ESPN has just announced the lineup for its 2016 Body Issue, the magazine's annual photo spread of noteworthy athletes of all stripes. And in case you forgot, they'll all be posing naked.
This year's issue will feature 19 athletes (10 men and nine women), including Olympic swimmer Nathan Adrian, Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat, and Olympic volleyball player April Ross. In a history-making turn for the magazine, Olympic duathlete Chris Mosier will be the first transgender athlete to appear in a Body Issue.
Mosier's appearance in this year's issue reflects ESPN's continued efforts to include a diverse array of athletes. Past issues challenged narrow standards of beauty and fitness, with Olympic hammer thrower Amanda Bingson and MLB player Prince Fielder, proving that there's no "right" or "wrong" way for an athlete to look.
In addition to announcing this year's lineup, ESPN shared Wade's personal feelings about participating in the NSFW shoot (the basketball star refused to appear in the last seven issues). "Someone may look at me and think, 'Why would you have insecurity?' Well, this is real life and I'm human, and these are the things that I deal with that many others might deal with," he says, describing lifelong anxieties around being seen naked, or even in a swimsuit.
We can't wait to see how the rest of this year's issue will address the topic of body image — because, as Wade makes clear, even world-class athletes can struggle with self-acceptance. But for now, all we get is a sneak peak of Wade's photo. The full portfolio will launch online on July 6, and the issue will hit newsstands on July 8. In the meantime, check out a full list of the athletes who will bare it all here.
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