'Sports Illustrated' Takes on Awkward Task of Releasing a #MeToo Swimsuit Issue

In the era of #MeToo, how does a magazine approach its annual special issue known for its blatant objectification of women? That's exactly the question Sports Illustrated was tasked with when crafting its infamous Swimsuit Issue at a time when conversations about the sexual harassment of women are on everyone's mind. Their solution? To go full steam ahead with an issue of models posing on beaches in bathing suits, but with words like "artist," "truth," "nurturer" and in case you forgot, "human" written in black lettering across nude women's bodies.

Sports Illustrated editor MJ Day spoke with Vanity Fair about the issue's special nude spread, called "In Her Own Words."

"It's about allowing women to exist in the world without being harassed or judged regardless of how they like to present themselves," Day said. "That's an underlying thread that exists throughout the Swimsuit Issue."

"These are sexy photos," she added. "At the end of the day, we're always going to be sexy, no matter what is happening."

Photo by Taylor Ballantyne/Sports Illustrated