Fig Leaf
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A Fig Leaf is a "modesty panel."
They are most often used by fans and non-fans in public venues such as eBay to cover an area on visual fanworks such as simple nudity (both male and female) and male genitalia, to covering mild physical expressions of intimacy (usually between same sex couples), to covering explicit sexual acts.
Sometimes the decision to use a fig leaf is a political and/or personal statement that represents what the applicator considers shameful, illegal, or embarrassing.
Self-Imposed Fig Leaves
Some zines parodied the very idea of a fig leaf.
Son of Grope (1977), an early British Star Trek: TOS zine included "a fig-leaf cut-out for the prudish."
the 'Pin the Fig Leaf on Spock' game in In a Plain Brown Wrapper (1979), art by Madeline Rogers.
from Tales of Cascade #2 (2004), artist is Panda (The Sentinel)
Some fig leaves were not parody, but perhaps a way to ensure modesty in public areas, see Reading and Viewing Print Fanworks in Public Areas
front cover of The Warrior's Heart #1, with gold band fig leaf in place, the artist is Fuumin
For Display in Public Places
Fig leaves are imposed in public venues such as eBay to cover simple nudity (both male and female), male genitalia, mild physical expressions of intimacy (usually between same sex couples), as well as explicit sexual acts.
cover of the Sentinel zine, Through the Ages, by Geli
an ebay seller in 2024 utilized an incredibly cautious fig leaf, which covered up a few terrifying genital hairs
artist is Caren Parnes, from the 1988 zine, Matter/Antimatter, a fig leaf on a rendition of Michelangelo's David
artist is Jean Clissold from The Professionals (1984)
artist is Suzan Lovett, from Interview with a Vampire
cover of the Star Trek: TOS zine, The Price and The Prize, as depicted on eBay, artist is Gayle F
cover of First Time #62 (Star Trek: TOS), though it is likely "the naughty bits" would not be, in this case, considered sexually explicit but rather simply a male nude, artist is IM Mueller
What If... cover close up; this eBay seller chose to crop Bodie's lower body in this Professionals zine cover by Suzan Lovett
This ebay seller covered up Bodie's lower body with a Post-It Note
For those curious about just what is under that fig leaf: nothing too alarming!
cover ofMating Rituals #3 (1995, Sentinel), artist is K9, with an aggressive fig leaf applied in 2021 by an ebay seller, because, well... one can't have naked male skin touching other naked male skin...
cover ofMating Rituals #3, without the fig leaf
from Crossing the Streams #5 (1996, Real Ghostbusters), artist is Aurora Black, an ebay seller has determined that female breasts are "naughty bits"
And for your viewing pleasure, a fig finger from an eBay seller:
pointing the way on a page in First Time #7 (Star Trek: TOS)
