cover of First Time #62 (Star Trek: TOS), artist is IM Mueller -- in this case "the naughty bits" in this case aren't sexually explicit but rather simply a male nude
A Fig Leaf is a "modesty panel" or "modesty shield." The term comes from the practice in Western art history of using a fig leaf shape to conceal human genitals in pictures or sculpture.
They are used in fandom to cover up parts of fan art.
One venue for fig leaves are in print zines where they are used by fans as humorous commentary.
Another use of self-imposed fig leaves on print zines is to disguise erotic content or nudity so that fans can feel more confident reading or viewing fanworks in public areas.
Sometimes people who sell print zines on eBay utilize fig leaves to cover up visual depictions of what they commonly refer to as "naughty bits."
For 2025, Fanlore will be having monthly editing challenges! Each month you can earn a delicious new badge for completing the suggested editing task. March's editing challenge is: add 3 "common tropes" examples to a ship or character page. Find out more on the help page