‘Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue’ Cover Backlash: Are Hannah Davis’ Bikini Bottoms Too Low?

Hannah Davis snagged the coveted cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, but her sexy pose has stirred up a bit of controversy, with some saying she’s showing a bit too much skin.

Hanna Davis Bikini Bottoms Backlash

Davis, 24, was named this year’s Swimsuit Issue cover girl on Wednesday, when her cover debuted on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon. In the sexy pic, Davis poses in a tiny bikini on a farm. A model wearing a microscopic bikini on the cover is nothing new for the SI Swimsuit Issue, but this cover has sparked backlash with just how low Davis is pulling her already miniscule bottoms.

In fact, looking at the photo, it almost looks as if the bottoms are one-millimeter away from exposing Davis and making the cover more pornographic than seductive.  

Issues past have featured cover models in nearly identical poses. Bar Refaeli struck the same pose on the cover of the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, as did Tyra Banks in 1997. Those covers, however, were also shot from a bit farther away, and appear much less photoshopped.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.