Sports Illustrated Swimsuit is making history once again.
For the first time in its 58-year history, the magazine will feature a model showing her cesarean section scar. The body-positive message will feature in its upcoming issue.
The inclusive and empowering decision has been pioneered by Frida Mom founder Chelsea Hirschhorn, who has partnered with the publication to help represent moms who have been through C-sections and normalize the conversation around postpartum recovery.
When SI Swimsuit's annual issue hits the newsstands in May, C-section mom and model Kelly Hughes will become the first-ever woman to show her scar in the magazine. On their Instagram, the publication shared a stunning snap of Hughes proudly baring her scar as she poses in a bikini.
"We are proud to partner with @fridamom to celebrate all moms who bare C-Section scars by featuring @kellyhues in #SISwim22- the FIRST woman to expose her C-Section scar in magazine’s history!" they captioned the post.
"Let’s give some love to all our moms out there to acknowledge the power of the female body and the beauty of motherhood," the outlet added.
Meanwhile, Hughes also shared the exciting news on her own Instagram, where she wrote that she felt "honored" to be a part of the empowering campaign.
"I am speechless and so honored to be in @si_swimsuit 2022 as the FIRST woman to expose her c-section scar in [the] magazine's history," the model 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,'" she added.
As well as featuring Hughes, SI Swimsuit has also launched an initiative to shift the narrative associated with women's bodies.
Titled 'Pay With Change', the platform is a way of celebrating companies who are helping transform women's lives. Frida Mom - which provides pregnancy and postpartum support products to moms across the world - is just one of the many brands that have signed up to join the initiative and help change the world for women.
In their own Instagram post championing their partnership with SI Swimsuit, Frida Mom wrote: "History made. Scratch that. Herstory made," adding: "To @kellyhues & all the C-Section moms, wear that scar with pride. It’s proof you’re strong as a mother."
