Kelly Hughes Shows Off C-Section Scar in SI Swimsuit 2022

She's the first model visibly highlighting a cesarean section scar in the Swimsuit Issue.

Kelly Hughes photographed by Fumie for SI Swimsuit 2022.

SI Swimsuit is proud to partner with Frida Mom to celebrate all moms who bare C-section scars by featuring Kelly Hughes in the 2022 issue. Frida Mom joined the Pay With Change initiative to positively shift the mainstream cultural narratives associated with women’s bodies -– especially when becoming a mom. 

Hughes delivered her now 3-year-old son via cesarean. More than 1.2 million women in the United States have babies via C-section every year. That means cesareans account for nearly a third of the births in this country. Yet, despite how common the procedure is, most moms are left with an emotional scar of disappointment and, sometimes, shame. But why? Maternal FOMO of not giving birth vaginally, unplanned cesareans leaving women no sense of choice and the cultural misconception of labeling C-sections as “the easy way out” are a few reasons. While the challenges are complicated, this much is clear: These compounding effects leave expectant mothers feeling physically and mentally unprepared for a C-section.

This is a celebration of women and their bodies in all forms, and an amplification the power of the female body - especially when becoming a mom.

Read more about our Frida Mom Pay With Change partnership.