I just was like, 'Wow. I finally feel good enough!'
I think everyone who shares a piece of themselves and is open and honest - I think that helps us all.
Everyone has to realize that body-shaming can happen at any size.
The focus for me is always about health. That's why I talk about self-care rather than size or anything like that, because that's something we can all do that's relatable - this discussion of being healthy form the inside-out.
Invest in brands that make you feel good and that you believe in.
A brand is only going to want to be more inclusive if they feel like it's going to be good for business as well as making the consumer feel good - so we have to encourage people to do that. Consumers have to stand up and say, 'I have power: my pound or dollar is how I vote.'
You can't compare yourself to anyone else. I try and use this advice daily. I didn't actually fully believe that until I was maybe 21 or 22.
No matter what age you are, your voice should be heard, and you can develop a passion for something and be an activist in your own right, in your own field, for something you feel strongly about.
We need to see real women's bodies.
My thighs are great!
I love McDonald's now and again - not every day.
I never could have dreamt that I would be able to help girls feel better about themselves. But now I know I can. I want to do everything in my power to do more.
I'm happy with myself. I respect myself. And I know that no man, no jeans, no scale, and no booker is in control of my future - I am.
Every agency would mention my hips. I remember looking at the other models and thinking, 'I do not look like these girls.'
I remember I took an editorial, and I was so excited. I got the pictures back, and I looked in the magazine, and I was like, 'Oh my gosh!' My arms were half their size, and I had a thigh gap magically, and all these crazy things. My family went out and tried to find my pictures in the magazines, but no one could recognize me.
I was called 'fat' 200 times on shoots and had serious trouble fitting in the clothes at fashion shows. All these things break you down to a point where you look in the mirror and don't like what you see.
I remember Googling operations to make my calves slimmer, and I ate only ham for a week to try and become skinny.
As a model, I feel a great responsibility, and I understand how an image can make a young woman feel.
My long-term dream is to have self-education in schools for mental, physical, and emotional health because we need to learn how to speak to ourselves in a loving way and to each other.
