si_swimsuit rookie #MadisinRian woke up one day with motivation to cut off all her hair— which turned out to be one of the best decisions she's ever made. After spending her modeling career trying not to feel boxed in, she finally found a much-needed sense of freedom. ✨⁠ ⁠ By shaving her head, Rian was able to look at her relationship with her hair and the impact it had on her self-image. "I just wanted to see how I viewed being my most authentic self without having hair to hide under." ⁠ ⁠ She felt liberated and gained confidence after making the bold move. Rian says, "Black women, in general, we have these stigmas surrounding our hair, and so we feel the need to add this connection to it. But, we aren't just our hair; we are more than that."⁠ ⁠ Link in bio for how her journey with #SportsIllustratedSwimsuit came full-circle. ⁠ ⁠ ✏️: Yahoo Life⁠ 📷: SPORTS ILLUSTRATED