Image courtesy of The Cut

With models getting thinner, adverts and magazine covers becoming more airbrushed, and the focus on weight - whether it be over or under - becoming more present in our society, the attempt to promote a positive body image has increased dramatically over the past few years. The fight against retouching has become particularly strong in Australia, and this February Marie Claire will be using a groundbreaking cover shot - with Australian supermodel Jennifer Hawkins posing naked, and unretouched for charity.

The issue will support the Butterfly Foundation, a charity that helps Australians struggling with body image and eating disorders. When asked why the cover didn't feature a more average Australian woman, the foundation's general manager Julie Parker explained that magazines had tried this tactic in the past, and unfortunately to no avail due to the lack of publicity it created.

"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." The cover also aims to tackle the issue of digital enhancement and retouching in magazines, as Parker points out "is so excessive these days", and is "one small part of the much wider spectrum of body image, self esteem and eating disorder issues."

While we're not so sure that the cover exposes Jennifer's 'flaws' (we couldn't find any, either!) we salute the supermodel and Marie Claire for taking a stance and promoting natural beauty, and it's not hard to see that that's exactly what Jennifer is.