Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine makes history with new cover

American magazine Sports Illustrated Swimsuit has for the first time featured a model showing off her caesarean scar on its front cover in its 58-year history.

A 'celebration of women and their bodies'

Miami-based model and jewellery designer Kelly Hughes poses on a beach in the shot, pulling down her bikini bottoms to reveal the c-section scar.

The issue aims to 'positively shift the mainstream cultural narratives associated with women’s bodies' and is a 'celebration of women and their bodies in all forms, and an amplification of the power of the female body -– especially when becoming a mom.'

The magazine shared the cover shot on Instagram with a caption that read:

Let's give some love to all our moms out there to acknowledge the power of the female body and the beauty of motherhood!

'Empowered'

Hughes shared the same picture on her own Instagram account and said she was 'speechless and so honored' to be the first woman to bare her scar for the magazine. She wrote:

I struggled with insecurities from my scar, being that I'm a model and my incredibly difficult recovery, but it wasn't until I embraced my scar that I experienced the true power in it.

​​It took time to heal physically and mentally and embrace all that I had gone through in order to find the strength in it. I truly haven't felt as empowered by my scar as I do today.

The current issue continues the magazine's recent campaign to promote diversity and body positivity. In 2021, tennis player Naomi Osaka became the first Black female athlete to appear on the magazine's cover while Leyna Bloom was the first transgender cover model. In 2016, Ashley Graham was the first plus-size model to feature on the cover of the magazine.

Read more:

⋙ Dani Dyer opens up about last-minute c-section

⋙ People Magazine's 'sexiest man alive' is changing the game for diversity

⋙ This Model Called Out Top Magazine For Obvious Racial Blunder