Nude Model Goes Un-Airbrushed On Marie Claire Cover (PHOTO)

Miss Universe 2004 and model Jennifer Hawkins agreed to pose nude and un-airbrushed on the cover of February's Australian Marie Claire, but some are slamming the magazine's anti-Photoshopping efforts, claiming Hawkins does not represent real women.

Editor Jackie Frank told The Australian that the images were inspired by a survey of 5500 readers, which showed that only 12 percent of women were truly happy with their bodies. Marie Claire put Hawkins on the cover to make a positive statement about body image and the photographs of Hawkins will be auctioned later this month, with the proceeds donated to the Butterfly Foundation, an eating disorders support group.

In the interview, Hawkins says, "I'm not a stick figure--I thought it would be great to tell women to just be themselves and be confident."

But the cover sparked an outcry from Marie Claire readers such as "She wants to make [women] feel more comfortable about how they look, gee thanks, I now feel worse! I'm a size 10 and I still have more rolls than her!" and "If anything is going to have me running to the toilet with my finger down my throat it's a picture of Jennifer Hawkins naked."

The Butterfly Foundation's general manager Julie Parker pointed out Hawkins flaws, including her dimpled thigh, creased waist and skin-tone changes. Parker told The Age that photographing an average Australian woman wouldn't have worked.

"The thing is unfortunately it doesn't make the same point, because Jennifer sells magazines and she creates awareness. If 'Marie Claire' had chosen to put on their cover an ordinary women, say myself or a friend of yours, it would not have created the awareness it does."

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Comments

[EllieElegance]

08:21 AM on 01/11/2010

I think everyone is missing the point of this article.
Yes Jennifer Hawkins is a beautiful woman! No nothing is wrong with her and maybe she doesn't represent the "normal" woman. HOWEVER!
It shows that even her herself is not 100% perfect.
Yes she's slender and you wouldn't complain about it.
But you can tell there are some blemishes that she herself probably doesn't feel comfortable about. If you actually looked at the poster you'd be able to tell this.
I say good on her and Marie Claire for raising awareness like this,
It shows women who have those insecurites that even the most beautiful women in the world have flaws.
As well as they say "Our flaws is what makes us unique"
So ladies be proud! Remember weight can always be changed so stop with the comments like "i'm fatter then her" If you be positive, eat healthy you won't be saying that and your you. Why would you want to look the same as someone else?

But yes. Good Job Marie Claire!

[Thaliacole]

11:43 AM on 01/11/2010

Is the editor of Marie Claire by any chance?

[GeoKaii]

10:38 PM on 01/09/2010

Why is this article so negative? Jennifer Hawkins may not represent the average woman but that's only because the average woman is a fat slob just like the average man. Not everyone can have this body, no it takes hard work and healthy eating habits. I think that what Marie Claire and JH have done is great and hopefully un-airbrushed imaging will be the standard once again.

[SaltyLassi]

01:37 PM on 01/08/2010

"I'm not a stick figure--I thought it would be great to tell women to just be themselves and be confident."

Um, she is still quite skinny. She most likely wears a size 4, which is smaller than me, and I'm very slender. It's great that they did not photoshop her, but I cannot pick out anything wrong with her body. She still looks like a model, has no blemishes, has no fat or flab, is proportionate, and has a nice face and hair. I think there are plenty of thin women out there who do have a bit of flab somewhere, like their stomach, that would be considered more real.

True, this image trumps a Photoshopped one, but they have used a woman who does not need much Photoshopping in the first place, thereby defeating the purpose.

[theblueAmerican]

12:26 AM on 01/08/2010

awesome, I like looking at real women.

[LCdruid]

04:28 PM on 01/07/2010

The lack of airbrushing won't affect the women who equate their beauty with a number (dress size, height, weight, chest size). They'll be miserable in either case.

[chrissiann]

04:24 PM on 01/07/2010

What do they mean she does not represent "real women." She IS a real woman! now the tables are turning against thin women? Are we not real? We come in all shapes and sizes, and to say that a tall thin woman does not represent "real women" is highly offensive. What is to say a short overweight woman somehow represents real women? The whole concept is dumb. we come in all heights, all shapes, and all sizes. We are ALL real women! I do not stick my finger down my throat. I just watch what i eat, I do not deprive myself, and i exercise and keep healthy. I am thin. I am tall. I have dimples in my thighs and uneven skin tone. When i bend, i have creases in my abdomen too. It is natural. I am a real woman, have always been a real woman, and will always be a real woman until the day i die.

[Molly Whitaker]

09:17 AM on 01/08/2010

Indeed. Very nicely said, Chrissiann.

[FunkyCanute]

03:41 PM on 01/07/2010

That's so unkind, marie claire.

Now all the ugly fatties have no excuse for not looking as gorgeous as the cover model.

[jnik]

02:35 PM on 01/07/2010

If I wanted to see a real woman, I wouldn't buy magazines!

[MileahMorgan]

02:27 PM on 01/07/2010

oops..good move

[MileahMorgan]

02:26 PM on 01/07/2010

Goog Move Marie Claire! They took a woman's magazine and made it appealing to men.
My husband would probably pick up that magazine at home and look at it, whereas normally
he wouldn't give Marie Claire a second look.

[Molly Whitaker]

11:12 AM on 01/07/2010

I think this is great. But apparently it's not enough for the size 10 and above to stop feeling insecure about their own natural body shape. This woman is just as real as any other woman but somehow she is less than because she stays healthy? She is not rail thin nor is she an emaciated stick figure. She is perfectly... healthy looking and should promote a healthy lifestyle. Yes, there are some models who are unhealthy and can indirectly influence eating disorders - but come on, people, work a little harder to find the difference. I'm tired of healthy and/or naturally thin woman being penalized because some people lack the will of self-control. If its true (and I believe statistics show this) that the average woman is closer to a size ten, then fine, perhaps it is only a matter of linguistics. So change the word "real" to "typical" or "average" then you may have a valid debate. But don't judge the "realness" of a person simply by how they choose to live their life. And this works on so many levels.

[waters96]

04:05 PM on 01/07/2010

Molly, you made a great comment. The main point here is the model was not photoshopped. People who don't like their body shape should do something about it. I'm a man, and one day I looked in the mirror and realized I weighed too much. So I went on a diet, got some exercise, and lost 20 pounds. I still have 15 to go. So if the opponents to beautiful models don't like they way look, they should lose weight, get some make-up, and stop complaining about the way other people look. Or just don't like the magazine. I'm married to a woman who is a size 12 and I think she's sexy. But I also think some size 2's are sexy.

Anyway, great picture Marie Claire. I'm a fan.

[seppoyank]

07:22 AM on 01/08/2010

The article really should have said, but a size 10 in Australia is the equivalent of a size 4 or 6 in America.

[Molly Whitaker]

09:20 AM on 01/08/2010

Thanks for the clarity, seppoyank - that does make the gal's comment from the article make a little more sense. But my point still stands.

[silversofva]

10:53 AM on 01/07/2010

she still a stick figure, I'd rather see a woman with curves and boobs(I mean if you have pencil thin arms and they manage to cover your entire breast ,they are pretty small),And she had her hair and makeup done as well as just so lighting. Don't get me wrong she's a pretty girl. However, it's not making that much of a statement when they're saying it's not photo shopped and the only real difference is her spray on tan is uneven. Big deal! And for the editor of the magazine to say that had it not been this model of her size (I'm guessing a kids size 4) that it wouldn't have sold magazines if it was a woman regular proportions, How insulting!! How about all those pictures of celebrities without their makeup on for a cover. Trust me ,it's more of a shock than this mag cover!Besides no one has to take their clothes off to find flaws; real or imagined.Society quit trying to make us feel bad for not fitting your idea of beauty and size and then look for acceptance for lowering your ideal standards of perfection by your not so photo shopped pic.

[wutzitallabout]

12:54 PM on 01/07/2010

So let me get this straight: You want an overweight model on the cover? Or, you don't approve of women with bra size cups of A or B? When we accept that women come in all sizes, as you say, we also accept that some women's breasts aren't a D cup! I am 63 years old - I weigh 120 lbs. and workout; I am a size 6. I never have dieted or strived to be thin. FAT inside of the human body is not healthy - period! You never see an old fat person because they don't live to be old. However, on the other hand, emaciated stick thin people aren't healthy either. The moral of the story: Balance is the key - in anything in ife.

[miguelisimo2000]

03:54 PM on 01/07/2010

You are a fool silversovfa.

She's far from a stick figure. She looks quite healthy in the opinions of MANY. Not all woman have the typical North American build that you see at Walmart.

[Sursum]

09:57 AM on 01/07/2010

It's so nice to hear from men on here that skeleton-thin women are not everyone's cup of tea and that this gorgeous young woman is just that --- a gorgeous young woman appearing exactly the way God made her (with make up and great lighting of course!). Magazine covers & ads are always graced by the most beautiful among us, but when did we decide that they had to be plastic?

Good for Jennifer Hawkins and Marie Claire. It's a step in the right direction.

[hairyhuman]

10:26 AM on 01/07/2010

My goodness yes... This is a picture where I look up to God and say "good job!" hahaha

[miguelisimo2000]

03:47 PM on 01/07/2010

"When did we decide they had to be plastic?"

Answer: When most of us guys hit puberty and discovered masturbation. We were'nt thinking about Lane Bryant.

[simdee]

09:54 AM on 01/07/2010

Okay so this is a hot picture, but one would agree that with today's technology - photoshop is the king and natural beauty is hard to swallow.. don't believe us - What do you think about the recent playboy photo of Chelsea "lately" handler along with that seemingly perfect curvacious body.. and flawless skin, could be original, but what are the odds? Anyway, the fans are still loving it and so to Mr. Hefner:v: http://bit.ly/queen-of-late-night-show-host-now-in-playboy

Airbrushed a.k.a photoshop.. hmm

[KaLeeDo]

09:44 AM on 01/07/2010

2 points

1) She looks great.
2) The readers of Marie Claire are beyond saving with some of those reactions.