The annual Marie Claire naked issue is always a talking point for the nation, and this year will be no different, but, the publication decided to take all that focus and channel it towards something we need more of; body positivity.
The aim of the campaign has always been to take people's interest in nudity and use it for a good cause but people still are not able to see past the nudity and their anger about it.
“Although we live in a country enshrined by a liberal and progressive constitution, we are still a deeply conservative and patriarchal society. We can debate that too, but look at any of our major institutions: schools, universities, churches or parliament: we’re liberal, but only to a point. We are quick to police the naked body, and particularly women’s naked bodies,” explained Marie Claire about their 2017 issue which featured the likes of Nomzamo Mbatha, Thando Thabethe and Omuhle Gela.
The theme of this year's campaign is #DearBody, and the ZAlebs featured in the photo spread have lead the charge in body positivity by writing personalized letters to their body, apologizing for the wrong they have done to their bodies in the past and promising to do better moving forward.
Check out some of the notes published by the likes of Nina Hastie, Khanyi Mbau and Thick Leeyonce.
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Main image credit: instagram.com/mbaureloaded