Model Hunter McGrady says haters ‘fuel her’ to be ‘louder and prouder’

As a model with more than half a million followers on Instagram, Hunter McGrady knows a thing or two about living life in the public eye.

She’s widely known as Sports Illustrated’s “curviest model” — she’s been featured in the magazine’s swimsuit issue three times — and was most recently seen on the cover of The Knot’s fashion issue. When not modeling, McGrady also dedicates her time to working with charities like the JED Foundation and 1 Heart 1 Mission, and runs a body-positivity campaign called #AllWorthy.

INSIDER recently spoke with McGrady about her modeling career, and how critics “fuel” her to be loud and proud.

Hunter McGrady originally entered the industry as a ‘straight-sized’ model

McGrady was born in Southern, California to a model mother and actor father, Michael McGrady. At the time she began modeling, McGrady said she was a size two and trying to “fit into a mold” set by the modeling industry.

“I actually started as a ‘straight-sized’ model — that’s basically what they call it in this business,” McGrady told INSIDER. “I was about a size two, and that was something I couldn’t keep up with.”

“I just wasn’t meant to be in that size and that frame,” she continued. “I was trying so hard to fit into that mold, and it just couldn’t happen to me.”

However, McGrady eventually “learned about plus-size modeling” around the age of 19, and became “enamored and excited” to learn that “something like this existed.” Still, her journey to become a “plus-size” model wasn’t always easy.

“Along the way, there are a lot of mean comments that you get, and a lot of people don’t agree with it — a lot of people have nasty things to say,” McGrady said.

“But for me, instead of looking at that and getting angry, I look at that and I go, ‘Okay so this is showing me that we still have a long way to go because people are still very judgmental and not open to this,'” she said. “That, to me, almost fuels me to continue being louder and prouder about being a plus-sized model.”

Now, McGrady is an advocate for ‘plus-sized’ models, though she feels ‘in-between’ about the phrase

Speaking to INSIDER, McGrady said she once rejected the term “plus-sized.” When asked how she currently feels about the phrase, the model said “other women” have changed her view.

“When I got asked this when I first came into this industry, I was like, ‘Don’t label us’ and ‘That’s putting us in a different box and we’re trying to get away from that,'” McGrady said.

“While I do still agree with a lot of that, I’ve also gotten notes from women who have said, ‘I’m actually really proud to identify like that,'” she continued. “So for me, that kind of made me think, ‘Who am I to sit here and tell anyone what they should be called or not?'”

“I’m kind of in-between,” McGrady said. “I think if you have a problem with it, fine, but don’t make it such a big deal and push it on other people because a lot of women are really proud of holding that title. Whatever makes you feel powerful, incredible, and wonderful, that’s what I want for you.”

Read more: This Curve model says we should all stop using the term ‘real women’

McGrady has made history with her appearances in Sports Illustrated, and has also begun a movement called #AllWorthy

For the past three years, McGrady has been featured in Sports Illustrated’s famous swimsuit issue. She’s currently the magazine’s “curviest model,” an achievement that McGrady says she’s “so proud” of.

Being featured in the magazine also inspired her to begin a body-positivity campaign called #AllWorthy on Instagram.

“I created #AllWorthy about three years ago when Sports Illustrated dropped my first issue with them,” McGrady said.

“I was sitting there watching TV thinking, ‘Oh my gosh. I would’ve never thought I was worthy enough to be in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, let alone be the curviest model they’ve ever had and make history,'” she said. “Then I started thinking, ‘Why am I thinking this way?'”

McGrady feels that “all women” should feel successful, beautiful, worthy, heard, and seen. To help foster those feelings, the model began to share photos on Instagram alongside the hashtag, #AllWorthy.

“I thought, ‘I’ll create a little community where we can go and chat with each other, and look at each other, and be supportive of one another — women really lifting each other up,” McGrady said.

“I created #AllWorthy as a place on Instagram where you could put up your photo and see tons of women feeling beautiful as they are,” she continued. “That’s exactly what I wanted and why I created it.”