Ashley Graham posts powerful photo of herself giving birth to mark International Women's Day: 'This is the face of my greatest strength'
March 8 is International Women’s Day, and model Ashley Graham marked the annual event by sharing a powerful photograph of herself on Instagram; in the picture she is, presumably, in labor.
“This is the face of my greatest strength. The greatest pain I’ve ever known and the greatest accomplishment that I’ve ever achieved,” she wrote in the photo’s caption. “On this International Women’s Day understand that despite whatever pain or trial we have all experienced as women, we are also strong, powerful and capable of accomplishing greatness.”
The response by other famous women to her revealing post was nothing short of supportive. “This pic made me cry,” commented comedian Amy Schumer. “Love this so much,” wrote supermodel Christy Turlington Burns, who also founded the maternal health organization Every Mother Counts. Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn chimed in, “You’re a badass!!!! Love this!!!” Supermodel Helena Christensen added, “Such powers we possess, such strength.”
Graham gave birth to her son, Isaac Menelik Giovanni Ervin, on Jan. 18. On her podcast, Graham shared that it was a home birth. “I’m so grateful that I was able to deliver naturally in my home with my husband by my side for all six hours of labor,” she shared in another Instagram post.
Since having her son, Graham has been very deliberate about sharing the less glamorous, and more real, moments of motherhood on her social media accounts. She has posted photos of herself breastfeeding at restaurants and pumping in Ubers.
She also shared a photo of herself changing her son’s diaper in a Staples, captioning the post: “First diaper blow-up while running errands with no restroom in sight! Thank God I remembered to put the changing mat in the diaper bag!!!”
She’s even posted photos of how pregnancy changed her body, sharing a picture showcasing her new stretch marks. “Same me. few new stories,” she wrote.
Related: Ashley Graham Opened Up About the “Messy Parts” of Recovery
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