Hilary Duff Shares Her Thoughts on Posing for the ‘Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’ Cover After Motherhood

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Hilary Duff is challenging societal norms surrounding body image, particularly for mothers. In an announcement made by Sports Illustrated Swimsuit on May 12, the former Lizzie McGuire star is set to feature as one of the cover models for this year’s annual swimsuit edition. Despite her excitement, Duff acknowledged the challenge of participating as a mother of four.

“Of course it was flattering,” Duff remarked regarding her cover invitation, which also includes notable figures Alix Earle, Tiffany Haddish, and Nicole Williams English.

As Duff candidly expressed, “I’m a mom of four, and I’m not a spring chicken. I don’t typically frolic around in a bathing suit, so it was a little scary.”

She shares her 14-year-old son, Luca, with ex-husband Mike Comrie and has three daughters—7-year-old Banks, 5-year-old Mae, and 1-year-old Townes—with her husband Matthew Koma. Having been open about her experiences with pregnancy, Duff has previously addressed the societal pressures related to body image, notably speaking out against body-shaming media. In a 2017 Instagram post, she confronted the scrutiny mothers face regarding their bodies.

“I am posting this on behalf of young girls, women, and mothers of all ages,” she wrote, sharing a paparazzi photo of herself and Luca at the beach. “Since websites and magazines love to share ‘celeb flaws’ – well I have them! My body has given me the greatest gift of my life: Luca, 5 years ago. I’m turning 30 in September and my body is healthy and gets me where I need to go. Ladies, let’s be proud of what we’ve got and stop wasting precious time in the day wishing we were different, better, and unflawed.”

Currently, Duff is experiencing a remarkable musical comeback, having released her first album in a decade, Luck … or Something, in February, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. She is set to embark on her Lucky Me Tour in June, which includes two performances at Madison Square Garden in August.

While speaking with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, Duff reflected on her musical journey, admitting she was unsure if she would ever return to music. “People asked me for years when I’d make another album, and I always skirted around that question,” she revealed. “The truth is I didn’t really know if I ever would because I had never gotten to make an album the way I wanted to.”