Plus-Size Model Lands Spot in SI Swimsuit Issue After Being Criticized for Appearance: ‘Dream Come True’

Plus-sized model Erin Marley Klay didn’t let her haters keep her from following her dreams.

In April, the influencer, 25, became one of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit‘s 2026 Rookies, after she was body-shamed online in the summer of 2025 for sharing bikini photos, according to People.

Instead of responding to the criticism with more negativity, she told the outlet at the time, “What I chose to focus on were all the women telling me how much me being confident in my visibly plus-size body meant to them.”

Now, in a new interview with People published on Tuesday, May 12, the Texas native reflected on posing for the magazine’s iconic swimsuit issue.

“It’s like a dream come true, especially looking back to that big moment last year,” she shared. “I’m no newbie to online slander [when it comes to] being a woman in a plus-size body.”

Klay explained she’s built a “thick skin” over time.

“I’ll say with confidence, [the criticism] has not affected me at all, which is fantastic,” she remarked. “I’m just reminding myself that these people are on the other side of the screen and they really don’t have any say in what I do or the achievements I get, because all of that’s coming from me. The only person that I look to in terms of figuring out how I feel about myself is myself.”

Additionally, Klay admitted fame is a double-edged sword, noting, “It’s hard because you’re being looked at by so many people, whether they’re looking up at you or they’re looking down on you.”

“Any change [in her body] whatsoever will be noticed,” she continued. “I think it’s important for me to realize whatever my body does, whether it’s losing weight or gaining it, it’s going to change throughout my life and I have to be ready for those changes and for what people will say or think about them, which is why I’m never placing too much importance on the way I look right now.”