Bullied For Wearing A Bikini, This Plus-Size Model Is Now A Sports Illustrated Model

In April 2026, Erin Marley Klay was named a ‘Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’ rookie, and it’s a long way from where she started. The 25-year-old LA model and influencer made headlines about a year ago for confronting her online bullies, who shamed her for wearing a bikini. Her clapback was done with “light and positivity” on X. She told PEOPLE, What I chose to focus on were all the women telling me how much being confident in my visibly plus-size body meant to them.”

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Klay didn’t always have this confidence. She would once spew hateful words at herself in the mirror as a way to armor herself from the hate she believed she would inevitably receive from people, telling the magazine that she developed a “thick skin” after working on her self-love. This confident mindset is what helped her land a photoshoot in the highly coveted pages of “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.”

She discussed the rapid progression behind the scenes, from her interview with the publication to her casting after years of submitting open-call tapes. The shoot took place in Montauk, NY, showcasing the model in a sexy yellow string bikini.

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How Erin Marley Klay Prepped For Her Photoshoot

Before the shoot, Klay indulged in a pre-shoot ritual, including a spray tan, nail touch-ups, and hair touch-ups. She also admitted she considered starting a workout routine and going on a diet to “shape up,” adding, “You get this huge life-changing [news] and you’re like, let me hit the gym, let me drink two gallons of water a day.” However, she took a step back and acknowledged that she got the opportunity because of how she looks, and relieved herself of the pressure to undergo a massive transformation in a short period of time that wouldn’t be healthy and, furthermore, wouldn’t be necessary.

Social Media Puts Too Much Emphasis On Appearances

After skyrocketing to fame and being in the spotlight, Klay has admitted that it can be difficult moments with so many people looking at you, whether they’re inspired or have not-so-nice things to say. She also added that any changes in her body will be noticed and commented on, so she’s had to find peace in the fact that her body will change throughout her life, and she needs to be prepared for what people will say or think. This is part of the reason she doesn’t nitpick or focus too much on how she looks in the present.

She does call social body positivity on social media “harrowing” and says that beauty standards have taken “50 steps back” amid the GLP-1 craze. However, she’s happy that “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit” and its editor-in-chief, MJ Day, are still showcasing body diversity in its pages, no matter what.